02 October 2024

Name Drop is an opportunity to explore your interests, tap into your community knowledge, and apply both to centuries of Nova Scotia history. This is your chance to tell us what you see in historic images.

08 February 2024

William Hall, VC (1827-1904) was the first Black person, the first Nova Scotian, and the third Canadian to receive the British Empire’s highest award for bravery, the Victoria Cross. Records included document commemorations of Hall and the search for his missing medals by Rear Admiral Hugh F. Pullen and others.

07 June 2023

John Irvine was an enthusiastic amateur photographer, active in the period ca. 1895 to ca. 1905. His views of Halifax and several nearby communities (Fall River, Purcell Cove, Waverley), plus the area around Annapolis Royal (Bear River, Clementsport, Granville Ferry, Smiths Cove) include buildings, street-scapes, picnics, camping and outdoor activities, railways, farm scenes and informal portraits.

03 July 2024

An additional 25,869 historical vital statistics are waiting for you on archives.novascotia.ca/vital-statistics. This year's accruals include 13,614 births (1923), 5,205 marriages (1948) and 7,050 deaths (1973). As usual, the birth records include some 'delayed' entries for individuals born in 1917 (or earlier) but not registered until a later date. Happy searching!

01 February 2024

On August 1st 2021 Nova Scotia formally recognized Emancipation Day, the day named to commemorate the anniversary of British parliament abolishing slavery across its empire in 1834, freeing about 800,000 enslaved people of African descent throughout its British colonies. Recognizing the existence of slavery in Nova Scotia’s past, how it shaped centuries of our history, and its continued resonance today is vital.

05 January 2024

The Gazette, Glace Bay, "Nova Scotia's Independent Newspaper" began as a daily in 1904. Published by the Gazette Publishing Company, its manager in 1909 was John Byrenton, who was replaced in 1923 by A.D. MacNeil. The Nova Scotia Archives is the only known repository with issues from 1937 to 1947 (NOTE 1937-1938 online now). In August 1942 The Gazette was purchased by the coal miner's union and rebranded as the first newspaper in Canada to be "owned by the people for the people". Its editorial pages committed to telling the people's side of the story supporting the labour movements and Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF).