Peel’s shared archival legacy
“Grandson, you can never hope to understand your world until you’ve understood the past.” Time Masters #1 (volume 2), DC Comics, 1990 To know the past… As an archivist (and comic […]
Ghosts of Christmases past in Peel and beyond
While not a religious person, I love the Christmas season, and find many of its assorted traditions fascinating and enjoyable (especially Christmas trees, greenery, eggnog, and mince pies!). A few […]
The case of the mysterious Mississauga Public Utility Commission records
In this post I will be talking about an interesting puzzle concerning the origin and use of some fascinating government records that were recently transferred to us here in the […]
“Your Friend, Standing Bear”: Coming together through repatriation
Over two years ago, the Region of Peel Archives at PAMA in Ontario discovered in our collections a document of great historical and cultural importance to the Lakota people of […]
An archivist’s night at the movies, part VI: Christmas revisited
In the third entry in the Region of Peel Archive’s ongoing An Archivist’s Night at the Movies series (posted December 20th, 2018) I explored the use and depiction of records […]
Redeeming records: Uncovering the deaths – and lives – of the Whitehead brothers
This story is made of many stories, as stories always are. There is my story, as I gradually uncovered the depth of loss within a single family during the First […]
Photojournalism in Streetsville-Mississauga: The Al Betts fonds
Earlier this year the Archives was thrilled to accept a significant accrual of photographs to our Al Betts fonds. Betts was a prolific and skilled photographer based out of the […]
The quiet power of ordinary people: Reminders from the archives
I’m nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too? -Emily Dickinson In the end, nothing is lost. Every event, for good or evil, has effects forever. -Will Durant As 2020 […]
An Archivist’s Night at the Movies, Part V: Spooky Halloween Edition
I have long maintained that the pervasive power of records as storytelling devices means that they show up in all manner of films, across all genres. To further develop […]
An archivist’s night at the movies, part IV: Science fiction edition
As a lover of science fiction, I have decided to add another entry in our Archivist Night at the Movies series, seeking to boldly explore how creative teams involved with […]
Why I love government records
In celebration of Archives Awareness Week here in Ontario, I have decided to tackle a question I get asked fairly regularly: “What is it about government records that you love […]
Researching the “woodland world”: Historic vegetation in Peel
“To a wanderer in forest solitudes a sense of mystery is often perceived which lures him on and on into the verdant depths of the woodland world.” Alexander Porteous, The […]
Letters of loss: A sense of presence
“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read.” James Baldwin In this post I want to share some […]
The Archivist as detective: The use of “diplomatics” in a municipal archive
“It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.” Sherlock Holmes When talking […]
How can you help archivists to help you? Reference service from our side of the desk
Visiting an archives has something in common with using any public service. In each interaction with a service or a staff person, you’re seeing the small tip of a very […]
An archivist’s night at the movies, part III: Holiday edition
For our last blog post of 2018 we felt it would be fun to turn our archival gaze on some classic holiday movies and television episodes to see how and […]
Archives and modern mythology: The use of archival records in comic books
“…what if comic books were not simply a medium of entertainment, but in fact a form of mythology through which we both tell stories about ourselves and look to for […]
Taking stock and seeing anew: Some highlights from the inventory project
Over this past year one of our special projects here in the Peel Archives has been to undertake a complete physical inventory of our holdings. Archivists Kyle and Samantha have […]
An archivist’s night at the movies, part II
In this post I am going to continue our exploration of how records and/or Archives are used by writers and directors to further the plot of various films. Part one […]
What do archivists keep (or not)?
On the big screen, archives are generally mysterious places. Archives both hide and reveal secrets that move the plot along. But one of the biggest mysteries in fictional archives is […]
Recent acquisition highlight: Peel railway records
Prior to the mid-1850s travelling in Peel involved relying on the small but growing road network or using the major waterways such as the Credit and Humber Rivers and Lake […]
Halloween in Peel: A look at some selected records
I always look forward to the fall – cooler weather, beautiful foliage, and of course, Halloween. Those of us interested in the origin and history of Halloween generally can make good […]
Making an exhibition of ourselves: This time it’s personal
We archivists tend to promote our collections far more than we promote ourselves and our daily work. For one thing, collections are our life’s work and, thanks to that work, […]
Excess and evidence: Excuses for speeding in the early days of the car
As the summer wanes many car owners think about enjoying one last road trip and police officers think about managing chaotic long weekends on the highways. As long as cars […]
Photographing Brampton: The Betty Odlum fonds
In 2016 the Region of Peel Archives was thrilled to accept the records of Brampton resident Betty Odlum. Betty was a skilled amateur photographer who spent most of her life […]
“From Hemisphere to Hamlet:” Research on the Indigenous peoples of the County of Peel and North America within the Wm. Perkins Bull fonds
Note: A version of this article appeared in the Fall 2016 issue of the Archives Association of Ontario’s (AAO) themed issue of Off the Record focusing on “Archives and Indigenous […]
Why don’t archivists digitize everything?
Today on the blog we’re tackling one of our most frequently asked questions: “Why don’t you digitize everything?” and its related runner-up, “When will you be putting all your records […]
The creation of the County of Peel, 1851-1867
This year the Region of Peel is commemorating both the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Dominion of Canada as well as the establishment of our forerunner, the County […]
Peel in 1967
Libraries, schools, a college, a university, demolitions, a hockey tournament, and the end of Toronto Township.
