Live 'n Learn - The Castleton Massacre

On May 30, The Castleton Massacre - Survivors’ Stories of the Killins Femicide was presented by authors Sharon Cook and Margaret Carson, the only female survivor of the massacre. 

What started as a trip to Newfoundland began a 2 year process of writing this book. The authors were encouraged by Sharon’s son and daughter-in-law (Tim and Sarah Cook) to write the book so that they could still capture the oral histories before people had passed away. The book was a top 100 non-fiction choice by the Globe and Mail 2022, Finalist for Crime Writers in Canada 2023, and the winner of the Alison Prentice Ontario Historical Society for the best book on women’s history 2023. 

More than 30 attendees were captivated for over 2 hours during the presentation and the question and answer session. We are also pleased to announce that the event generated proceeds of $450 which is being donated to the Lanark County Interval House. A number of smaller items were collected as well.

At DWLC we enjoy good community support for our events, which sometimes allows us to make donations to important, and necessary, local charities. For example, over the past few years (except during COVID) we have been able to contribute more than $2500 to charities that serve our community, including Interval House, local hospices, and other worthy endeavours. So, in a very direct way, your support of Centre activities and events can have far-reaching impacts in addition to being just plain fun to participate in and enjoy.

So, on behalf of all those charities, past, present, and future, thank you for your continuing support.

But back to this event, a huge Thank You to Karen Cairns and her team for organizing and hosting, and especially to Margaret and Sharon for taking the time to share their story with us.

 Sharon Cook (l) and  Margaret Carson (r)

The Castleton Massacre - May 30 Live 'n Learn

 “Robert Killins, 56 and a former and arguably failed United Church minister, went on a bloody, hours-long femicide rampage in the small village of Castleton, just west of Belleville, that night, systematically stalking, hunting and murdering his estranged pregnant wife, Florence; his 19-year-old daughter, Pearl Campbell, who herself was nine months pregnant; his older sister, artist Gladys Killins, 60, and her dog, Taffy; and six-year-old Patsy, Florence’s daughter with a different partner.”

The above quote is from a 2022 article in the Ottawa Citizen (here) reviewing a recently published book on the 1963 murders, The Castleton Massacre:  Survivors Stories of the Killins Femicide. The authors, one of whom, Margaret Carson, is a survivor of the tragedy, will be presenting at a Live 'n Learn session at the Darling White Lake Centre on May 30 at 12 PM.

The event will consist of a light lunch at 12:00 followed by the presentation/discussion. As we expect a larger than normal turnout, please RSVP to darlingwhitelakecentre@gmail.com no later than May 27 to reserve a seat.

The cost will be $10 and all proceeds from this event will be going to Lanark County Interval House. If you wish to make an additional donation you will be able to do so at the event or via this link. (Use the link if you want a tax receipt, available for any donation over $15.) In lieu of cash, there is also an urgent need for small items for use by shelter residents. A list of those is available here and a donation box for any such items will be available at the event.

We hope to see you at the Centre on May 30 for this very important and informative presentation.