The Albert County Historical Society is deeply saddened by the passing of former ACHS Director, Bill Blight, and extends heartfelt condolences to the Blight family.
The Historical Society and Museum were extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated and hardworking volunteer as Bill, who served as Board Director and Chair of the Building and Maintenance Committee for many years.
The Albert County Historical Society is saddened by the recent passing of Mr. William (Bill) Herridge, an extraordinary gentleman, with whom the Board of Directors and Society were blessed to share a deep friendship. The Society is ever grateful for his enthusiastic interest and patronage in its ongoing work in the preservation and sharing of the rich history and heritage of Albert County.
The Albert County Historical Society extends sincere condolences on the passing of Vincent “Bing” Geldart, a former ACHS Board Director and dedicated volunteer. Bing’s experience and shared knowledge were greatly respected by the Board of the Albert County Historical Society in the operation of the Albert County Museum. As a founding member of both the NB Genealogical Society and the Genealogical Institute of the Maritimes, his extensive research and documentation of genealogical records were invaluable in the preservation of the history of Albert County and Westmorland County families being published in Census Record Books. Bing leaves a remarkable legacy of a distinguished military career and a life “well lived”, to be remembered and shared through treasured memories by family and friends.
The Albert County Historical Society is deeply saddened by the passing of former ACHS President, John Jones, and extends heartfelt condolences to the Jones family.
The Historical Society and Museum were extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated and hardworking volunteer as John, who served as Board Director for many years, including the Executive Office of ACHS President.
The Albert County Historical Society extends heartfelt condolences to the family of Pierce Kinnie, a former Board Director and dedicated volunteer for many years. Pierce was skilled in machinery repair and also woodworking, so his many hours spent in “fixing and repairing” were invaluable in the “running” of the Albert County Museum.
While metal detecting on a construction site earlier this year, Stephen Kellar of Moncton, NB, found what may have been the find of his life. Buried 6 inches beneath the ground, he found the Silver Memorial Cross belonging to the youngest New Brunswick soldier killed on active duty in the First World War. Pte Clifford Robinson Oulton enlisted in 1916 when he was only 14 years old and was killed at the Battle of Passchendaele on November 1, 1917, aged 15 years 334 days.
It is with sadness that we report the passing of a true Albert County Hero and WWII Veteran William (Bill) West. Bill was highly decorated for his service as a radar operator in WWII, and received the prestigious “British Empire Medal” from King George VI. (The British Empire Medal is awarded for meritorious military service worthy of recognition by the Crown).
Bill never served as an ACHS director, but he and his wife were members for many years and they attended Museum events. The photo shows him at the 2015 Anniversary of the Sailing of the 26th Battalion on June 13, 1915. Bill always attended the Riverside-Albert Remembrance ceremonies and the Riverside Consolidated School student program, as long as his health allowed.
His Obituary follows:
It is with greatest sympathy to his family that we report the death of Howard Dixon. A Past President of the Society and was a director for numerous years. Howard was an avid genealogist and completed many family genealogies for Albert County families. He helped with the Quilt Show and his wife was very involved on the Quilt Committee until recent years. Their daughter Gwen Dixon Potts is still involved with the Museum quilt show and offers a workshop each year. You can read his obituary by clicking on the link.:
It seems fitting to talk about this interesting Albert County MLA and Premier of the Province from 1897 to 1900 on the day 91 years ago that Women were declared persons! On October 18, 1929, the British Privy Council ruled that the word “persons” in the Canadian Constitution referred to both men and women.
Henry Emmerson was first elected MLA for Albert in 1889. In 1891 he was appointed to the Legislative Council of the province and oversaw its abolition. He re-entered the House of Assembly and in October 1892 was appointed to the Executive Council, serving as Chief Commissioner of Public Works in the Liberal government of Premier Andrew George Blair.
As commissioner, Emmerson stopped the practice of building bridges out of wood and opted for more permanent, and more expensive, materials thus driving up the province's public debt. He also supported women's suffrage.
