by ISABELLE EAGLESHAM, Soo Line Historical Museum Curator
It's quite evident from the number of people who purchase books at the Weyburn Library book sales that there are many book lovers in Weyburn and area (including me). We should really get behind the drive for the new addition to the library. It has come a long way since the days when Allie Griffin was librarian in the one-room library in the City Hall.
I love books. Next to family I choose them and I really love the book sales. I generally find something that I am particularly interested in. This year was no exception. I was fortunate to find three books which should be of local interest.
One book entitled At The House On Pine Street was written by Shawn Herron, one-time minister of Grace United Church and also member of Weyburn City Council. Shawn was an interesting man not soon to be forgotten by Weyburn residents.
The second was One Woman's War, written by Gladys Arnold, who was a war correspondent in the Second World War. Of particular interest to Weyburn is the fact that Gladys was related to Noreen Robins, benefactor of the Soo Line Historical Museum for which we are forever grateful. I might interject here and say that the Museum has been the benefactor of a substantial bequest from the Monty Adolph Estate for which we again are most thankful.
The third book is Eleanor of Aquitaine. For those of you who have visited the Charlie Wilson Room at the Museum, you will have seen a silver figurine of Eleanor. She first came to light when those at the Museum were sorting out the mammoth collection of silver, nobody knew who Eleanor was. But they found out in due course.
At the last book sale I found a novel of historical fiction, entitled Eleanor. This Eleanor was Eleanor of Aquitaine and learning something about her which most history books don't tell, we found her a very interesting, and I guess we could say, influential person. She married Louis VII King of France. This marriage was annulled but Eleanor acquired Aquitaine.
She later married Henry, then Duke of Normandy who became Henry II of England, and through Eleanor England acquired Aquitaine. Two of Eleanor's children became kings of England: Richard I and John. According to my source, Henry's infidelities caused Eleanor to establish her own court at Poistiers. She aided her sons in an unsuccessful revolt against Henry who confined her for many years. Apparently she helped Richard to secure the throne of England.
What an exciting lady about whom the history books tell us little. I'm sure if I had heard the story of Eleanor when we were studying English history in school we could have found it much more interesting. To think that we have a figurine in our Museum of this lady who lived 900 years ago and who has brought history to life in our Museum!
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Review (1987) Ltd.
