The Amherstburg Historic Sites Association (AHSA) held its annual general meeting (AGM) last week with a look back and also a look ahead.
The AHSA is the board that operates the Park House Museum and their AGM was held last Tuesday night at the museum. As part of the evening’s meeting, they heard from new curator Kat Schryburt.
Schryburt joined the Park House Museum Sept. 25.
“I’ve introduced several new events,” she said.
Schryburt added she has also revisited programs that were offered by the museum previously as well as continued with educational programming. There will be more candlelight tours in the future with upcoming events revolving around Christmas.
“We’re hoping to see the public at Christmas-time.”
One Christmas program is “Past Traditions: Victorian Christmas” with that being $7.50 per student. That program allows children the opportunity to string popcorn, sample hearth baked goods and more.
The public is welcome at “Christmas at the Parks,” which will be Dec. 15 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. People can experience Christmas traditions and celebrations, take part in crafts and more. Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and children and there is a $20 family rate.
The Park House Museum is well known for its tinsmiths with Victor Lavergne giving a report.
“The Park House Tinsmiths group consists of nine active tinsmiths. We range in years of service from one year to 27 years,” said Lavergne. “We are a hard working group and attend the museum on a weekly basis, making tinware as requested.”
Lavergne reported tinsmiths produced many single order lanterns during the winter months. He added that was followed by lantern and cup orders for groups such as the Order of the Eastern Star, the Masons and Shriners.
“In the early summer, major orders came in from Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto and Fort Richardson in Jacksboro, Texas. A few smaller orders followed, and all of them have been filled,” said Lavergne. “Currently, we are awaiting an order from the Duff-Baby House (in Windsor). They are waiting for funding from government programs. Also, we are making a prototype wall sconce for the Métis Nation of Barrie. If they like our submission, there will be an order for 18 sconces.”
The Park House Museum ordered and received another shipment of sheet tin and Lavergne said the museum is set with tin supplies for a while. They are also hosting another tinsmithing class, with students Robert Chittim and Wayne Schryburt enrolled. Lavergne and Paul Laframboise lead the classes.
“The tinsmiths displayed tinware and demonstrated our craft at the John R. Park’s Lost Arts Festival, to a very welcoming crowd. Tinware sales were brisk,” he said. “We will do the same again at the John R. Park Christmas event in December.”
Lavergne added that, where possible, they demonstrate in the Pensioner’s Cottage, located at the back of the main museum building, and invite the public to participate.
“Visitors always show great interest in how we produce our tinware,” he said.
The board of directors for 2024-25 include Lavergne, Fred Roberts, Peter Mingay, Norm Browning, Bill Wark, Janet Willoughby, John McDonald, Janet Gardiner and Kathy Mayville.
The Park House Museum is located at 214 Dalhousie St. in Amherstburg. For more information, visit www.parkhousemuseum.com or call 519-736-2511.
Park House Museum hosts AGM, reports on year gone by
By Ron Giofu
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