Staff favourites: The Township of Toronto Benchmark Book
Archivists here are often asked “What is your favourite record in the collection?” This can be a challenging question to answer, given that there are so many wonderful records in our […]
Controlling disease: the fight against rubella, measles, polio, and typhoid
Typhoid, rubella, polio, and measles: we look through the collection at how these disease were recorded in archival records.
An archivist’s night at the movies – revealing the power of archival records
As a follow up to my colleague Nick Moreau’s post concerning the depiction of archives in the 2014 movie Paddington, I thought it might be […]
5 things in the Peel Archives about eating
Peel’s Archives, like many municipal archives, covers the food story from farm to table. Let’s take a bite out of the collection, looking at documents and photographs that tell five stories about […]
From mud to pavement: the early history of Peel roadways as told by our records
“…Driving down a corduroy road, Weeds standing shoulder high…” At The Hundredth Meridian by The Tragically Hip I have long harboured a fascination with the history of the road network […]
Why BYLAWS Matter
We spoke in a previous post about the value of council records generally. In this post we shall examine one of the most significant and pervasive types of council records: […]
5 environmental things in the Peel Archives
With Earth Day approaching, can records relating to the environment be found in the Region of Peel Archives collection? While we don’t have the papers of any household names from the Canadian […]
Seven Statements about Archives: Best of the Blog 2016
It’s Archives Awareness Week in Ontario, and that means our blog is celebrating its first anniversary. We launched one year ago this week with the post Why Archives Matter. The […]
5 funny things in the archives collection
From cheeky war posters to the world’s tightest roundabout, we look at five things in the archives that are funny.
Hiding Darkest Peru: archives fact or fiction in “Paddington”
In the 2014 movie Paddington, based on the popular books about Paddington Bear, the titular character is aiming to find an explorer from the the fictitious British Geographer’s Guild, who […]
Caroline Armington, a Canadian artist in Paris
Caroline Armington struggled to become an artist, in an era where her gender was a liability to art sales.
How Do Archivists Describe Collections? (or, How to Read a Finding Aid)
Anyone doing archival research will eventually find themselves using archival descriptions. Archival descriptions are embodied in what are often called “finding aids.” They are the archival world’s equivalent to a […]
Unbuilt Peel: What could have been
Taking inspiration from Mark Osbaldeston’s Unbuilt Toronto books, the Peel Archives is currently showcasing records documenting never-realized planning and building initiatives within the Peel area. The exhibition, now open in […]
Immigrant voices in archival records: The Cumbrian Connection, final post.
Note: As we conclude our project comparing Peel and Cumbrian records, the County of Cumbria is currently suffering the aftermath of devastating floods which have tragically affected many of its […]
Canadian and English archives go head-to-head with their records: The Cumbrian Connection Part 2
Archival records function like portraits: taken together, they give us pictures of lives and communities over time. Because records are rare or even unique, we get different views from different […]
Old and New World archives share the past, present, and future: The Cumbrian connection, Part 1
The Peel Archives in Ontario, Canada, and the Cumbria Archive Service in Cumbria, UK, were recently brought together by people from the present and the past. In the next three […]
Mapping Peel: An exploration of maps from the Peel Archives, 1805-2013
The Peel Archives is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibition: Mapping Peel: An exploration of maps from the Peel Archives, 1805-2013. Visitors to the Reading Room will […]
How do archivists organize collections?
In our posts on what archivists do and on what it’s like to visit the archives, we promised you a closer look at how archivists organize collections. Here it is: we […]
What do archivists do all day?
You may have seen archivists on television helping people to discover their roots in old records or talking to historians (or detectives!). But you might be wondering what archivists do […]
Why Council Records Matter
In celebration of Canada Day, the Peel Archives is highlighting a group of records whose very existence speaks to our cherished status as a free and democratic country: municipal council […]
A trip around the world in archival records: A Peel tribute to International Archives Day
To mark International Archives Day 2015, we’re posting a sampling of some of the international fare in PAMA’s archival collections. Now of course we’ve said several times on this blog […]
How to research your Peel family history at the archives: An overview
Like property research, family research is another popular research topic here at the Peel archives at PAMA. People visit and contact us from all over North America and beyond looking […]
“Old Friends”: An Archivist Reflects on Treasured Favourites
Here at PAMA, we’re celebrating over 30 years of service by Peel’s Regional Archivist, Diane Allengame, as she prepares to retire and move on to new adventures. Diane’s unswerving dedication, […]
Records Reveal Peel’s Cold War Measures
Here in Canada we’re wrapping up Emergency Preparedness Week. The nature of potential threats to an entire community can change over time. In the 1960s and 70s, the Cold War […]
What’s it like to visit the archives?
When you’re looking for information, you might try the internet first and then maybe the library. But you’ll find information in the archives that isn’t available in either. Here you […]
How to Research PEEL PROPERTIES at the Archives: An Overview
Property research is a popular reason for visiting us at PAMA’s archives. People come here to investigate when their house was built, who once owned pieces of land, or whether […]
Before Hydro One: electricity records for Brampton and Caledon
Our archives holds records that show how electricity has been delivered in parts of Peel by publicly owned utilities – a tradition of ownership that seems set to change. This […]
Why EDUCATION RECORDS matter
What are they? Peel’s archives at PAMA holds historical public school records dating from 1833 to 1986 for Peel County and Peel Region. Many of these schools began as one […]
Why archives matter
Here at the Region of Peel’s archives at PAMA, we’re celebrating Archives Awareness Week in Ontario by launching this blog. We hope you’ll get to know us better as we […]
Peeling the Past 