2026 Clyde River History Lectures

The Clyde River History Society will host their 12th annual history lectures on January 31st, February 14 and February 28th from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for an afternoon of historical education/discussion and refreshments. The lectures take place at the Riverview Community Centre (old schoolhouse) located at 718 Clyde River Road in Clyde River. Make sure to take some time after the lectures to visit our museum room of over 200 artifacts and historical photos.

Saturday, January 31st, 2026 – 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Dr. Callum Beck – The Belfast Riot of 1847

On March 1, 1847, Prince Edward Island experienced the second-worst election riot in Canadian history. About 200 Scottish Protestants and 300 Irish Catholics got into a brawl, resulting in at least three men dead and up to 100 others injured. This event set the stage for the hardening of the sectarian conflict between Protestants and Catholics on Prince Edward Island for the next 125 years. The Belfast Riot of 1847 examines the social and political conditions that led to the riot, introduces us to the major players on both sides, provides a detailed account of its unfolding, and takes a nuanced look at who was to blame.

Callum Beck was born and raised in Charlottetown, PEI. He completed a BA in Philosophy at UPEI, a Master of Arts in Religion at Emmanuel School of Religion in Tennessee, and a PhD at Open University in the UK. Professionally he has served as a pastor and sessional faculty at UPEI. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Lorraine Beck, and they have three children and six grandchildren.

Saturday, February 14th, 2026 – 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Dr. Edward MacDonald – The Poetry of Place: Exploring History and Memory on Prince Edward Island

Dr. MacDonald’s talk is titled “The Poetry of Place: Exploring History and Memory on Prince Edward Island,” and is built around his book The Geography of Home: Poems for a Lost Time, published in September 2025 by Island Studies Press.

Edward MacDonald is Professor Emeritus in History at the University of PEI. Spanning six decades, his career has been devoted primarily to the heritage of his native PEI. In recognition of his work as historian and teacher, he was awarded the Order of Canada in 2023 and named to the Order of Prince Edward Island in 2024.

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Saturday, February 28th, 2026 – 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Dr. Laurie Brinklow – Rural and Island: The case for Islandness

There are many kinds of islands: large, small, near, far. While Manhattan and Singapore, Montreal and Hong Kong, may claim island status, they are often not thought of as islands because they are highly populated urban centres. But many more islands are the opposite: remote, small in population, and far from urban centres, sharing common characteristics with rural mainland communities. How these overlap – and differ – is the focus of this presentation: the issues (changes in demography and depopulation, resource challenges) and complications (the psychologies of ‘islandness’ that may exacerbate the issues). But what does this mean for ‘islandness’?

Dr. Laurie Brinklow is an Assistant Professor of Island Studies and Co-ordinator of the Master of Arts in Island Studies program / Chair of the Institute of Island Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island. There she facilitates and supports research on sustainable communities on islands around the world, teaches Island Studies, and supervises graduate students. She is President of the International Small Island Studies Association, Iceland’s Honorary Consul to Prince Edward Island, is the author and editor of several books, and is a recipient of the Order of Prince Edward Island.

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If you have any questions about our upcoming lectures, please reach out to Vivian at vivian@eastlink.ca.