Bonnie Durtnall

Nominated for the Stephen A. Otto Award for Research and Documentation

For many years Bonnie Durtnall has been using her writing skills to tell Guelph’s story, aspects of which have not been explored by any other writers. She has written for the Guelph Mercury and for Guelph Historical Society Publications, notably contributing to Guelph: Perspectives on a Century of Change 1900–2000, published in 2007. She is the author of three books on Guelph history: Bawdy Houses, Scallywags, Thieving Scoundrels & Illicit Booze: Prostitution & Murder – Guelph 1855-1960 [2020]; Labouring All Our Lives: Guelph’s Working Class History (1827 – 1950) [2021], and Haunted Guelph: Tales of the Supernatural [2023]. 

Bonnie’s work in meticulously researching and chronicling Guelph’s labour history has been particularly remarkable and has opened up an important chapter of Guelph’s past that had been buried in old archives and records rarely within easy access to the general public. She had a monthly display case on Guelph industries at the Guelph Museum, and created an exhibit there called Labouring All Our Lives. She was responsible for providing much of the information the museum has on file for Guelph industries, and she has been the person the museum staff and other researchers consult for matters concerning Guelph’s industrial history.

Bonnie maintains a website called Labouring All Our Lives to which she constantly adds new information, has showcased Guelph’s historic industries at various festivals and events, and spoken on various aspects of Guelph history to many community and labour groups.

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