Emmerson became Premier in 1897. During his tenure, he briefly held the position of Attorney-General. His government tried to promote tourism and wheat farming and the development of natural gas and petroleum in the province. In 1899, he introduced legislation to grant women the right to vote but in a free vote, the bill was defeated.
Albert County is a place of wonder, from its beautiful scenery and our abundant natural wealth hosting such natural wonders like Cape Enrage, the Rocks Provincial Park and Fundy National Park that we often fail to celebrate the people who call Albert County home.
For Albert County has truly created trailblazers, pioneers and visionaries from such people as William Henry Steeves, a Father of Confederation; to Lt. Col Cyrus Peck, a Victoria Cross recipient; the Right Honorable Richard Bedford Bennett, 11th Prime Minster of Canada, the Honorable W.A.C. Bennett, the longest serving Premier of British Columbia and such notable people like Mary Majka, a historian and conservationist, Sir George Robert Parkin, founding secretary of the Rhodes Scholarship, and of course, Captain Molly Kool, the first female Ship’s Captain in North America.
There is another name we have been remiss in celebrating that needs to be added to that amazing list, New Brunswick’s first female MLA and Cabinet Minister, Brenda Mary Robertson, CM, ONB.
Brenda Robertson was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick representing Albert County in 1967 and was re-elected again in 1970. Then, the Albert District was split and Riverview district was created out of Albert, there Brenda was elected three more times (1974, 1978, and 1982) representing the district of Riverview. In 1970, she was appointed Youth Minister. She was also Minister of Social Welfare, Minister of Social Services, Minister of Health, and Minister for Social Program Reform. She remained a Member until her appointment to the Senate on December 21, 1984 representing the senatorial division of Riverview, New Brunswick. She sat as a Progressive Conservative and a Conservative until her retirement on her 75th birthday in 2004.
She was appointed to the Order of New Brunswick in 2004 in honour of "her tremendous work ethic and commitment to serve New Brunswickers and her country." and the Order of Canada in 2008 in recognition for being a "trailblazer and role model for women in politics".
Sadly, Brenda Robinson passed away on Wednesday, September 23, 2020. She was 91.
As a county we can be proud to have elected the first female MLA in New Brunswick history, especially during our 175th Anniversary year, and we, as a county, say a huge ” THANK YOU” to Brenda for her many years of service to Albert County and to Canada and for being such an inspiration to future generations.
On June 12, 2010 the RB Bennett Commemorative Centre opened at the Museum in honor of Canada’s 11th Prime Minister the Right Honorable Richard Bedford Bennett. On hand as guest speaker at the event was Canada’s 17th Prime Minster the Right Honorable John Turner.
Now it might seem strange that a Liberal Prime Minister such as John Turner would take part in the opening of a centre dedicated to a Conservative Prime Minster, but that was the type of man that was John Turner. He recognized the role that Bennett played in Canadian life and was there to pay him tribute.
At the time of the Grand Opening Mr. Turner had just turned 81 years old and he regaled the audience with his families connection to RB Bennett. Mr. Turner said::
As a boy growing up in Ottawa in the 1930s, it was my good fortune to meet Richard Bedford Bennett, Canada's 11th prime minister, on many occasions. I recall a friendly man with a booming voice who gave me chocolates once in a while.
A man with progressive views for his time about women, he was responsible for bringing my late mother, Phyllis Gregory (later Ross), into Canada's public service during the Great Depression. She soon rose through the ranks, a single woman with two young children to raise, and became the senior-ranked female public servant in the land.
For the rest of her life, my mother respected and admired Bennett for this and his countless contributions to Canada. Like me today, she never understood as time went on the largely negative portrayal he received before history - when he's even been considered at all.
John Turner like RB Bennett saw his party go down in defeat during his tenure as leader, mainly due to circumstances beyond their control. We would like to thank John Turner for his many years of service to the Canadian people and for his warmly felt words at our Grand Opening ceremony 10 years ago.
Thank you sir.
We will be lowing the Bennett Flag to half-mast in his honor.
