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"Alliston - South Simcoe District Women's Institute held its 75th annual meeting in Alliston last week, with 116 delegates attending from 11 branches. District president Mrs. Paul Tipping of Tottenham and secretary treasurer Mrs. Everett McVety of Bradford were in charge.

The theme, 'What's 75 Years Between Friends?' set the tone of the meeting held at St. John's United Church. Displays showing accomplishments, projects, and history of each branch were outstanding, and discussion groups led by district conveners replaced oral reports.

Visits to Simcoe Manor will not be a district project from now on but the decision to entertain there is at each branch's discretion after conferring with the manor superintendent.

Delegates voted to hold a Tweedsmuir History workshop in November, with Cookstown being a possible location.

Mrs. Gordon Mallion of Tottenham judged the log book competition of home histories and presented prizes to: first, Mrs. Russel Browning; second, Mrs. W. Ingram, both from Churchill branch; and third, Mrs. Norman Baker, Everett.

Federated Women's Institute of Ontario board members, Mrs. Don Hennessy of Duntroon, said Simcoe County leads the province in interest in log books. County books were on display at the officers' conference at the University of Waterloo in May.

After the noon luncheon, Tweedsmuir History curator Mrs. William Sutherland of Bond Head reviewed district history. The first meeting was held in Jebb's Hall, Cookstown, on July 9, 1902, with 50 in attendance. In 1906 only four attended and for some years district meetings were held in homes.

Today there are 321 active members in Simcoe South and 46 life members. A birthday cake was cut by Mrs. Joseph Hancey of Alliston, a WI member for 61 years.

Ted Whitworth, a farm safety consultant for eight counties, told delegates there are too many accidents in agriculture. He said 'farmers must recognize hazards and he placed the responsibility on 'mother' to continue to remind her family of safety practices. Farm safety booklets brought home by school children should be reviewed by the parents with the children so both will benefit, he said.'"

The Queen’s Hotel (located at 22 Holland St. West) was built circa 1850, and was originally the Western Hotel. This photo (taken in the fall of 1995) shows the structure just before a major renovation. The hotel went “dry” during World War I. Bradford, like all of Ontario, was experiencing prohibition (even though Bradford had voted “wet”). The building originally had two storeys. A third floor and a flat roof were added later. It was heated with an old steam engine that had the undercarriage removed. The engine first burnt 4’ stacks of hardwood, then coal, and finally, oil. Eventually a new furnace was installed (most likely natural gas). The building was always warm and thought of as a home away from home.
Harry Lang, Celina and their children (Evelyn, George and Audrey) moved here from North Bay and bought the building in the 1920’s. They ran the Temperance House, and a board and dining service at this location. They had long-time help and boarders. Little John Cook ran a shop selling ice cream, chocolate bars, and smokes on the east side (down one step). A bus stop was added when bus service started. Len and Art Saint put a cement addition on the back of the building around 1938. At the rear, there was a chicken house, a roofed, open shed, and a laneway. Another shed ran south, and to the west was an ice house. There was open space to the north before the laneway and a barn for hay and horses. The barn had two stories and below there was a pig sty. North of the laneway there was another open shed, car storage, and a cooking kitchen on the back of the hotel (a little east of the back entrance). Jack Wilson worked for Harry Lang for many years. Mitch Hepburn brought in beer in 1934 and the building opened as the Queen’s Hotel. Businessmen had to chip in to buy a liquor license and Hepburn was the first supplier. Business was excellent and the hotel was really crowded. Before the arrival of the beer, the locals had used it as a place to play dominoes and checkers, and to conduct hunt camp and other organizations’ meetings. (1, 2, 4)

The Queen’s Hotel (located at 22 Holland St. West) was built circa 1850. This photo (taken in the fall of 1995) shows the structure just before a major renovation. The hotel went “dry” during WWI. Bradford, like all of Ontario, was experiencing prohibition (even though Bradford had voted “wet”). The building originally had two storeys. A third floor and a flat roof were added later. It was heated with an old steam engine that had the undercarriage removed. The engine first burnt 4’ stacks of hardwood, then coal, and finally, oil. Eventually a new furnace was installed (most likely natural gas). The building was always warm and thought of as a home away from home.
Harry Lang, Celina and their children (Evelyn, George and Audrey) moved here from North Bay and bought the building in the 1920’s. They ran the Temperance House, and a board and dining service at this location. They had long-time help and boarders. Little John Cook ran a shop selling ice cream, chocolate bars, and smokes on the east side (down one step). A bus stop was added when bus service started. Len and Art Saint put a cement addition on the back of the building around 1938. At the rear, there was a chicken house, a roofed, open shed, and a laneway. Another shed ran south, and to the west was an ice house. There was open space to the north before the laneway and a barn for hay and horses. The barn had two stories and below there was a pig sty. North of the laneway there was another open shed, car storage, and a cooking kitchen on the back of the hotel (a little east of the back entrance). Jack Wilson worked for Harry Lang for many years. Mitch Hepburn brought in beer in 1934 and the building opened as the Queen’s Hotel. Businessmen had to chip in to buy a liquor license and Hepburn was the first supplier. Business was excellent and the hotel was really crowded. Before the arrival of the beer, the locals had used it as a place to play dominoes and checkers, and to conduct hunt camp and other organizations’ meetings. (1, 2, 4)
Please contact the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library (905-775-3328) if you have any other information about this photo.

