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

Three ads for Bradford businesses, including Graham’s Meat Market, Gardner’s Store and Kilkenny’s Furniture Store, c. 1934.

An account bill made out to the Bradford Lawn Bowling Club by B.B. Collings Furniture & Household Item Store, dated October 29th, 1912.

The article accompanying this photograph gives a quick history of B.B. "Ben" Collings' life and business. By this point, his furniture and undertaking business was only four years old (starting in 1902) and the storefront is shown in the photograph, located on the south-west corner of Holland and Drury Streets. The post office is opposite. It was said in the showroom, there would "be found some of the nicest furniture one could wish to place in his home."
Starting in 1897, Ben spent four years studying the mattress making trade in Toronto.

The Kilkenny family first opened a furniture and undertaker business at this same location in 1842. Their primary business was in cabinetmaking when it first opened. Thomas Kilkenny is said to have introduced the first hearse to Simcoe County around 1856.