Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Bedford, Quebec (town)

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Country
  
Canada

RCM
  
Brome-Missisquoi

Time zone
  
EST (UTC−5)

Elevation
  
53 m

Population
  
2,684 (2011)

Region
  
Montérégie

Constituted
  
November 21, 1866

Postal code(s)
  
J0J 1A0

Local time
  
Wednesday 10:36 AM

Province
  
Québec

Bedford, Quebec (town)

Weather
  
11°C, Wind S at 16 km/h, 94% Humidity

Bedford is a city located in the Montérégie region of southern Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2011 Census was 2,684. This small community is just an hour's drive from larger cities such as Burlington and Montreal, and is the home to southern Quebec's largest boy scout troop.

Contents

History

The first settlers arrived in 1812.

Origin of the name

The name "Bedford" could have been given by Loyalists who knew of several Bedfords back in the former American colonies. The name could also have been a tribute to Lord John Russell, who was the fourth Duke of Bedford (1710–1771), an English politician and Secretary of State (1748–1751), and governor general of Ireland from 1756 to 1761.

Geography

Bedford is part of Brome-Missisquoi Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Montérégie.

The town, located 86 kilometres (53 mi) southeast of Montreal, is completely enclaved within the township of Bedford. Seated in the Saint-Lawrence lowlands, at the beginning of the steep leading to the Appalachian Mountains, the Pike River (Rivière aux Brochets) flows through the middle of the town, separating it into south and north parts.

Language

About 20% of the population is Anglophone, many families having settled there after the arrival of the Loyalists in 1776.

Parishes

  • Roman Catholic Church
  • Saint Mitchels Parish
  • Le frontere Perish
  • The Anglican Parish of Bedford, Philipsburg and Farnham
  • United Church
  • Activities

    Every year since 1828, at the beginning of August, the town holds its annual fair, the oldest of its kind in Quebec and the second oldest in Canada. One can play hockey, curling or figure skate at the Centre sportif. Every year since 1969, Bedford has held a PeeWee hockey exchange with Kensington, PE.

    Schools

  • École primaire et secondaire Monseigneur-Desranleau (French)
  • École primaire du Premier Envol (French)
  • Butler Elementary (English 1-7)
  • Notable people from Bedford

  • Eric Henry Kemp (1908–1975) Mayor of Bedford in the 1950s.
  • Rob Kemp (1972-), Radio Host. The Beat 92 FM Montreal.
  • Georges Thurston (1951–2007) a.k.a. Boule Noire, R&B singer for 30 years.
  • Pierre Paradis (1950-), Member of National Assembly of Quebec for 25 years and former Cabinet Minister
  • Niamh Leonard (1992-) Official spokeswoman for Lychee Canada Inc.
  • Marcellus Gilmore Edson (1849-1940), chemist who invented peanut butter.
  • References

    Bedford, Quebec (town) Wikipedia