Event Date : Saturday, August 25, 1962
Event Type : Death

Description : About 5 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, August 25, little Peter Langford, nine years old last month, was struck by a car while he was walking several feet off the paved section of Highway 88, when returning from the home of his grandparents to his own home, two farms distant, and was instantly killed. Peter was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Langford, R.R 1, Bradford. The tragedy occurred in front of the Smelser farm, now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. James McClocklin, and the only farm between the Langford farms, and opposite the home of Mr. Milton Ritchie. These neighbours rushed to the scene, but nothing could be done for little Peter. A few minutes later, Mrs. Langford, driving into town, came on the accident. The Provincial Police were busy investigating. Horrified, she recognized her little boy. Somehow she managed to turn her car and take the pitiful news home to her husband and the older brother.Keith and Ella Langford had three sons, William (Billie), who is 10; Peter was 9 in July, and Donnie is 4. Peter was the ever-on-the-go, little farmer of the family. He went to school happily and liked his teachers and his playmates, but he was the first up in the morning lest he would miss any possible farm activities around the barn before going to school, and farm stock and machinery were his delight. He had a bicycle but was not permitted to ride it on the highway because of the danger. Saturday afternoon he had his own little errand to his grandparents' home and was returning evidently walking where he should have been safe, when he was killed.Peter had sweet little ways and everyone loved him. At home he was the constant companion of his father, having almost adult intelligence and knowledge regarding farm work and business.According to the police the driver of the car which struck and killed little Peter Langford was Nick Pocius,
Lot 4,
Concession 2, West Gwillimbury Township, R.R. 2, Tottenham. He was arrested at the scene of the accident and charged with criminal negligence, dangerous driving, drunk driving, careless driving and having liquor in a place other than his residence.The accident was investigated by O.P.P. John C. Perkins assisted by O.P.P. A. J. Mason of the Bradford O.P.P. Detachment.The funeral was held yesterday afternoon in Bradford United Church and interment was in Bond Head Cemetery. Rev. F. G. MacTavish conducted the funeral services.The pallbearers were five uncles of little Peter, Stewart Langford, George Hawley, Alvin Hawley, Ira Hawley, Lloyd Hawley, and Ian Porter.The flower bearers were school classmates of Peter.The fact that the attendance at the funeral of this little child was one of the largest seen in Bradford in many years indicated how deeply the entire community was touched by the tragedy.

Contains articles on the accidental deaths within the Bradford and West Gwillimbury area

Event Date : Tuesday, January 21, 1958
Event Type : Death
Municipality : Holland Landing, Ont.

Description : Died suddenly, as the result of an accident, in his 24th year. Dearly beloved son of Thomas and Ena Griffiths, and loving brother of Bill, Anne (Mrs. Lochlan Jack) of Toronto, Don. and Doris at home. Resting at his late residence, Gilford, for service on Jan. 24 at 2:30 p.m. Interment St. Paul's Cemetery, Coulson's Hill.

Event Date : Tuesday, January 21, 1958
Event Type : In Memoriam

"In loving memory of our dear son and brother.Always in our memory."- Lovingly remembered by Dad Mom Brothers and Sisters."

Event Date : Tuesday, January 21, 1958
Event Type : Death
Municipality : Holland Landing, Ont.

Description : One of those tragic accidents, which cast gloom over an entire community and bereaved a most highly esteemed family, occurred early yesterday afternoon at the construction work on Holland Landing hill when Danny Griffiths, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Griffiths of Gilford, was killed. According to information given this office, Danny was driving a bulldozer on the side of the hill when it tipped over on him. He was 23 years of age. Daniel Griffiths was well known in Bradford and throughout the township, as well as in his home district of Gilford, he having been a former Bradford District High School student. By teachers and friends he was appreciated as a quiet and industrious boy, and his very untimely death yesterday brought expressions of sympathy for his parents, his brothers and sisters, as well as a very sincere sense of personal sorrow by all who knew him.Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Griffiths had a family of five, three sons and two daughters. William and the twins, Doris and Donald, the latter two being presently students at Bradford District High School, are at home, and Anne (Mrs. Lochlan Jack) resides in Toronto.The Griffiths family are members of the Gilford United Church.The funeral will be held from the home of his parents on Friday afternoon. Interment will be in St. Paul's Cemetery, Coulson's Hill.

Event Date : Monday, October 03, 1955
Event Type : Death

Description : Percy Reynolds, life-long resident of Bond Head and member of West Gwillimbury township council during the past four years, was instantly killed on Monday afternoon, October 3, when his truck was struck by a C.P.R. freight engine at a Jane St. level crossing in Weston. Mr. Reynolds was driving at the time of the accident. With him was his 20-year-old son Walter, who miraculously escaped serious injury. Walter, who was asleep at the time, wakened by his father's shout just before the crash. He does not know whether the truck stalled on the tracks or whether his father saw the train too late.The cow catcher carried the truck for a quarter of a mile down the track before the engineer was able to bring the train to a stop. Mr. Reynolds was on the side of the truck struck by the train and he was dead when removed from the cab. Walter, bruised, cut, and in a state of shock, crawled through the back window of the truck's cab after the train was brought to a stop. He was taken to hospital in Weston where X-ray revealed no broken bones and he was released from hospital early that evening.The truck was completely demolished.Through unofficial channels the word reached Mr. Reynolds' family of the accident and his death, and a considerable time elapsed before a neighbour P.P.C. located the police in charge and through them were able to contact Walter. At once a neighbour friend went for and brought home the bruised and shocked young man.
Percy Reynolds was born in Bond Head, the son of Mrs. Reynolds of that village and the late Mr. Joseph Reynolds. After school days he started in business in Bond Head in 1924 and by 1926 he extended his business operations there from a butcher store, to a butcher store and transport business, both of which he operated continuously since that time. For more than twenty years he was secretary-treasurer of the Bond Head school board and with the greatest of care he had cherished the old records of the school, some of which were recalled in this newspaper at the time of the opening of the new Bond Head school. When West Gwillimbury formed a township School Area Board, Percy Reynolds was a member of that Board, a position he held until his becoming a township councillor four years ago.In November 1931 he married Elizabeth Lewis of Schomberg, who also was a native of Bond Head. They have twin sons, Walter and Wallace, and one daughter, Mildred. Also surviving are his mother; three brothers, William, Harry and Edward, all of Bond Head; and one sister, Mrs. Barnard (Olive), of Barrie. Mr. Reynolds was a member of the United Church and the funeral service will be held from Emmanuel United Church, Bond Head, on Thursday afternoon at two o'clock.