City of Peterborough

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Scope note(s)

  • Early sketches and drawings of Peterborough are located in the following fonds: 83-1022 copy of an 1828 sketch by Basil Hall made with the Camera Lucida; 95-1004 unknown engraving [Bartlett?] 1882; 95-1017 sketch of Government House by Mary Sanford 1832 (copy); 02-1002 composite panorama of Ashburnham from St. John's Church ca. 1874 (a representation produced in 2001); 89-1065 Peterborough, U.C. on the Otonabee River signed
  • Special Collections maintains an impressive collection of books relating to the City of Peterborough. The "Trent Collection" contains all the obvious published histories such as _Peterborough, Land of Shining Waters; Peterborough Scrapbook...1825-1975_ Poole's _A Sketch of the Early Settlement...of the Town of Peterborough_ ; Jones' and Dyer's _Peterborough the Electric City_ and Guillet's _Valley of the Trent_. These titles represent only the most obvious sources; all of these (and many more) are catalogued on [Omni](https://www.trentu.ca/omni) and are available, for reference use only, in our Reading Room.
  • We also hold many idiosyncratic items in the [pamphlet collection](https://archives.trentu.ca/index.php/pamphlet-collection), in the [map collection](https://www.trentu.ca/library/archives/maps) and in the vertical unpublished [research files](https://www.trentu.ca/library/archives/vertical_research_files). Also pertinent to the study of Peterborough are all the extant [newspapers for the area which are available on microfilm](https://www.trentu.ca/library/archives/newspapers). In addition, various citizens of Peterborough have written historical columns for newspapers. We have the papers here in the archives for some of these authors. Their research files and copies of their columns can be a rich source of information. See, for example, the papers of [Helen Marryat](https://archives.trentu.ca/index.php/69-001), [Richard Choate](https://archives.trentu.ca/index.php/86-027), [Howard Pammett](https://archives.trentu.ca/index.php/77-010) and [Wilson Craw](https://archives.trentu.ca/index.php/86-003).
  • One important source of information on Peterborough often overlooked is the "Dobbin Index." Francis H. Dobbin was a journalist working in Peterborough from 1864 until 1914. During this time he collected news items and also wrote brief descriptive essays. These are catalogued (F 5547 .P4D622) and are available to researchers in our Reading Room. Some of his longer pieces were published posthumously as Our Old Home Town. It too is catalogued (F 5547 .P4D6) and can be accessed in the Reading Room.
  • The subject headings for the "Dobbin Index" of newspaper references, synopses, notes and essays are: 1. Introduction 2. Biographies 3. Churches 4. Education 5. Events 6. Fires 7. Industries 8. Institutions and Societies 9. Military 10. Municipal 11. Politics 12. Railway 13. Trent Canal
  • It was in May of 1819 that the first settlers came to the region in Newcastle District which is now known as Peterborough. One of these settlers was Adam Scott (1796-1838), and he built a saw and grist mill on the west bank of the Otonabee River (at the location were King St. now crosses the river). This location, then known as Scott's Plains, was to become the City of Peterborough. The area had been previously surveyed by Samuel Wilmot in 1818, and at that time, he recommended to the surveyor general that land be set aside for the development of a town at the junction of Smith, Douro, North Monaghan and Otonabee Townships, along the shores of the Otonabee River. In 1825, the recommended townsite was surveyed again by Richard Birdsall and the creation of a town plan was undertaken. From 1819 to 1825, the only inhabitants of Scott's Plains were Adam Scott's family and a few hired men. This changed with the arrival of the Peter Robinson immigrants in 1825 who numbered close to 2,000 people. Many of them settled in the townships surrounding Scott's Plains, which was renamed in 1826, to Peterboro by Sir Peregrine Maitland, in honour of Peter Robinson. By 1827, there were 20 buildings located within the townsite, and in the summer of 1828, another 20 houses were built. Shops, taverns, schools and churches began to sprout within the town boundaries. Timber, and then lumber, dominated the Peterborough industrial base from 1825 to 1875. But this was not the only form of industry. Peterborough also had a tannery, three iron foundries, and several woolen and grain mills. The location of Peterborough along the shores of the Otonabee was extremely important in the development of Peterborough as a manufacturing centre. The river provided not only water power, but a means of transportation for both people and goods. In 1890, Edison Electric, later known as Canadian General Electric, set up a plant in Peterborough, and by 1892, it became the site of the CGE head office for Canadian Operations. In 1900, Quaker Oats also came to Peterborough. Not only did Quaker employ a substantial number of people, they also used locally grown grains in the production of their cereals. The period between 1875 and 1930 was one of rapid industrial growth in Peterborough. As well, the population was constantly increasing. In 1838, the population was between 800 and 900, and by the 1852 census, it had risen to 2,191. In 1871 it had increased to 4,611 and it became necessary for Peterborough to annex land from the surrounding townships. In 1872, 239 acres were annexed from Smith, 50 acres from Douro, and 581 acres from North Monaghan. After the annexation, the population was close to 7,000 inhabitants. Peterborough officially became a city in 1904 and continued to grow and by 1921, the population had increased to 21,000.

Source note(s)

    Display note(s)

      Hierarchical terms

      City of Peterborough

        Equivalent terms

        City of Peterborough

          Associated terms

          City of Peterborough

            305 Archival description results for City of Peterborough

            305 results directly related Exclude narrower terms
            75-1033 · Collection · 1850-1951

            This collection consists of assorted documents relating to Cobourg and vicinity. It includes marriage certificates, correspondence, indentures, opera house programmes, choral and church programmes, an oil sketch by Alice M. Duncan, and photographs and postcards. It also includes a copy of the "Cobourg World", April 8, 1898 Volume 25, and No. 43.

