Spotlight on our Heritage #4: Peter Mitchell

Peter Mitchell
(New Brunswick Museum,
X10202)

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is the fourth in a series of features prepared for Heritage Week 2017 (February 13 – 20), entitled Spotlight on our Heritage. The blog series celebrates 150 years of history, and reflects upon New Brunswick’s role in Confederation. This particular "spotlight" draws from the Fredericton Region Museum exhibition A Ship Full of Troubles: New Brunswick and Confederation, which was co-curated by STU and UNB graduates Nathan Gavin and Caleb Goguen. 

Peter Mitchell 

Peter Mitchell was a first generation New Brunswicker, born to Scottish parents. He became involved in the shipbuilding business on the Miramichi, and remained an active player in the industry until 1868. Mitchell also studied law, and eventually opened a practice with John Mercer Johnson. He entered the realm of politics and gained the seat for Northumberland in 1857. 

Peter Mitchell became the President of the Executive Council in 1861. He was an avid supporter of Confederation, and went to the Quebec as well as London Conferences. He succeeded Samuel Leonard Tilley as leader of the Confederation Party and became Premier of New Brunswick in 1866, leading the province into Confederation. 

Spotlight on our Heritage #3: Sir Albert James Smith

Sir Albert James Smith
(New Brunswick Museum,
X10120)

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is the third in a series of features prepared for Heritage Week 2017 (February 13 – 20), entitled Spotlight on our Heritage. The blog series celebrates 150 years of history, and reflects upon New Brunswick’s role in Confederation. This particular "spotlight" draws from the Fredericton Region Museum exhibition A Ship Full of Troubles: New Brunswick and Confederation, which was co-curated by STU and UNB graduates Nathan Gavin and Caleb Goguen. 

Sir Albert James Smith 

Albert James Smith was born in Shediac, New Brunswick in 1822 to a family of United Empire Loyalists. He studied law under E.B. Chandler and became a fully-fledged Barrister in 1847. He joined the “Smashers” and was elected to represent his home riding of Westmorland in 1852. 

Smith served without portfolio until he became attorney general in 1862. He was extremely popular among the people of New Brunswick, due to his honesty, compassion, and caring nature. He sparked the Anti-Confederation movement out of fear that the province would lose its political and economic autonomy. In 1865 his movement succeeded, winning 26 out of 41 seats, and became Premier of New Brunswick. 

Spotlight on our Heritage #2: Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is the second in a series of features prepared for Heritage Week 2017 (February 13 – 20), entitled Spotlight on our Heritage. The blog series celebrates 150 years of history, and reflects upon New Brunswick’s role in Confederation. This particular "spotlight" draws from the Fredericton Region Museum exhibition A Ship Full of Troubles: New Brunswick and Confederation, which was co-curated by STU and UNB graduates Nathan Gavin and Caleb Goguen. 

Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley
(Bibliothèque et Archives 
nationales du Québec,
P1000,S4,D21,P24)

Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley 

Samuel Leonard Tilley was born into a small United Empire Loyalist family in Gagetown, New Brunswick. As an adult, Tilley became deeply involved in the growing abstinence and temperance movements, and became the leader of the Sons of Temperance in New Brunswick before he began his political career. Tilley also co-owned a pharmacy in Portland (now part of Saint John).

Samuel Leonard Tilley was elected to the House of Assembly as a representative of Saint John in 1850. In 1854 he joined the “Smashers” and was re-elected under Charles Fisher, and serving as Provincial Secretary.

Tilley became Premier of New Brunswick on March 19, 1861, after Charles Fisher was forced out of his seat. Serious talks of Confederation arose the following year. Tilley’s pro-Confederation stance would eventually lead to his defeat in the 1865 election, but he was later re-elected to the House of Commons in 1867, after the passing of Confederation. Tilley became Minister of Finance twice: first in 1872, and then again in 1878. He also became Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick twice: once in 1873, and then again in 1885.

