W. Davey Butcher Shop. W. Davey is the man standing in front of the shop with the apron on. It later became Webb's Butcher Shop. He is the one sitting on the carriage. It then became Pezzanitti's Meat Shop until a few years ago. The shop was located on the north side of Holland Street, west of Barrie Street.

This building was located on Holland St. E. The store pictured was owned by W. Curry who opened the business in 1943. Before Bradford Seed House opened, this building was a shoe store rented by Joe Coridan from Howard Bowser (Bowsher), an Englishman, who owned the building at that time. Today the building has been demolished and this site is a parking lot near the CIBC bank.

Three ads for Bradford businesses, including Kilkenny’s Furniture Store, Pringles’ Store and George Ogilvie’s Menswear Store, c. 1933.

Photograph of the remains of the Thompson's Hardware business sign. See Related Descriptions to see the business in the early 1900s.

Andrew Thompson first started the hardware store in 1865. He was born in Innisfil township, and first started a hardware store with a Mr. Kendall. He then bought out his partner, and the Driffill's Hardware store on the corner, and proceeded to run his business. In addition to hardware items, he also carried silverware, stoves, furnaces, paints, and school supplies. When he died in 1905, Miss Thompson, a graduate of the Optical Institute of Canada, became store manager. She ran her business out of the shop as well. The Thompson's home was located at the corner of Moore and Frederick Streets.

Everyone is gathered around the side of the building for an auction.

The article accompanying this photograph gives a brief biography of Andrew Thompson and a photograph of their residence. Andrew Thompson ran Thompson's Hardware on the southwest corner of Holland Street and Simcoe Road. This store was formerly Driffill's Hardware where Thompson was a partner.

This building was probably built around 1851. The Driffill family lived and operated a business in Bradford before 1867.

Advertisement of Driffill's Hardware Store

Advertisement for Thomas Driffill's hardware store. He began with a blacksmith's shop in December, 1831, and later moved on to hardwares.

"One exhibit which attracted a great deal of interest in last Thursday's parade was the huge melon tied on the front of Gordon Bateman's truck, which was being driven for Bradford Seed House.
The melon, which weighed 115 pounds, was over five feet long and more than 1 foot in diameter. It was not grown here but was brought in by a traveller for seeds, selling to Bradford Seed House.
This traveller informed that the melon is of the gourd variety and is known as the Zucca Melon. It is used to make Christmas peels and cherries.
After the parade was over a policeman's whistle stopped the Bateman truck at Yonge and Queen and the officer halted traffic while he examined the melon, he being just as curious as many others watching the parade.
The melon in shape and colour slightly resembles the vegetable marrow."