Remembering Drummondville’s first families

A very special Heritage Tea and Talk

The Centre for Access to Services in English (CASE-MCQ) is joining forces with the Société d’histoire de Drummond and the St. George’s Church Foundation for a traditional English tea of scones and other classic baked delights, with more than the usual trimmings! The tea is just one part of this unique commemorative event, prepared with the support of the City of Drummondville, to introduce some of the fascinating characters, sites, and anecdotes from Drummondville’s early history. Through photos, videos, old letters, and family heirlooms, the Watts-sheppard family and episodes from the second half of the 1800’s will be magically brought to life.

The event will start with a formal commemoration ceremony of the Robert Nugent Watts bridge, presided over by Mayor Stéphanie Lacoste and other officials. Afterwards, the English tea will revive a tradition long held and appreciated by the women of Drummondville, who for decades would put on a tea once a week after a round of golf. Guests will sit down to classic, buttery scones, Devonshire cream, an array of fancy cookies and baked goods, coffee, and specially blended teas, both hot and iced.

During the tea, there will be an exclusive sneak-peak of an upcoming bilingual virtual exhibition about Drummondville’s lost Grantham Hall, once the residence of Robert Nugent Watts, his wife Charlotte, and their children. Robert was the cousin and heir of Drummondville’s founder,

Frederick George Heriot, and both Robert and Charlotte contributed much to the town (among other things, Robert was the first breeder of pure-bred horses in Canada; Charlotte was a painter). Chantal Proulx, a local historian working on a book about Grantham Hall and the Watts-sheppard family, will present some fascinating artefacts including jewelry and old letters from the family archives. The day will be capped off by a visit to St. George’s Church, to learn about the history of the site following the devastating fire of 1863, and how the Wattssheppard family were instrumental in its rebuilding.

Besides the Mayor and other elected officials, some other very special guests will be in attendance, including descendants of the Watts family visiting Drummondville especially for the event, and David More, historian and prize-winning author of a number of historical novels who has also penned the family history.

The organizers would also like to thank the Club de Golf Drummondville for their generous support.

All are invited to attend this bilingual event which helps us make a meaningful connection with the fascinating and nuanced history of Drummondville, through photos, artefacts, interviews, special guests… and the classic teatime treat of mouthwatering scones.

The cost is: Adults - $20; Seniors $15; Students - $10. Space is limited so please make a reservation by email: casemcq.project.agent@gmail.com.