            Central Public School fonds
            83-1005 · Fonds · 1888

            This fonds includes photographs of Central Public School, South Central Public School, teaching staff and pupils.

            Central Public School
            96-1001 · Item · 1911-1915

            This item is an account book which appears to have been that of a Peterborough area shoe retailer, C.E. Smith Boots and Shoes. Loosely inserted in the book is a letter dated 1913 from Hastings written by J.F. McCarthy to C.E. Smith, esq., regarding an order for a pair of shoes. Several of the accounts itemized in the book are with shoe companies. Glued in the book is a "Bank of Montreal, Peterborough" bank slip.

            C.E. Smith Boots and Shoes
            11-009 · Fonds · 1756; 1805-ca.1870; 2011; 2018

            Fonds consists of sheet music, some of which is hand-copied. The items originated with Captain Charles Rubidge and penciled annotations suggest that he collected or hand-copied a number of them in the early 1800s for his wife-to-be, Margaret Clarke, before coming to Canada. "Mrs. Rubidge" is written in hand on some pieces. Provenance is indicated on some documents in layered notes made by family descendants across generations. Also included is information compiled by Laurie Lambe Wallace about the sheet music and its history within the Rubidge family.

            In 2017, 29 additional pieces of sheet music dating to the early 1800s were added. This music belonged to Mary Catharine Dunsford, wife of Reverend Hartley. Some of the music includes handwritten notations with family names and dates. While the publications of some pieces may date to the early 1800s, the handwritten penciled dates cover a period generally between the 1830s and 1860s. The notations point to connections between the Rubidge, Dunsford, McEwen, and Boyd families of the Peterborough area. Included in this addition is genealogical information compiled by the donor.

            Rubidge, Charles
            10-006 · Fonds · 1967-2010

            Fonds consists of research materials and photographs pertaining to the 70th anniversary history publication of the CFUW Peterborough Club. Also included are materials relating to earlier anniversaries, the awards fund, various projects taken on by the CFUW Peterborough Club, policies, and the IFUW dinner held at the Canadian Canoe Museum in 2001.

            Canadian Federation University Women's Club of Peterborough
            09-004 · Fonds · 1980-2009

            Fonds consists of minutes, programs, newsletters and annual reports of the Canadian Federation of University Women Peterborough Club. Also included are newsletters, annual reports, action papers, and directories of the CFUW national office.

            Canadian Federation University Women's Club of Peterborough
            97-012 · Fonds · 1993-1997

            This fonds consists of documents and correspondence regarding the 60th anniversary of the Peterborough Club. Also included are newsletters, minutes of CFUW's general meetings, and documents relating to founding president Margaret Stovel McWilliams.

            Canadian Federation University Women's Club of Peterborough
            97-005 · Fonds · 1993-1996

            This fonds consists of Canadian Federation of University Women Peterborough Club conference reports, a book entitled "Seventy Five Years of CFUW", newsletters, a radio script, a speech entitled "Women Medical Pioneers", and other miscellaneous papers.

            Canadian Federation University Women's Club of Peterborough
            89-003 · Fonds · 1949-1988

            This addition to the fonds consists of correspondence and minutes of the Canadian Federation of University Women conferences and chapters of C.F.U.W. as collected by the University Women's Club of Peterborough. There are also some documents from the International Federation of University Women conferences that were held during the forties and fifties.

            Canadian Federation University Women's Club of Peterborough
            88-008 · Fonds · 1959-1987

            This fonds consists of conference reports of the Eastern Ontario Regional, Canadian Federation of University Women and International Federation of University Women from 1960 to 1987. The fonds also includes various publications of the different chapters.

            Canadian Federation University Women's Club of Peterborough
            84-010 · Fonds · 1899-1910

            This addition to the fonds consists of surveyor's plans for lots mainly in Ashburnham and Peterborough drawn by surveyor Alfred Cameron.

            Cameron family
            Cameron family fonds
            78-010 · Fonds · 1852-1931

            The fonds consists of personal and business correspondence and papers for several members of the Cameron family who lived in Peterborough, Upper Canada. It includes correspondence between Charles Cameron and his wife Sophia (Barron) Cameron, 1852-1881; business correspondence, invoices, receipts, and accounts for McKeller and Cameron Dry Goods Merchants, 1861-1870; Charles Cameron business correspondence, invoices, receipts and cancelled cheques from his years as an insurance agent, 1871-1903; Alfred Cameron personal and business correspondence, 1886-1908; Alfred Cameron survey reports for various townships, towns and villages in Peterborough County, the United Counties of Northumberland and Durham, Simcoe County, Nippissing District, and Cochrane District, 1894-1931; Alfred Cameron insurance policies; and a Chas. E. Goad fire insurance plan of the town of Peterborough and the village of Ashburnham, 1882, revised 1889.

            Cameron family
            Bruce LeCouffe CD
            02-1009 · Collection · 2002

            CD consists of the scanned 400-page letterbook of Walter J. Francis. The letters are dated 1898-1906 and relate to the engineering practice of the writer. Of particular relevance to the Peterborough area are letters concerning the building of the Peterborough Lift Lock.

            LeCouffe, Bruce