Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society
P.O. Box 896 L8N 3P6 Hamilton, ON, Canada

The holiday season was a challenging time for soldiers stationed in the trenches during the First World War. To help lift their spirits, loved ones would often... prepare Christmas Hampers to be sent overseas. These hampers were simply boxes of goods prepared on the home front and sent to the soldiers. They could be commercially purchased or assembled in the home. Either way, soldiers were thrilled to receive a treasure chest of essentials and treats! For more information, click on the link https://bit.ly/3n64DYL to watch a video of the items included as well as a discussion of gifts during the Victorian era. See more

December may be our favourite month at Dundurn Castle, mostly because it is the only time we set the table in the formal dining room! The room seems so much bri...ghter with all the shining silver and crystal, and of course the gold plated, hand painted Imari dishes! We actually put out more serving dishes on the table than the MacNab family likely would have. The table is so wide that dishes in the centre are difficult to reach, and servants would bring a new dish with pre-portioned food for each course (a typical formal serving style in the Victorian Era). But we want to show off all the gorgeous pieces so the table is full with all the tureens, vegetable dishes, and serving platters! See more

Beneath the Surface Sometimes scratching the surface or peeling back a layer reveals a different story of a familiar place. The unfortunate fire damage at Tony'...s Shoe Repair in the heart of Waterdown August of 2019 is now being repaired. On the left is a 1967 image of the building when it was Walter B. Job's Feed Store. In the current photo, some of the old advertising is still visible. Note the White Rose Gasoline and En-ar-co Motor Oil lettering at the front of the building, from a time when you could fill up your tank at the gas pumps out front. 1967 image photographed by J. Peter Vance.

Check out a selection of one of our most recent donations! A huge collection of McMaster Pottery, showcasing the company’s wide variety of styles and techniques.... These join our current collection of McMaster Pottery, with a small selection displayed in our permanent gallery. McMaster pottery was founded in 1939 by Harry Jay McMaster. The first pottery was located at Main and Dundas until it was destroyed by fire. The business then moved to 122 Hatt St. where it remained until its closure in 1988. #dundas #dundashistory #mcmasterpottery #history #hamiltonhistory

The tours have ended for the year in the Hamilton Cemetery. The virus has cancelled the tours for the year. We can hope that we will be able to start the tours ...again in May 2021. l will continue to try to post a video that pertains to more Stories in the Stones. Today's story is about a Hamilton family of influence. Enjoy. www.hamiltonhistory.ca See more

New book written by Head-of-the-Lake member Dave Beland..... Ecanada Art Pottery: George Emery A Man, His Art & His Legacy https://www.thespec.com//book-on-cermacist-george-emery-sh

Dundurn Castle invites you to try out some of our favourite Victorian Christmas recipes: Wassail and Orange Gingerbread. We’re opening up the beautifully decor...ated home for a Christmas Facebook Live Virtual Tour on Saturday November 28th from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm EST and we will be spending some time together in Dundurn’s historic kitchen towards the end of the event. We will be showcasing these recipes and demonstrating gilding the Orange Gingerbread with edible gold luster. We would love it if you make these recipes in advance to enjoy them while you watch our Christmas Virtual Tour, or if you try them at some point during your holiday celebrations. Wassail The Spicy wassail, besides being sweetened, was also augmented by the addition of a toast and apples, stuck full of cloves; the liquor might be wine, cider or ale, and was served smoking hot. -The Holidays, N.B. Warren, N.Y. 1868 ...grate a nutmeg and some ginger into it, add four glasses of sherry... a couple or three slices of lemon -Oxford Night Caps, R Cooke, London, 1827 Modern Interpretation: Bake some whole apples in a hot oven until soft. In a large pot over medium heat, combine apple cider (sweetened with sugar if desired) lemon or orange rind, whole cloves, ginger and nutmeg or other spices to taste. Float the roasted apples in the cider, and serve hot . . . (optional: sherry - to taste) Orange Gingerbread Two pounds and a quarter fine flour, a pound and three quarters molasses, twelve ounces of sugar, three ounces undried orange peel chopped fine, one ounce each of ginger and allspice, melt twelve ounces of butter, mix the whole together, lay it by for twelve hours, roll it out with as little flour as possible, cut it in pieces three inches wide, mark them in the form of checkers with the back of a knife, rub them over with a yelk of an egg, beat with a teacup of milk, when done wash them again with the egg. - The Cook Not Mad. Kingston, Ontario, 1831 Modern Interpretation: Ingredients: 4 cups flour, 1 cup molasses, 1- cups sugar, 3 tbsp orange peel, 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tsp allspice, 1 cups butter (melted) Method: Combine all the ingredients together. Roll out the dough to desired thickness. Cut into 3 inch squares or you can roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place them on a cookies sheet. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes. Caution: Molasses recipes can scorch quickly and should be watched carefully. Optional: brush with an egg wash.

