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PO Box 523, Station B,
Ottawa, ON, K1P 5P6

PO Box 523, Station B, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5P6

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Pamphlets

Historical Language Advisory

Certain parts of the HSO pamphlet series may contain historical language and content that some may consider offensive, for example, language used to refer to racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. These items, their content and descriptions, reflect the time period in which they were created and the viewpoint of their author. The items are presented with their original text to ensure that attitudes and viewpoints are not erased from the record.

We are continuing the process of reviewing our historical documents. If you see text with inappropriate language or content that you think HSO should review, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please include as many details as possible regarding the language or content which requires our attention such as the pamphlet title or the permalink to the document. And kindly indicate "document review" in the title of your email. We welcome your comments.

 Select a pamphlet title from the list to view the contents online and/or download a copy and see any additional associated information.

Title Description Download
047. The Cockburn Pointer Boat
 536.04 KB
Exploration of the history and legacy of the Pointer Boat and three generations of Cockburns who built them. Written by Lana Shaw. Download ( pdf )
046. The Dey Brothers' Rinks - Home to The Senators
 1.23 MB
 History of the three "Dey's Rinks" in Ottawa between 1884 and 1927. Written by Paul Kitchen. Download ( pdf )
045. The Transition of Bytown to Ottawa 1827-1877: A Short Panoramic View of Ottawa's History as Written by William Pittman Lett, City Clerk from 1855-1891
 1.9 MB
This pamphlet is broken down by year and explores different important events in the city's history including the transition from Bytown to Ottawa. Also discusses general attitudes towards disease around this time. Written by William Pittman Lett, the city clerk from 1855-1891. Introduction by Peter Craske, chair of the HSO Publications Committee. Download ( pdf )
044. Bytown and The Cholera Epidemic of 1832
 502.37 KB
How the spread of the Cholera Epidemic made it to Bytown and how officials and the Board of Health chose to deal with it. Also discusses general attitudes towards disease around this time. Written by Linda A. Tresham. Download ( pdf )
043. Memories of a Family Business: Kenneth McDonald and Sons, Limited, Ottawa, Ontario - Seedsmen and Nurserymen 1876-1966 
 634.59 KB
Stuart Mcdonald recalls his and his family's memories of running Kenneth Mcdonalds and Sons: Seedmens and Nurserymen. A seed business that opened in downtown Ottawa in 1876, and closed in 1966 after being run by three generations. Written by Stuart Edward Mcdonald. Download ( pdf )
042. Moss Kent Dickinson - King of the Rideau
 568.45 KB
A biography detailing the life of Manotick founder Moss Kent Dickinson, with a focus on his shipping and milling businesses and his time as Mayor of Ottawa. Written by Catherine L. Caroll. Download ( pdf )
041. Law & Order in the Early Days of Bytown/Ottawa: Extract from a History of the Ottawa Police Force
 729 KB
An account of the multiple attempts at establishing a paid police force for Ottawa during its early Bytown days. Concludes with short descriptions of the various police chiefs and their contributions to law enforcement in this era. Written by Carleton University’s “The History Collaborative” (specific identities unknown). Introduction written by Peter Craske. Download ( pdf )
040. Edward S. St. JohnThe Graphic Publishers Limited 1925-1932
 361.98 KB
An account of the Graphic Publishers, an Ottawa publishing company that became an important player in the Canadian book scene during the 1920s. Though short lived, with financial issues ending the company in the early 1930s, Graphic Publishers introduced the public to many historically significant Canadian authors. Written by Edward S. St. John. Download ( pdf )
039. The Bytown Mechanics' Institute: Improving the Mind of the Working Class 
 431.97 KB
A look at Bytown's own organization created primarily for the educational benefit of factory workers along with clerks and shop assistants. Written by R. Forbes Hirsch. Download ( pdf )
038. Fire Fighting in the Early Days of Ottawa 
 1.09 MB
This pamphlet follows the early history of fire fighting in Ottawa, starting around the 1830s when fire fighting was a part of the military operation under Lt-Colonel By in Bytown to the formation of a volunteer force and then a paid one. The pamphlet finishes with the Great Fire of 1900. Written by Peter Craske. Download ( pdf )
037. The Rideau Canal Before 1900
 2.64 MB
This pamphlet features twelve illustrated scenes along the canal from Ottawa to Kingston during the years 1850 to 1895. Written and oil paintings by Ruth F. Hall-McMillan. Download ( pdf )
036. Emile Brunet - Sculptor
 1001.1 KB
Exploration of the career of French Canadian sculptor, Emile Brunet, focusing on the creation of the Lt Colonel By sculpture in Major Hill Park which was funded by the History Society of Ottawa. Written by long time society member Georgette Lamoureux. Download ( pdf )
035. Some Notes on Bytown and the Fur Trade  
 707.63 KB
A look at the effects of the fur trade on Bytown along with the families who took up the fur trade in the National Capital Region and eventually made Bytown and Ottawa a centre of the trade. Written by Michael Newton whose interest was sparked by a report he prepared in 1987 on the Charron House in Hull's Jacques Cartier Park. Introduction by E.P. Laberge, Past Chairman of the Publications Committee. Download ( pdf )
034. Records of the Rise and Progress of the City of Ottawa: From the Foundation of the Rideau Canal to the Present Time - 1858  
 774.68 KB
The author, who was 14 at the time, gives us a very interesting view of Bytown. Abridged and edited from possibly the earliest published book about Bytown. Includes a photograph of the author and an illustration of the Chaudière Falls Bridge. Written by Gertrude Van Cortlandt. Download ( pdf )
033. J. R. Booth: A Lumber Baron of the Ottawa Valley
 447.83 KB
The life and times of John Rudolphus Booth, one of the most successful lumber barons of the Ottawa Valley. Written by Sydney Clarke Bateman. Biography of the author by Herbert H. Sills, President of the HSO. Download ( pdf )
032. The Last Days of Bytown
 549.4 KB
Memories from many different sources painting a picture of what the last year of Bytown would have looked like. There were already discussions of turning Bytown into the capital of Canada and the author covers everything from the building of sidewalks, early fire fighting, newspapers, the local culture and ended with the renaming of Bytown into Ottawa on January 1st 1955. Written by Anne Dewar. Download ( pdf )
031. The Resolute Frontiersman: The Story of a Norfolk Doctor Who Came To Canada in 1847
 599.88 KB
A review of a recently discovered cache of family letters providing a vivid picture of life on the Canadian frontier in the 1840's. An interesting commentary on some of the broader themes explored in the historiography of nineteenth century Canada. Written by Dr. M.R. Redclift, teacher of Rural Sociology at the University of London (Eng.), Wye College. Introduction by E.P. Laberge, Chairman, Publications Committee. Download ( pdf )
030. Philemon Wright - A Yankee Who Helped Build Canada
 624.01 KB
Explores the life’s work of Philemon Wright, an American farmer who founded and funded Wight's town, the former name of Hull in the early 1800’s. Written by Edward P. Laberge. Download ( pdf )
029. The Provincial Election of 1848 in Bytown, Canada West
 480.25 KB
Bytown's first provincial election just after it's first municipal election since the Act was passed incorporating it as the town of Bytown and deals with the political and religious situation in Bytown January 1848. Includes a photograph of the first page of the original Bytown Poll Book. Written by R. Forbes Hirsch. Download ( pdf )
028. The May Court Dispensary and Related Institutions: A Fragment of History
 533.8 KB
Exploration of the early history of the May Court Club, starting with its founding in 1898 and its role in the treatment of tuberculosis in Ottawa. Written by G.J.L. Davies. Download ( pdf )