THE INTELLIGENCER, Saturday, February 5,1994 -13 Weekend EXTRA Too many people attempt to fight the BATTLE of life with a BOTTLE. Intelligencer photo by Jeff Mclntosh History, especially local history, is love of Betsy Boyce. Boyce authored The Rebels of Hastings and is currently working on a biography on Sir Mackenzie Bowell, the Belleville resident who became prime minister for 14 months starting in 1894.. Working on second book Betsy enjoys history By Jack Evans The Intelligencer If you want to know where to find Betsy Boyce in her senior years, try the library. At least youll find her book there -- The Rebels of Hastings. Actually, Boyce still lives in her own home in Belleville and is doing the spadework on yet another book, a definitive biography of Belleville resident and one of Canada's first prime ministers, Sir Mackenzie Bowell. "It's something that needs to be done," says Boyce, whose first book has earned widespread acclaim. A relative newcomer to Belleville (about 13 years ago,) she and her late husband, George, a mechanical engineer, moved around various parts of Ontario. She had also lived in the Tren- she said. ton area about -- being the "godfather" of, her own his17 years before If she were just cataloguing items, it 'l?S Something that meds tO torical interests lomoving into would probably be boring, Boyce cally stemmin Belleville. agrees. But she gets genuine satisfac' £ from a presentation- tion out of being able to fulfull requests But since by Boyce she atcoming here, for special displays, or history or litertended at the library about writing loshe has thrown herself into promoting ary researchers, or family members cal history, shortly after coming to local history as a volunteer with the tracing their roots. Belleville. Hastings County Museum, as well as Her abilities have also been harAs the senior of three volunteers through her writings. nessed in recent months by the new working on the phoIn her youth, Belleville General Hospital Museum, tographs section in Boyce said she althe museum, Boyce for which she is a board member. ways loved books, That fledgling operation is just now has applied her hisand she had formal launching its first public display in the tory skills in catatraining in history loguing and helping visitors area, and has started work on as a history gradua detailed, long-range collection of artipreserve a file ate at McMaster facts and information. which now houses University. "about 5,000" But she credits "Always write names and dates on items, including another prominent all photographs," is her oft-repeated adphotos, old glass city historian, vice. One never knows if a photo may negatives, drawings become a valuable museum artifact Coun. Gerry Boyce, and other items, (no relation) with and not just a part of a family album. Where are they