Category: National Historic Site

Mystery photos of Vimy Ridge

A week or so ago, I was going through box and box of old photos in the collection of my late mother, Catherine Rowland (nee Hill).  Almost all of the images are people photos, my mother, her brother, parents and friends from 1914, when she was born, until the Second World. I was surprised to […]

Finding my roots in Topsham, Devon

In August 2022, I finally (after Covid travel delays) was able to explore my ancestral home of Topsham, in Devon. (These images were taken over several days,  back posted to August 30, 2022 to keep the blog in chronological order), For two centuries, sailors from the Pennell family on my father’s side lived, worked and […]

My visit to Highgate East Cemetery

During my visit to London, I met veteran videographer Brian Kelly, who took me and my nephew Christopher Christou on a tour of the famed Highgate East Cemetery. (My second great grandfather George Hugh Doherty Pennell (1832-1902) is buried at Highgate but due to post Covid staffing issues, it wasn’t possible to locate the grave […]

A visit to the North Pacific Cannery National Historic Site

I was in Prince Rupert and Port Edward, BC on Friday, May 29.  I was able to pay a brief visit to the North Pacific Cannery National Historic Site.  I had always wanted to see the site, but in the past my visits to Prince Rupert were either in the winter, when the site is […]