Thanksgiving closure

A reminder that all UBC Libraries, including Rare Books and Special Collections, University Archives and the Chung Collection will be closed for Thanksgiving Monday (Oct.10).

The image below is the cover of a “Thanksgiving address” given by Robert Thomson in 1879 in Drummondville, ON. You may notice that in the late 19th century, Canadian Thanksgiving was, like its current American counterpart, celebrated on a Thursday in November.

"Thanksgiving; its Nature, and Forms of Expression: A Tribute and Review", SPAM 7100

According to Canadian Heritage, the timing of when Thanksgiving was to be held went through a number of changes, but eventually in 1957 a proclamation fixed it permanently on the second Monday in October. It is also interesting to read the various proclamations that give the reason for observing Thanksgiving- apparently the first one in Lower Canada was observed on January 10, 1799 “in signal victory over our enemy and for the manifold and inestimable blessings which our Kingdoms and Provinces have received and daily continue to receive.”

This item is from our SPAM (Special Collections Pamphlets) collections. You can read more about these collections in our Ephemera Research Guide.