The speaker, Alison Cheng, was a 3rd year co-op student at the University of Ottawa. She was pursuing an honours bachelor of arts degree, majoring in history with a minor in social sciences of health. In the summer of 2014, Cheng spent a work term conducting research for RTHS’s Dickinson House committee. The purpose was to examine connections (real or presumed) between Sir John A. Macdonald, Manotick and the family of Moss Kent Dickinson.

Cheng scoured primary and secondary sources seeking evidence that bolstered or debunked an oft-repeated claim that Dickinson House had been an unofficial headquarters for Macdonald campaigns.

Cheng’s conclusion? Very likely that was not the case.

But first, a little chronology. Conservative politician Sir John Alexander Macdonald (1815-1891) was Canada’s first Prime Minister. He held that position twice, across different decades: 1867-73 and again from 1878 – 1891. (He died in office.)

Dickinson House was built in 1867 by Moss Kent Dickinson. He moved there as a widower with 5 children in 1870. Dickinson had been the mayor of Ottawa (1864-66) and was elected as a Conservative MP from Russell from 1882-87.

Cheng took us through the complexities of the separate elections for both men, including the personalities and politics of their opponents.