This column was first published in February of 2016. Some of the information is outdated. The quilt is no longer on display at the Museum. In light of recent events in our world, I thought it was time for it to reappear.
I'm not dwelling on another crisis for our black friends. However, I do want to say, that we gave these people a chance at a better life here in Canada. What happened to our kindness, our generosity, our friendship.
Black History Month and for the people that live in Oakville it is very significant.
I'm not dwelling on another crisis for our black friends. However, I do want to say, that we gave these people a chance at a better life here in Canada. What happened to our kindness, our generosity, our friendship.
Black History Month and for the people that live in Oakville it is very significant.
Captain Robert Wilson was a Great Lakes
ship captain who operated out of Oakville.
His schooner the Lady Colborne carried grain on the Great Lakes and amongst
his cargo were American Slaves that very lucky enough to make it to Ashtabula,
Ohio and get passage on the ship back to Oakville and to freedom.
James Wesley
Hill was another individual who helped the slaves escape, who arrived in Oakville around the 1850's. He eventually built a house here in Town and it still stands to this day.
He was once a slave himself and
when he finally was able to pay his owner, he did so. His story can be read here:
I am fortunate
to have a friend by the name of Susan who introduced me to this part of the
Town’s Heritage back in 2008 when Charleen and I were doing workshops and Susan suggested we teach the
Underground Railroad Quilt to several ladies of the guild.
How does all
this tie in to what is coming next? The slaves originally came from Africa and for the month of
February the most outstanding quilt is on display at The Oakville Museum.
The Threads of
Africa quilt was the brainchild of Renske Helmuth, a lady that I met years ago
while taking one of her classes. The
story behind the quilt is extremely interesting and I’ll give you a condensed
version.
After
travelling to Africa with her husband, Renske came home with fabric and beads
and ideas brimming in her head.
With Renske at
the helm, ladies from The Waterloo Quilters Guild took on the enormous task of
creating a work of art.
The finished quilt measures 96” x 96” and is now proudly owned by Len’s Mill Stores
https://lensmill.com/pages/quilt-collection
https://lensmill.com/pages/quilt-collection
If you would
like the full story behind the quilt you can click on here.
http://www.nhmrs.com/content/feature-quilts (scroll down the page a bit)
If you would
like to see the quilt in all its beauty, you can drop into the Oakville Museum
at the foot of Navy Street in Oakville, starting February 4
Hours are
Tuesday to Sunday…………..1:00 until 4:30
Phone number
for more information is:
905-338-4400
Would you love
to see some eye candy???? Remember, it is better to see it in person.
You can click on each individual photo to see the detail in each block. They really are magnificent.
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| Photos by Susan S. |
