The Harris Family

Four generations of the Harris family lived at Mississauga’s Benares House. Our Harris Family collection is unique as 95% of the artifacts belonged to the family.

Three generations of the family were in residence at the same time during the First World War. The house and collected artifacts illustrate the social history of Clarkson and Mississauga at that time, set against the losses and victories of war.

A base of 8200 artifacts are in the Benares Collection, which date from the 1800s to the present day, and include items related to the war and in particular, Egerton Sayers, who died in battle in June 1918.

The artifacts portray a time, place and mood of the Great War in Canada with mementoes and original letters from the Front.