ELORA – The Wellington County Historical Society (WCHS) is looking for financial help to publish a manuscript of Elora history that was discovered in the study of late historian Stephen Thorning.
“Armed with an insatiable curiosity about the village he called home, renowned local historian Stephen Thorning began researching and writing the history of Elora in the late 1970s,” states a press release from the historical society.
“Having traced [Elora’s] development as a planned community in the 1830s to its growth as an industrial centre in the 1920s, he set aside the unfinished manuscript for over 30 years.”
In that time, Thorning earned a Masters degree then a PhD in history, and served on Elora council. He is perhaps best known for his Valuing our History column that appeared for decades in local newspapers, including the Advertiser.
WCHS officials are hoping to publish Thorning’s “meticulously-researched manuscript,” which was rediscovered after he passed away in 2015, but that requires a great deal of work.
“The paper manuscript has been transcribed to digital format by volunteers and is currently being edited,” states the press release.
“Photos will be procured from local, provincial and national archives and the book will be indexed.”
The historical society is looking for donations to help publish a 24-chapter book, which officials say “outlines 19th-century urban development in southwestern Ontario and examines the interconnectedness of politics, industry, government, and economics in shaping the evolution of a small village with large aspirations …
“It reveals how world events, optimism, ingenuity, and egos propelled and, at times, thwarted the development of the model village.”
For more details visit wchs.ca or contact Kathy Bouma at kebouma@gmail.com or 519-843-7703.
Cheques can be mailed to to: WCHS, PO Box 5, Fergus, ON N1M 2W7. Donations to the project can also be made through canadahelps.org. The WCHS is a registered charity and issues tax receipts for donations.
