Dickinson House Museum
1127 Mill Street K4M 1A8 Ottawa, ON, Canada

Duration: Up to 16 weeks Hours: 35 hours/week, 9:00 to 5:00 p.m., including weekends Languages: English essential; oral French, Mandarin or Spanish an asset Rate of Pay: $14.25/hour Open to: Youth between 15 and 30 who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or individuals with refugee status in Canada and eligible to work in Canada. For some positions, candidates must be students currently completing a semester of full-time studies and be returning to full-time stu...dies in the fall of 2021. Apply by: March 29, 2021 Start Date: May 18, 2021 (subject to municipal and provincial regulations for COVID-19) Tasks and Responsibilities: Provide oral guided tours to visitors to the century home, pointing out the features of the house and its furnishings and telling the story of its residents from 1870 to 1972; Respond to visitors’ questions; Research, plan and write short presentations; Assist with installation and presentation of temporary displays and programs; Help with ongoing operation of the historic home; and Take part in promotion of programs and activities at Dickinson House. Qualifications: Excellent oral and written communications skills Ability to listen well and respond to questions in a detailed manner Computer skills Previous experience in working with the public an asset Conditions of Employment: Ability to climb stairs on a regular basis Willingness to work weekends Wearing of a period costume provided by employer Access to reliable transportation, as bus service to Manotick is limited to peak hour service on week days Police record and vulnerable sector check The Rideau Township Historical Society is an equal opportunity employer. Note: Some positions are supported by Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage. Applicants should review the website at https://young-canada-works.canada.ca/ to confirm their eligibility and register.

For Heritage Day in Ottawa, we share this post from CSV Architects, which is involved in the restoration of Dickinson House.

In honour of the Dickinsons of Manotick, we wish you a Happy Family Day from the big yellow house in historic Dickinson Square.

This is the last weekend for in-person shopping in the Dickinson House Christmas Shop. Enjoy browsing our handcrafted gift items in the 19-century ambiance of this heritage home. Tours of the museum are also available. Our COVID-19 controls on entry ensure a private visit for each household unit. See poster for our open hours.

Like their older brothers, Kenneth (right) and Richard Spratt joined the military. Ken enlisted in Nov. 1943, received a Wireless Air Gunner badge and was promoted to Sergeant, however the war ended before he could be sent overseas. After the war, he had a distinguished 27-year career in the Ottawa Police Department. Richard (left) enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1949. As a Flying Officer and then Captain, he flew many missions during the Korean War, including carrying troops from Japan to the front lines. He had a lengthy and varied post-war career as a pilot, his final assignment being in the early 1990s as a B747 Captain with Singapore Airlines.

The 2020 Dickinson House Museum Christmas Shop, featuring heritage-inspired, handcrafted gift items, offers private COVID-safe shopping for one household group at a time. Open weekends to Dec. 6, 10 am to noon and 1 to 4:30 pm.

Dickinson Square has wrapped itself in its winter cloak this week, adding touches of colour to mark the festive season. This image, reflecting the Square's current beauty, forms part of the Dickinson House Christmas notecard collection. To view the full set, click on the Shop Now button above and follow the link to the Christmas Shop. Photo-Art by Rod Brazier. We have had a question about the location of the Shop Now button, so below is a link to the Christmas Shop. Scroll down to find the notecards. https://dickinsonhousemuseum.square.site/christmas-market

We continue our commemoration of the wartime service of the Spratt family, residents of Dickinson House, 1931 to 1948. Helen Spratt was a cipher clerk at a Royal Canadian Navy High Frequency Direction Finding shore station on the Gaspe Peninsula. These stations picked up transmissions from German submarines and were a key factor in the 27 U-boat kills attributed to the Canadian navy. Helen's brother William joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942, serving as a Wireless Air Gunner in the Western and Eastern Air Commands in Canada. He was promoted to Flying Officer before war's end. Tragically, he died of carbon monoxide poisoning in 1949. He was buried with full air force honours at age 25.

Dickinson House is currently featuring displays in honour of Remembrance Day. Included are photos and information highlighting the wartime service of members of the Spratt family, which lived in the house from 1931 to 1948. During the Second World War, 4 of Alexander and Evelyn Spratt's children served their country in various capacities, and the 5th fought in Korea. Today we feature Charles Spratt, who enlisted in 1939 at age 16 and served throughout the war. He was awarded the Military Medal for acts of bravery in Sept. 1944 when he used his Bren machine gun to overcome two enemy strongholds near Boulogne France, allowing his platoon to reach their objective. We are open today until 4:30.

In accordance with Ontario's new COVID-19 response framework, Dickinson House will be reopening to the public at 10:00 a.m. this morning, November 7. Until further notice, we will be open weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with restrictions in place, including the wearing of masks, limited entry and the collection of contact-tracing information.