HPL Central Staff
On January 14 2021, HPL was notified of a Central employee who tested COVID-positive. While at work, the employee was wearing appropriate personal protective equipment and maintained physical distancing. A thorough cleaning and disinfection of Central's Basement, Floor 1 and Floor 2 was completed. HPL is working with Hamilton Public Health for contact tracing. We wish the employee a quick and full recovery.
Bookmobile Modifications
Bookmobile service is paused until Saturday January 16, 2021 as a precautionary measure, so we can deep-clean after a staff member at Central staff went home ill and another was notified as a close contact of a COVID-19 positive case. Bookmobile items on affected floors are being quarantined out of an abundance of caution.
HPL.ca Pages
If you are having difficulty accessing the Kids, Teens, and Local History pages, please try clearing your browser’s cache. We are working to resolve this issue. Thank you for your patience.
Print on the Go
Print on the Go service is currently unable to print fillable government documents. We are working to resolve the issue. All other uploaded documents are printed by branch staff upon arrival.
The Duet Club
The Duet Club was established in Hamilton by Ellen Ambrose in 1889, making it the earliest recorded women's music club in Canada.
Ellen Sophia Ambrose (1851-1936) came to Hamilton with her family in 1875. She taught music first at the Wesleyan Ladies' College, where her father also taught, and in 1889 began teaching at Mrs. Thomas Chesnut's Ladies' School. In 1890 she opened her own studio.
Miss Ambrose had her students gather in her studio and in their respective homes to play for each other. Membership increased and the meetings moved out of houses and the fledgling organization was first known as the Haydn Duet Club (as they had been studying Haydn). The name was later changed to Duet Club.
The members met twice a month in the morning with an occasional open meeting. Originally intended for "ladies only", the Duet Club now welcomes all who enjoy fine music and who wish to support the study of it through the extensive program sponsored by the club.
The Junior Duet Club formed in 1928 and was later disbanded. It was reformed in 1959 and in 1962 given its own funds and its own executive.
The Purpose of the Duet Club:
The purpose of the Club shall be three-fold
(a) To promote the intelligent study of music
(b) To present (and encourage) the performance of piano, vocal and string (instrumental) music at regular or open meetings
(c) To aid the advancement of music by the presentation of eminent artists and student scholarships
RECORD GROUP 1 ACTIVITIES
RECORD GROUP 2 AMBROSE, ELLEN SOPHIA (ca 1851- 1936)
RECORD GROUP 3 ANNUAL MEETINGS (REPORTS)
RECORD GROUP 4 CLIPPINGS AND SCRAPBOOKS
RECORD GROUP 5 CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS
RECORD GROUP 6 CORRESPONDENCE
RECORD GROUP 7 MEMBERSHIP
RECORD GROUP 8 MINUTES
RECORD GROUP 9 MISCELLANEOUS
RECORD GROUP 10 PHOTOGRAPHS
RECORD GROUP 11 PROGRAMMES
RECORD GROUP 12 PUBLICATIONS
RECORD GROUP 13 FRAMED PLAQUES