Here’s a selection of our favourite picks for the Hamiltonian or Dundurn fan on your shopping list! The Castle Shop is open for in-person shopping only, Tuesday... to Sunday, 12-4pm. Pictured here: T. H. & B. T shirt Mountie Insulated Travel Mug Vintage Hamilton Postcards Maple Syrup Canada Pennant Dundurn Christmas Ornament Dundurn Winter Scene Mug Lincoln Alexander’s Biography Dundurn Garden’s Luffa Dundurn Delights Cookbook The Diary of Sophia MacNab Clan MacNab Scarf Maple Leaf Patch

https://www.youtube.com/ch/UC_tNXXMcfOFH6W5ElEsvkdw/videos This video comes to you straight from Dundurn Castle’s historic kitchen, where you’ll learn some he...lpful tips for preparing a Plum Pudding. Fiona and Andrea show us how to assemble the ingredients, prepare the pudding cloth and boil the pudding. Expect a dramatic ending where they set the pudding on fire! If you would like to try making Plum Pudding this year, it just so happens that the December recipe for the #DundurnRecipeChallenge is Plum Pudding and you’ll find the recipe in our post from December 8. Be sure to snap some photos, share them on Instagram or Facebook and add the hashtag #DundurnRecipeChallenge so everyone can see how it turned out. Check out and subscribe to the Hamilton Civic Museums YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/ch/UC_tNXXMcfOFH6W5ElEsvkdw/videos for more videos from Dundurn Castle and from all the Museums operated by the City of Hamilton.

Artifact Highlight: Knitting Machine. It was manufactured by the Dundas Knitting Machine Company, located on Main St. The company was operated by Chub Collins ...at the time. The knitting machine purchased in 1895 by Robert Hunter's father and used by the family. Robert claimed that he was quite expert at knitting socks, including the turning of the heels. According to Curator Olive Newcome, "he demonstrated his dexterity at the Museum to the amazement and amusement of Mr. Bertram and myself." (April 1956.) Learn more: https://collections.dundasmuseum.ca/index.p//objects/14547

There's more to the story. Re: Dickenson Ice House. 401 Brant Street, the current home of Kelly's Bake Shop, was built in 1872 for Absalom Bell Cline, Horticul...turalist. In 1899 it was bought by Ed Dickenson, who was the station agent of the Radial line next door. Dickenson went into business as a confectioner and proprietor of a very popular ice cream parlour. (the building on Brant Street is back to back with the Ice House at 444 John Street). In the 1920's Dickenson's became Cam Johnston's Candy Store, and in 1948 it was sold to Bill Watson and became Watson's Jewellers. Jim Blair opened his outdoor clothing and equipment business, Tumblehome, here in 1987. Most recently becoming Kelly's Bake Shop. The building bears a Burlington Historical Society plaque. (Notes from a newspaper article by Jane Irwin-Heritage Burlington, Summer 2000) Photo- Cam Johnston in front of his Candy Store-Brant Street-1922

