Tuesday, 11 July 2017

Former newspaper column compiled into Oxford trivia book

Quizzical Oxford provides questions and answers about local history

Keepsake book is for sale at Woodstock Museum 

By Mark Schadenberg
Whether it be Admiral VanSittart, Tip O’Neill, Bernadette Smith, Klondike Joe Boyle, Effie Nesbitt or Andrew Pattullo the city of Woodstock has a rich history of people, places and things.
For more than a century The Woodstock Sentinel-Review would be your destination to read about both current events and municipal history.
Many of those items have now been compiled into 1 book.
I already owned copies of Bits & Pieces by Williams & Baker, Old Oxford Is Wide Awake from Brian Dawe, and 3 Doug Symons books -- Village That Straddled A Swamp, Memories Of Yore and Giants Of Oxford.
The newest book to that collection is now Quizzical History – a compilation of old columns written for The Sentinel-Review (Oxford Review) and other condensed pieces of Woodstock history.



Read the story attached as there is a link about the book, which is for sale at the Woodstock Museum for $20. I acquired my copy last Thursday afternoon at the BIA Downtown farm market. 
The Woodstock Museum itself could be the answer to several trivia questions about local facts, including the idea that it was built in 1853 to be City Hall.
The Oxford Historical Society has created the Quizzical History book and to assist in its promotion the Woodstock Museum is featuring a display until September 9 to provide artifacts, newspaper clippings and so much more in an exhibit.
The story related to the book in The Sentinel-Review features a picture of Chris Packman from the historical society. Packman has been a key figure in the past few decades in archiving local history, which comprises old noteworthy items, but you must also collect today’s headlines to assist in writing our history for the next generations.
The S-R entry notes that Sheila Johnson, who was a previous museum curator in Woodstock was also instrumental in creating a weekly column in the weekend edition of the daily newspaper. Johnson, by the way, would next be curator at Fanshawe Pioneer Village in London.
Current curator of the Woodstock Museum is Karen Houston, and the local museum at 466 Dundas Street has a great staff including Adam Pollard and Kerrie Gill.

Wall mural in Museum Square


One panel at the current museum exhibit
The Quizzical History book is dedicated to Ed Bennett, who was a prisoner of war during the Second World War after battles at Dieppe. Bennett passed away at 97 on Remembrance Day in 2010, and among his efforts to research and preserve local history was to be a key member of a committee that returned the body of Klondike Joe Boyle to be re-buried in Woodstock in 1983.
As you may deduce, I love local history and believe Woodstock has a vibrant past and a promising future.
You should buy a few copies of Quizzical History. You will require one copy for the best position on your library shelf at home, but others for family and friends. As a Realtor, I can think of 20 past clients who would likely admire this book as an important local keepsake.


Effie Nesbitt display board at museum 




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Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative
Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)
Royal LePage Triland Realty
Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage

757 Dundas St, Woodstock
(519) 537-1553, cell or text
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
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