The house located at 64 James St. was considered to be new when this photo was taken in 1995. The area behind the house was once used for lawn bowling. (1)

"A surprise party was held in Bond Head Community Hall on Saturday afternoon for Amy Young of Bond Head, formerly of Beeton, on the occasion of her eightieth birthday. Many of her family, neighbours, and friends from near and far, including members of two local bowling clubs, the Women's Institute of Bond Head, the Ladies Orange Lodge of Beeton and members of the local churches, gathered to spend a pleasant social interlude with her and partake of a buffet lunch. She served her guests a piece of delicious birthday cake with George McCague, our local Member of Parliament assisting her. An address was read by Margaret Westlake, a cousin. Shelley Bishop, a niece on behalf of the friends, presented her with an engraved wrist watch as a token of respect and appreciation, and a momentum of the party. George McCague presented her with an emblem pin on behalf of the Ontario government. Mrs. Young thanked her friends for coming and for her gift and expressed her appreciation to the convenors of the party. All departed with happy memories of a pleasant afternoon."

"Honorable Earl Rowe, former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, was guest speaker at the Fisher's Corners Womens Institute Meeting January 20. A great supporter of women's institutes, Mr. Rowe spoke to the women and their husbands for about 45 minutes on current issues like the Quebec problem and reminsced about politicking in the area in horse and buggy das. He expressed the need for multi-lingualism in Canada, rather than just bilingualism, explaining that Canada was a land of many nationalities and not just French and English. Well qualified to discuss national affairs, Mr. Rowe said he had personally known and worked with eight of Canada's prime ministers, including Pierre Trudeau. Described as a very warm and down-to-earth person by the women, Mr. Rowe is currently in retirement at his farm near Newton Robinson. He told the group he spends much of his time exercising his horses and reading."

"Mrs. Austin Zoeller, vice president of the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada, speaking last Wednesday night at the 50th anniversary of Bradford Women's Institute said, 'There is no other organization like the W.I. in the whole wide world.' She recalled the W.I. was born on tragedy--the death of a child from drinking impure milk. Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless, the founder of the W.I. was the mother of the child. Mrs. Zoeller told how the secretary of the Farmer's Institute, Erland Lee at Stoney Creek, Ontario, promoted hearing a woman speaker against the wishes of his all-men organization. Mrs. Hoodless, that speaker, made a dynamic speech. Lee told the men after if they believed it important to have an organization to learn how to feed their animals, then it was equally important their wives had an organization to educate themselves on how to feed their families."

"The Tee-We-Gwill chapter of the Women's Institute held their first meeting with this year's officers last Monday night at the home of Mrs. Barbara Wilcox on Beeton Road. The Women's Institute was originally founded in Ontario to educate women in rural areas in the homemaking field. Since then it has become a world-wide community services oriented organization. The Tec-We-Gwill chapter sponsors a Can-Save Child in Austria, as well as sponsoring the Tec-Gwill 4-H Club for young women."

Back Row: Mary Orr, Marguerite Ramsay, Margaret Jessop
Front Row: Lois West, Jean Calder, Barbara Wilcox

"The Bradford Lions club moved the top prize for their annual September 12 draw along Holland Street early Tuesday morning. The cessna airplane is now on view at the Red and White shopping plaza and tickets can be purchased from any Lions member. The mammoth draw also includes Cadillac and cash prizes."

"The Bradford Lions Club installed its new executive on Monday for the upcoming year. Front row, from left: Jack Armstrong, second vice-president; John Rutherford, president; Bernard Horne, past president; Gerard Van Albeek, first vice-president; Gerry Barker, third vice-president. Second row: George Jackson, director; Jim Swan, secretary; Bill Melbourne, director; Fred Dow, Lion hunter; George Fabing, assistant tail twister; Joe Vanderlinde, director; Bill Lotto, director; Bob Hardy, treasurer; Ron Coffey, Lion tamer; Ted Van Kuik, tail twister; Ron Wysinski, assistant secretary; George Robertson, director; Eric Hall, bulletin editor; and Keith Noble, director."