BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVISTWhen looking at old photographs of Providence Manor or the House of Providence, as it was known before 1970, I came across several photographs of a balcony from the early 1900s. I incorrectly assumed that this was the same rooftop balcony that still exists at Foundation House today; however, after studying the photographs and an aerial photograph from the 1950s I determined that they are 2 different balconies....

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVISTElectricity didn’t come to Kingston until the Kingston Electric Light Company was incorporated in 1886, and it built the first electric light plant in 1888 at the foot of Brock Street. But when did the Sisters of Providence first get electricity? According to the Congregational Annals they first brought electric light to the House of Providence, Kingston in the Spring of 1894. Let’s follow the story through...

Present day interior of Our Mother of Sorrows Chapel, Providence Manor, Kingston.BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVISTThe history of the Archdiocese of Kingston and that of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul is very much intertwined. Not only did the Sisters contribute to and help shape the Catholic impact in the diocese, but the Bishops also had an impact on the history of the congregation. As one of many examples, let’s look at Our...

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The Sisters of Providence celebrated St. Patrick’s Day throughout the years and across Canada as documented in the annals from the various missions. March 17, 1916 – Congregational Annals, Kingston ONSt. Patrick’s Day. Masses as usual. Singing. High Mass at the Cathedral, Rev. Hyland preaches on the Saint of the day. We have recreation in the refectory. No fast by order of the Pope. March 17, 1920 – Providence...

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVISTThe Sisters of Providence started teaching at St. John’s school in Perth, Ontario in September 1892. Their first convent was a house which served them for over 10 years until they needed more space. In 1904 the congregation commissioned H.P. Smith, a Kingston architect, to design a convent for the Sisters, to be built beside the rectory of St. John’s Parish. In the Archives, we have some beautiful coloured...

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVISTWhen we think of major changes to the Motherhouse over the years, we generally think of additions, not the parts of the Motherhouse that have been demolished. Can you figure out where this photo was taken? And what parts of the Motherhouse it shows? If you are confused at what you are seeing – let’s break it down in relation to what we know of the Motherhouse now! This photo was taken between 1932 and 1952 and...

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The Archives of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul collects postcards as well as photographs. One of my favourite things in the postcard collection are the hand-tinted post cards. Hand tinted postcards became popular at the end of the 19th century and continued to be popular until the late 1920s. The height of their popularity seems to have been around 1910, which matches with many of the postmarks...

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVISTThe Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul taught at St. Joseph’s School in Kingston from its beginnings as the Union Street School. The Union Street School opened in 1946 and was located in temporary military buildings on Union Street on St. Mary’s of the Lake Hospital property. In September 1949, the students and teachers moved to the new brick school on Napier street which was named St. Joseph’s school....

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVISTOn November 9th, 1931, a photograph was taken of the construction crew, hired by general contractor Angus Robertson Limited, who built the original wing of Providence Motherhouse. In the photograph, the workmen are standing in front of the north half of the West Wing. The building wasn’t complete until spring 1932. This print was given to the SP Archives over 25 years ago by a daughter of one of the workmen. If...

Marillac Villa, Howe Island in the early 2000s.BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVISTOne of the Sisters’ favourite places is somewhere that rarely gets mentioned in the ‘official’ history of the congregation: Marillac Villa, the congregation’s cottage on Howe Island. This beautiful property has been a respite for the Sisters of Providence since 1954. The congregation first rented this island retreat for three weeks in 1954, rented it again in 1955,...

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVISTThe Providence Associates celebrated their 40th anniversary this year. Although they were founded in 1985, the first Canadian Associates made commitment in 1987 at a ceremony held in the Providence Motherhouse auditorium on September 26th.General Superior Sister Nancy Wilson (centre) addresses the new Providence Associates: Left side (front to back): Margaret Purcell, Shirley Kindellan, Flo Fobert, Barbara Fleet,...

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST In these times of mass media coverage, we take for granted that we frequently saw and heard Pope Francis on television, radio, and over the internet during his life, and even his funeral was widely available on television and by streaming. This was not always the case…what if you had never heard the voice of the Pope? What would the first time you heard his voice mean to you? The first time any pope addressed...

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Now that Hospice Kingston is open, you may be thinking that this is the first time there has been a building on that part of the Heathfield property. But St. Paul’s School was temporarily located in that general area of the property from 1953 to 1957.   According to Sister Mary Electa, in an essay she wrote in 1972: “In 1953 as more new sub-divisions were growing up, St. Joseph’s school became over-crowded and...

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVISTFor years a skating rink was built in the winter on Providence Motherhouse grounds for the enjoyment of the Sisters. These photographs and extracts from the Congregational Annals offer a glimpse into winters past: Extracts from the Congregational Annals: January 18, 1940 - The skating rink being all in readiness, the Sisters made a start by donning skates this afternoon. It proved to be a fatal move however in...