The Future of Our Past Council of Nova Scotia Archives

The Beaton Institute, located at the University College of Cape Breton is a research institute and archives mandated to collect and conserve the social, economic, political and cultural history of Cape Breton Island. It has a wide assortment of published works, parish records, school registers, census records, worker's time books and records suited to genealogical research. The origins of the Institute date to 1957 when Sister Margaret Beaton, former Librarian of Xavier College, predecessor to the UCCB, began collecting material pertaining to the Gaelic language and culture. Upon her death in 1975 and the subsequent renaming of the Institute in her honour, the mandate of the Beaton was expanded to incorporate all aspects of the Island's life and history.

Below is an example of the type of record collected by Sr. Beaton and found in the Beaton Institue Archives. Click on image for more detail.

Gaelic Studies pamphlet

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