Spotlight on our Heritage : Lieutenant Governor Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is the first in a series of features prepared for Heritage Week 2017 (February 13 – 20), entitled Spotlight on our Heritage. The blog series celebrates 150 years of history, and reflects upon New Brunswick’s role in Confederation. This particular "spotlight" draws from the Fredericton Region Museum exhibition A Ship Full of Troubles: New Brunswick and Confederation, which was co-curated by STU and UNB graduates Nathan Gavin and Caleb Goguen. 

Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon
(Provincial Archives of New Brunswick,
P360-14)

Lieutenant Governor Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon 

Lieutenant Governor Arthur Hamilton Gordon, son of George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen, was born in London England on 26 November 1829. He was 32 years old when he arrived in New Brunswick in October 1861. Gordon, like many colonial officials of aristocratic bearing, was an avid sportsman and naturalist who immediately fell in love with the landscape of the province. His affection for the flora and fauna, however, did not extend to the politicians our province. He believed that the legislature was corrupt and filled with men who were poorly educated and narrow-minded.

Maritime Union appealed to Gordon for a variety of reasons. His disdain for New Brunswick politicians led him to believe that a complete fusion of the provinces would create a better pool of political candidates.

New Brunswick and Confederation

by Nathan Gavin, BA
Project Executive,
Heritage Branch

New Brunswick’s role in Confederation held a significant amount of weight in the formation of Canada. New Brunswick was both the epicenter for the beginning of serious talks of Confederation, as well as the province that was given a chance to vote on the subject.

In the mid-1800s New Brunswick was experiencing a period of economic prosperity. The recently signed Reciprocity Treaty provided incentives for cross-border trade, and the lumbering and shipbuilding industries were also flourishing.

Security, however, was an issue for New Brunswick at the time. British North America did not have its own military, and whenever conflict would arise British Regulars would need to be brought in. This not only mean that response times were slow, but it also meant that Britain was funding virtually all military operations in what was a self-governing British territory. Events like the Trent Affair and the Chesapeake Incident would amplify these concerns.[1]

Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon
(Provincial Archives of New Brunswick,
P360-14)

Maritime Union seemed like a logical solution to the issue. The unification of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island into a single province, was favoured by many of the local politicians as well as the young Lieutenant Governor Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon.

 A month before the first Confederation conference in Charlottetown (PEI), a delegation of politicians and journalists from the United Province of Canada (now Ontario and Quebec) landed in Fredericton for an informal visit. Extravagant speeches were given, lavish balls were thrown, and upon their departure the Canadians were given an informal invite to sit in on the Charlottetown Conference.

New Brunswick Heritage Week - Celebrating 150 Years!

In honour of the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the theme for Heritage Week 2017 in New Brunswick is Celebrating 150 years – Célébrons 150 ans. This topic provides an opportunity to recognise New Brunswick’s role in Confederation, as well as to reflect upon the many past contributions made by the people of New Brunswick to our nation of Canada.

Dusan Kadlec, Province House Ball, 1864

(Source: Parks Canada)

The 2017 New Brunswick Heritage Week poster features a "crazy quilt" from the collection of the Kings County Museum in Hampton. It was made by dressmaker Fannie Parlee between 1864 and 1895, from fabric taken from dresses worn by those who attended the Charlotte Conference ball of 1864. This historic conference, where Confederation was first discussed, was noted for its extravagant ball held in the name of union on September 8, 1864.

Also within the 2017 Heritage Week poster can be found the faces of the many individuals who witnessed New Brunswick’s transition into Confederation. Notably, Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon who was Lieutenant-Governor at the time, as well as Chief Gabriel Acquin, Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley, Amand Landry, Lady Alice Tilley, and The Paris Crew (only to name a few).

This Heritage Week, join with us in celebrating 150 years of making history in our province. On National Flag of Canada Day (February 15) take time to consider how our past has shaped our sense of identity as Canadians, and on National Heritage Day (February 20) reflect upon how heritage provides us with a legacy for the future.

Now is the time to do your part in planning your Heritage Week event. Let your imagination be your guide! The scope is endless --- you may choose to host, compose, perform, explore, research, record or organise --- the possibilities go on and on! We invite you to join in, plan an event, and share your information with us through our online registration.