The caption of this photograph follows: "Business Men of Bradford of Twelve Years Ago [1894] Top Row (from left to right): W.J. Walker; J.H. Driffill; Jas. Driffil; E.P. Snow; H.C. Barry; J.H. Davey; S.J.W. Sutherland; Dr. L.H. Campbell; E. Garrett. Second Row: A. Thompson; H.S. Broughton; Robt Stewart; Jas. Clarke; Wm. Campbell; R.J. Barry; Wm. Kilkenny; John Bemrose, sr.; E. Boddy; Jas. Mills. Third Row: J.H. Hockridge; C. Elliot; R.F. Green; T.S. Graham; J.S. Boddy; G. Ogilvie; John Bemrose, jr. Front Row: B. Hulse; E. Driffill; W. Scott; H. Parker; J.G. Cook; W.L. Campbell; A. Sutherland; W.W. Ellis."
The building located at 30 Holland St. West (on the southeast corner of Holland and Drury Streets) has been the site of many businesses, including Bradford Travel (as seen in this photo from 1995). Many years previously, George Ogilvie, a tailor, moved to this area from Bond Head. He employed five or six cutters and seamstresses to help run his business. It occupied the first and second floors of the building. John Depew moved here years later. He ran a barbershop on the ground floor and lived upstairs with his children (Oswald, Eddie and Georgina). The two boys became barbers and Georgina was a nurse in the Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital in Orillia. Archie Hammell and his wife Minnie (Spence) opened and ran a grocery store here for a time. Gerry McTavish worked for them, and he and his wife took over the business when the Hammells retired. (1, 2)
"The annual meeting of the Public Library was held in the Council Chamber on Friday evening. The attendance was small, as usual. The Treasurer, Mr. Jas. Driffill, presented his report, which showed that the receipts for the year were $354, and the expenditure $310.17, leaving a balance on hand of $44.37. ..."
"The new Act respecting the regulations of Public Libraries calls for a meeting on the second Monday in January for the election of a Board of Directors. Accordingly a meeting of the members of the Bradford Public Library was recently held in Mr. T.W.W. Evans' office." ...
Declaration of Qualification made by Bradford Councillor George Ogilvie, signed January 2, 1918. Declaration confirms that the candidate fulfills the requirements to run for office.
George Ogilvie , whose business can be seen here, was a merchant tailor in Bradford. He employed 6 to 8 people at a time. He was also a Councillor, on the Model School Board, on the Public Library Board, and on the Board of the Agricultural Society.