Event Date : Wednesday, February 03, 1954
Event Type : Death

Description : Returning last Wednesday afternoon from Newmarket Hospital, where he had been hospitalized for over a week, Mr. James A. Webb passed away within a few hours of his arrival home early that evening, February 3. He was in his 80th year. Born in West Gwillimbury at what was then Scanlon P.O., but which today is only marked by a creek bearing the name, the late Mr. Webb spent his entire life here, where since early manhood he had been engaged in the butchering business. Married in Bradford to the late Mary Emma Collings, who predeceased him in July, 1948, the late Mr. Webb is survived by a family of three sons and three daughters. George resides in Mimico; James R. carries on the business formerly operated by his father in Bradford; Ben is in Toronto; Miss Birdie is at home; Mrs. Louis Walker (Agatha) lives in Lindsay, and Mrs. Hillary (Mary) at Vandorf. Two sisters also survive, Mrs. Sarah Kitchen of Wyebridge, Ont., and Mrs. Alice Coombs of Bradford. A very active and physically fit man, Mr. Webb remained with his business until 1948, when he left the responsibilities with his son, James. An athlete in his younger days, the late Mr. Webb excelled in lacrosse. When Arthur had a championship lacrosse team in 1899, James Webb was a member of that team and when Bradford were the lacrosse champions in 1909 he was a member of his home team. He never lost interest in lacrosse and was one of the ardent promoters and fans of the more recent Bradford Box Lacrosse teams. Formerly president of the club, last year he was honourary president. He was always at the games, enthusiastically cheering or calling advice to the players. In the passing of Mr. Webb, Bradford lacrosse has lost a loyal supporter. For fifty years Mr. Webb was a member of Simcoe Masonic Lodge. He was a member of Trinity Anglican Church, and for a number of years served on Bradford Public Utilities Commission.The funeral was held from his late residence on Friday afternoon. His rector, Rev. W. S. Johnson, conducted the services and interment was in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Bradford. The funeral was under Masonic auspices and honourary pallbearers were members of that Order, namely, Mel. Waldruff, Frank Smelser, Percy Stevenson, Archie Hammell, Donald Gray and Russell Worfolk.The active pallbearers were his three sons, two sons-in-law, and a nephew, namely, George, James and Ben Webb, Louis Walker, Horace Hillary and Walter Coombs. Business places closed in respect during the funeral hours.

This collection of pins, medals, and badges, once owned by Walter Reeves, comes to us in digital format from his descendant, Bill Marks. They were collected from Walter's career as Chief of Police for the Town of Bradford, his participation as a Lacrosse player in the 1909 championship, and his St. John's Ambulance badges.

The Ontario Provincial Police began to operate in the area in the 1930s as a motorcycle patrol, working in conjunction with the Chief of Police of the Town. Walter "Gunch" Reeves assisted the first constable posted to the area, I.R. Spencer, in many of these cases. The first OPP detachment office in West Gwillimbury opened on January 1, 1949, where they worked from the second floor of the township building under Corporal D. Adair.

Walter Arthur Reeves was born in England in 1886, and moved to Bradford when he was 13 years old. He was known as a lacrosse star as he was part of Bradford's 1909 O.A.L.A. Intermediate Lacrosse champion team (medal which is included in this collection). He married Sarah "Sadie" Saint in February 1909. He was a train inspector, and was appointed Town Constable in 1929, a position which he served until his death in 1946 from a heart attack.

Contains information on the sports and teams of the Bradford area. Headings include: Baseball/softball Cricket Curling Football Hockey Lacrosse
*Sports - Other