About the Society
HMS Psyche Canadian Maritime Heritage Society (“the Society”) is a registered not-for-profit corporation dedicated to preserving and teaching the traditional maritime skills and the heritage of the Great Lakes, prior to Confederation.
The Society offers experiential education to all age groups, including static displays, historic presentations, War of 1812 re-enactments and on-the-water seamanship.
What We Do
I. Modern sailing with a traditional boat.
Our members attend regularly scheduled training cruises in the longboat to learn boat safety, sailing, rowing, rigging, knots, ropework and teamwork.
We practice the various facets of sailing and rowing this unique vessel, as well as safety procedures and common maneuvers.
We are constantly learning about the boat and ourselves in the process.
This learning is then applied to our educational displays at various historical re-enactments across Ontario and the United States.
II. Reenacting the Naval aspects of the War of 1812
Not all members re-enact, but those that do portray the British Royal Navy during the War of 1812 (1812-1815). We participate in rousing naval battle recreations via sailing, rowing and seamanship competitions against other similar replica boats.
We sleep in canvas tents & cook our meals by campfire, just like 200 years ago. On occasion, we may participate in activities from other time periods such as the Seven Years’ War – North American theatre (1754–63) and the American Revolution (1775-83). When we feel like causing a ruckus, we go “Psycho” and become pirates!
Bos’un’s Mate Elizabeth Hovey takes the helm.
Membership in the Society
Membership in the Society brings greater benefits, including priority seating on the boat, advanced invitation to our events, invitations to Members-only social events, access to exclusive Psyche merchandise, and other great perks! Contact us for details.
Facilities Host
Our home port and favourite place to eat is Port Credit Yacht Club (P.C.Y.C.), at the bottom of Lakefront Promenade, in Mississauga.
To promote good seamanship and boat handling skills;
To educate the public by volunteer re-enactors portraying the daily life, skills and trades of late 18th and early 19th century mariners: Royal Navy officers, sailors and Royal Marines, at War of 1812 and other historical-themed events;
To promote the Great Lakes maritime heritage via sailing and rowing on the Great Lakes, visiting public docks, marinas and yacht clubs;
To stimulate youth and adults’ interest in our maritime heritage, by establishing rowing and sailing programs, promoting healthy lifestyles and maritime skills;
To share information with the public, enthusiasts of traditional sailing, maritime history on the Great Lakes and academics, regarding our province’s maritime heritage;
To explore facets of maritime history through experiential archaeology and archival research;
To have fun!
The Society’s Goals
The Society was formed to achieve the following objectives:
The Historic HMS Psyche.
During the War of 1812, there was a naval arms race on Lake Ontario. The British & Americans sought to build the biggest fleet to subdue the other. One of the vessels the British built was named HMS Psyche.
Psyche was a 54 gun, ship-rigged frigate. She was assembled at the Kingston Royal Navy Yard & launched on December 25th, 1814, the day after the peace treaty was signed. Psyche was one of four pre-fabricated ships sent in pieces from Britain & assembled in British North America.
Psyche was never commissioned, no commissioned senior officer ever captained her.
Kingston Royal Navy Yard from Fort Henry, circa 1815, with vessels de-masted and de-rigged, in a state of ordinary. Among these vessels is HMS Psyche.
Following the end of the war in 1815, Psyche was hauled out of the water & placed on a slipway, the frame stripped down for preservation. She was pulled apart on the slipway throughout the 1830s. What fittings remained of the frigate were sold in 1837. The hull was scuttled in nearby Deadman’s Bay, adjacent to the present-day Royal Military College of Canada.
Origins of the Name Psyche in Greek Mythology.
Psyche was a classical Greek princess, who became the Goddess of Soul & the wife of Eros, God of Love & Sex.
In mythology, her beauty was unparalleled, drawing the ire of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, Beauty, Pleasure, Passion, Pro-creation & the mother of Eros.
Aphrodite was jealous of the beauty of the mortal princess Psyche, as men were leaving her altars bare to worship a mere human woman instead. Aphrodite, angered, commanded Eros, to cause Psyche to fall in love with the ugliest creature on earth. But instead, Eros himself fell in love with Psyche and spirited her away to his home. Their fragile peace was ruined by a visit from Psyche's jealous sisters, who caused Psyche to betray the trust of her husband Eros. Wounded, Eros abandoned his wife and Psyche was forced to wander the Earth, looking for her lost love.
Eventually, she approached Aphrodite & asked for her help. Aphrodite imposed a series of difficult tasks on Psyche, which she achieved by means of supernatural assistance.
After successfully completing these tasks, Aphrodite relented and Psyche was granted immortality, to live alongside her husband Eros.
