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Walter J. Aylward (1859-1940), son of Captain Thomas and Adelaide (Winn) Aylward, was born in Liverpool, England. Following his mother's death in 1860, he lived in Falmouth, N.S., with his grandmother, Mary Aylward. Walter was a farmer, an authority on dyke construction, and held various local government positions including town clerk of Falmouth, 1904-1910. On 15 October 1883, he married Mary Louise Akins (1861-1957), daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Akins of Falmouth. Walter and Mary Louise had nine children: Thomas, Lurana, Adelaide, Charles, Annie, Marguerite, Walter, Catherine, and Isabell.

Aza Avramovitch was born in Belgrade on 27 March 1921. He was educated at Belgrade University and the School of Architecture, University of Geneva, from which he received a diploma in 1951. From 1941 to 1943 he was interned in a concentration camp in Italy; he later escaped to Switzerland but lost the rest of his family in the Holocaust. From the late 1940s to 1953 he was an architect in Geneva and France before emigrating to Canada with his first wife, Margot Machler. He practiced architecture in Montreal until 1959, when he moved to Halifax. After working briefly with Keith Graham and Associates, in 1960 he established his own practice, Aza Avramovitch Associates Ltd. (later Aza Avramovitch Architect Ltd.) For a number of years he had his office in the historic Century House at 1714 Robie St., Halifax, which he fully restored. He retired in 1994. Among his projects were the Northwood Centre (Halifax), Church of Christ ( Fairview), the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children (Dartmouth), Dartmouth Academy, Shubenacadie Post Office, and several apartment buildings. He also assisted in the planning of several large-scale development projects such as the Pinecrest Housing Project (Bridgewater) and Tantallon Woods Subdivision. In addition to his career as an architect, he was an amateur artist and poet. In 1995 he published Poems of Dreams and Smiles, a book whose theme was life and loss. In 1998 he married his second wife, Francene Cosman. He died on 26 May 1999.

Gold was first discovered at Oldham, Nova Scotia in 1861, and was actively mined by a group of British capitalists under the name Oldham Sterling Gold Company from 1870 until it went into insolvency. The mine was then bought by Mr. B.G. Gray of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and in 1903 acquired by William Arthur Brennan (1851-1916), a journalist and publisher from Summerside, Prince Edward Island. W.A. Brennan managed the mine via correspondence with hired supervisors, including his younger son Charles Victor Brennan in 1908-1909. Upon William Brennan’s death in 1916, the mine was inherited by his wife and 2 sons, Rosara Lefurgey Brennan (1858-1942), Arthur Roland Brennan (1882-1951), and C. Victor (1887-1961), with Rosara’s interests later passing to her daughter, Dorothy J. Sharp (b.1888). At the time of his father’s death, Victor was a mining engineer in British Columbia so the mine was managed by Arthur R. with his brother’s advice. The mine operated sporadically under the name Acadia Gold Mines Ltd. in the 1920s but suffered financial difficulties. After a few attempts, the family sold shares in the property to a Montreal group of investors under the name Avon Gold Mines Ltd. in 1935, to raise operating capital. Arthur R. Brennan continued as mine manager, with brother Victor’s advice, and corresponded with on-site personnel while operating his Journal Publishing Company in Summerside, PE. In 1943, Avon Gold Mines Ltd. ceased operations due to wartime labour shortage and inability to pay their bills. In the early 1950s, ownership of the mining properties at Oldham reverted back to Arthur’s son William R. Brennan, who was unable to find new investors. By 1955 the mine was closed, and assets sold.

Avon D. Saxon was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia in 1857. He appeared in New York and Boston with the Boston Ideal Opera Company in January and February of 1888. He made his London Stage debut as the original Friar Tuck in Arthur Sullivan's opera "Ivanhoe" at the Royal English Opera House, which ran from January to June 1891, and appeared in the same role again when the opera was revived for six performances in November of that same year. He later played Ben Brace in the comic opera "Wapping Old Stairs" (Vaudeville Theatre, February to April 1894), and in July and August 1894 he had his only engagement with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, appearing at the Savoy as Francal in the first production of Messager's "Mirette". His last appearance on the London Stage was in September 1894, where he played Major Victor Pulvereitzer in the opera "The Queen of the Brilliants". He returned to Nova Scotia around 1895, and toured throughout the province. He died in Berwick on 24 March 1909, aged 52.

Lance Sergeant Frederick William Avery (ca.1919-1996), Second World War veteran, was born circa 1919 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Frederick William Avery (ca.1889-1967) and Annie Beatrice Thomas (1894-1972). He married Bertha Spencer (ca.1922-1982) and they lived with Fred’s parents at 89 Edinburgh Street, Halifax. Fred Avery served as a corporal, then as lance sergeant in the Canadian Army overseas during World War 2 and was wounded in action twice. After the War, he continued to work for the Department of National Defence in Halifax, as a plumber. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion and Edgewood United Church. He died December 9, 1996 at the age of 77.

Bertha Madeline Spencer Avery (ca.1922-1982), housewife and mother, was born in Halifax circa 1922 to Arthur Spencer and Susan Young. She married Frederick William Avery (ca.1919-1996) and had 2 children: Frederick Alfred and Madelyn. She lived with Fred’s parents in Halifax while he was overseas during the War. She died June 2, 1982 in East Gore, Hants County, at the age of 60.

Alfred Austin (30 May 1835 – 2 June 1913) was an English poet who served as Poet Laureate of England from 1896 to 1913. He succeeded Lord Tennyson after the position was turned down by English poet and textile designer William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896).

Loretta Aucoin was an invited guest to the Swearing In Ceremony of the Members of the Executive Council by Premier Designate, Rodney MacDonald on February 24, 2006.

John Joseph Lysons Atwood (fl.1929) was a lawyer who practiced in Vancouver, British Columbia and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Harold Bengee Atlee was born in Pictou, Nova Scotia, in 1890, received his early education in Annapolis Royal, and graduated from Dalhousie Medical School in 1911 at the age of 21, the youngest graduate in the school's history.

He spent a year in general practice followed by post-graduate studies in England. In 1914 he enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry. He returned to England to complete his studies and became a fellow by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He returned to Halifax in 1921 and, despite opposition from his colleagues, was appointed both professor and chair of the first combined Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Dalhousie and Chief of Service at Victoria General Hospital. These appointments of a young and relatively inexperienced physician surprised the medical community. However, Atlee had the support of Dr. John Stewart, Dean of Medicine, and remained at Dalhousie until his retirement in 1958.

An active member of many professional associations, Dr. Atlee was a president of the Nova Scotia Medical Society, the Canadian Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and the Halifax Medical Society. He was named Honorary President of the Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association in 1968. He died in 1978.