Our annual First Day of Christmas open house was cancelled due to COVID-19, but we still plan to celebrate the holidays with you! You and your family are invite...d to join costumed historical interpreters on Facebook Live on Saturday, November 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon for a virtual visit to the home of Sir Allan MacNab and his family. The main rooms of the Castle will be decorated by the Garden Club of Hamilton with cedar boughs, ribbons, and dried flowers. Viewer questions will be answered, and Victorian holiday traditions shared, and an historic cook will demonstrate a delightful seasonal recipe that you can also make at home! See more

Have you been to the Dundas Museum lately? We are open Tuesday to Saturday from 1pm to 4pm. On Thursdays, we stay open until 8pm #Dundas

Christ Church Cathedral Cemetery. The last resting place of Richard Beasley and his family. Beasley was the owner of the original red brick house that is now the site of Dundurn Castle.

Artifact Highlight: This dress was made by Sanforetta Tudor McKee circa 1940 - 1950. It is made of thick hand-woven cotton. The top of this dress is sleeveles...s, featuring hidden snap closures up the front and a stand-up collar. The pleated skirt has sky blue horizontal stripes woven into the material. Learn more: https://collections.dundasmuseum.ca/index.p//objects/26949

Take a good look: what do you see? It’s not just a fall-themed wreath, this is a human hair wreath. Hair art and hair jewelry became incredibly popular througho...ut the Victorian era due to the rise of sentimentality and mourning practices. Photos and paintings were too expensive for most so a lock of hair became a common and portable memento of a loved one. Not all hair art was made with the hair of a deceased person. In fact, it was more often the hair of living family members that would be twisted and arranged into ornate shapes and patterns. Hair art was a domestic craft much like needlework and rarely signed by the artist. In the case of this wreath from the Dundurn collection, the artist is unknown, as are the owners of the hair, but we can assume this was hair collected from an entire family and woven together to create a sort of family tree. Notice all the hair colours and the ornate details like the bird and wheat! This wreath required so much hard work and talent. #Victoriana #SpookyStuff See more

What a difference conservation treatment made to this delicate 19th c. etching that was recently through our studio. Using washing and stain reduction technique...s we were able to remove the foxing and brighten the paper tone dramatically, bringing it back to how it once looked. This was a hugely satisfying treatment! See more

Today was to be the War of 1812 TOUR, in the Hamilton Cemetery. The virus has cancelled the tours for the year. l will continue to post a video that pertains to the tours that are being missed. Today's story is about the man who owned a battlefield. Enjoy. www.hamiltonhistory.ca

Hamilton Postcard T.H.&B. Tunnel Thompson's Photo Post Cards Postmarked January 30, 1906... http://www.hamiltonpostcards.com/pages/transportation.html

Tickets are selling quickly for our Heritage Christmas in the Village tours taking place in December! If you are interested in attending these themed tours, we ...recommend that you visit our website soon to avoid disappointment. For full tour details, please visit https://www.langpioneervillage.ca//eve/heritage-christmas/ #WhereHistoryIsHappeningSafely #Christmas #heritageChristmas #LangPioneer #ptbocounty

Add your Dundas photographs to the Dundas Museum’s archival collection. The Museum is specifically looking for modern photographs, dated from the 1940s to the p...resent. Streetscapes, houses, businesses, town events, and memorable landmarks are especially sought. Submit: https://dundasmuseum.ca/photos/

Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead National Historic Site is located just outside of scenic St. George, Ontario. Bring your family and connect with Addie at her... childhood home. You’ll be inspired by the story of how she became a champion for women’s education, and family rights in Canada. Connect with the Homestead on social media and find out what’s up at Addie’s by visiting www.adelaidehoodless.ca For more information or to book a tour call 519-448-1130. Video produced by: Murky Productions Music: "Easy Lemon" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Filmed on location at: Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead National Historic Site

https://www.thespec.com//flashbacks-the-travels-of-a-grave