Halton Hills library welcomes local historian Mark Rowe to share family history that spanned four monarchs

By: Christian Collington, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TheIFP.ca

 

What started as a collection of family stories has evolved into a historical book and an upcoming public presentation at the Halton Hills Public Library.

 

Local historian and author Mark Rowe will visit the library on Jan. 8, 2026, to discuss his book “Kissed by Two Kings,” which explores the life of his great-great-great grandmother Rosamond Croker.

 

The free event runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Georgetown branch (9 Church St.). 

 

Residents will need to register on the library’s website for the author talk.

 

The book explores the life of the British aristocrat, whose life spanned the reign of four monarchs — George IV, William IV, Queen Victoria and Edward VII.

 

Rowe said the book originated during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it provided him time to dive deeper into his ancestor.

 

“It really started with family stories as I’ve grown up,” Rowe said. “Because of COVID, it came along and I had extra time and was able to research online a lot.”

 

Rowe’s research took a surprising turn when he discovered that a portrait of Croker was part of a collection at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.

 

This discovery led him to further investigate the portrait’s artist, Thomas Lawrence, and the public life his ancestor led.

 

Rowe found numerous references to her in online newspapers, noting that she remained famous throughout her life due to the portrait painted when she was just 17 years old.

 

Unlike many historical figures whose lives are difficult to trace, Croker lived a very public life.

 

During his upcoming talk, Rowe plans to share the inspiration and steps involved in putting the story together, an outline of Croker’s life and the notable figures she encountered, as well as the connections made during the research process that explained long-standing family mysteries.

 

Rowe hopes his presentation will inspire others to look into their own ancestry.

 

“We all have three-times-great-grandmothers, but how many of us know anything about them?” he asked.

 

For Rowe, the most rewarding part of being a historian is the “thrill of the hunt.”

 

“The most fun aspect is just making connections,” Rowe explained. “It’s discovering new things and going ‘wow, that just makes sense and it connects with what I already know.’”