The Ontario Historical Society recently announced that the Dorothy Dunlop Public History Award for 2018 was accorded to “Oxford Remembers Oxford’s Own”. The Dunlop award recognizes an outstanding public history project presented or completed in the award year.

“Oxford Remembers Oxford’s Own” was a collaborative five-year project undertaken by historical societies, museums, archives and libraries in Oxford County. The project commemorated the 100th anniversary of World War 1 and told the many stories of life on the battle front and on the home front.

Many readers will remember attending events that our Tavistock & District Historical Society hosted each fall under the World War 1 banner … expansive themed displays in the Legion Hall, lecture series on a wide range of WW1-related topics, musical concerts, historical cooking demonstrations and and even a vintage fashion show. As well, each year special events were planned for schoolchildren in Grades 5-8 at Tavistock Public School culminating in a field trip to the Canadian Military Heritage Museum in Brantford in 2018. Over the course of this five-year project 1,225 local people, including 464 schoolchildren, attended the Tavistock events and activities.

Being a part of this award for an outstanding public history project is a true honour for our Historical Society. Thank you to everyone who helped to make it possible.