"Twenty-eight years ago, Peter Bierling was helping farmer John Rupke build a new storage barn in the Holland Marsh. Before starting work, Peter carefully wrapped plastic around an old pocket watch his grandfather gave him and placed it in a shoe polish tin. He didn't want to lose it because it was a family heirloom, and he tucked it away in his pants' pocket. A few hours later, Peter discovered to his dismay that the tin containing the watch had fallen out of his pocket. An exhaustive search failed to turn up the watch. Last week, John Rupke was in the process of tearing down the storage barn, and - you guessed it - the shoe polish tin, with the watch intact, turned up. A worker helping tear down the now-old structure found the tin lodged between the walls, in sawdust used as insulation. Mr. Rupke wound the old watch and, sure enough, it ran. He quickly called Peter's son, Louis to inform him of the find. (Peter died a few years ago). The watch had survived almost 30 years, including Hurricane Hazel in 1954 when the barn was half-covered with mud and water. Louis said afterward, "I had always kept the location of the watch in mind. I always thought I knew where it was. I think it's about 100 years old. "It was still in good shape, and it should be - it's had a rest for 30 years," he said. Louis, production manager at Bradford Frozen Foods, plans to have the watch completely overhauled. The shoe tin in which it was found has also become a collectible."
"'What for?' That was the thought of uppermost in the minds of those who attended the Remembrance service at Bradford's Royal Canadian Legion Hall on Sunday afternoon. Chaplain Major E. Jankowski of Canadian Forces, Base Borden, posed the question in his address to serve as the theme in reflecting upon those Canadians who fought, were wounded, and gave their lives on the field of battle.He reminded those assembled in the Legion hall that what we enjoy in the way of freedoms and privileges as Canadians are the result of sacrifices suffered on our behalf. In remembering the 330,000 Canadian dead and wounded in the wars, he urged that we pray that such a sacrifice will never be asked of us again. He summed up his thoughts by quoting an inscription in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa:"They are too near to be great. But our children shall understand where and how our fate was changed and by whose hand." This thought was carried outside as wreaths were placed at the cenotaph by representatives of various groups. In photo above, the color part is shown lowering the colors as trumpeter Don Langford plays the Last Post."
"Three of top winners at the South Simcoe 4-H banquet in Beeton pose with their awards. Left to right: Marianne Reynolds, high Beeton 4-H member, Carol Rintoul of Tottenham, top novice judge, and outstanding junior member; and John Rutten of Loretto, top swine club member in South Simcoe. At rear is Bill Brethet, a leader of the 4-H Dairy Club."
"Arthur Evans of Bradford, former Simcoe Centre MPP, was among the dignitaries at the official opening of the new Simcoe County courthouse in Barrie last Friday. Mr. Evans who represented Simcoe Centre for 16 years, was joined in the plaque unveiling and ribbon cutting by Roy McMurtry, Attorney General of Ontario, and George McCague, Minister of Government Services. The courthouse is in downtown Barrie and it cost $7.3 million. It contains four county courtrooms and five courtrooms for the criminal and family court divisions. The building also accommodates the office of the sheriff and Crown attorney, administration offices, and the Simcoe County Law Association. A large crowd braved snowy weather to watch the opening ceremony and tour the modern building."
"Joy Anne Kell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Kell of Gilford, graduated from the Toronto Institute of Medical Technology as a respiratory technologist on September 17. Joy Anne has accepted a position with St. Joseph's Hospital in Guelph."
"Several members of the Imperial Order of Daughters of Empire (IODE) received their 25 year pins from regent Mrs. Lylia Culbert. From the left, Mrs. W.G. Bateman, Mrs. N.E. Collings, Mrs. Margaret Fallis, Mrs. Alec Spence, Mrs. Robert Veale, Mrs. Brock Evans, Miss Bessie Wood, Mrs. William Compton, Mrs. Helen Vipond, Mrs. Keith Noble, Mrs. Lylia Culbert. Absent. Mrs. George Carson, Mrs. Stewart McKenzie."
"This week's old photo is the first of a series submitted by Dorothy Marks of Bradford, a life-long resident of the town. The photo show the Jack Cook farm implement display in 1911. Many area farmers took part in an annual parade which began at the CNR railway station in those days. Jack Cook was the father of the late Fred C. Cook, and Mrs. Tom Gardner. Mrs. Marks identified the lead driver as Tom McCracken. She was also able to identify last week's photo of the hearse, with funeral director Ben Collings as the rear of the carriage, and James Webb the driver. Mr. Collings' establishment stood where Bill's Jewelry is currently located, the far right building in the photo. Harvey Curry of 70 Holland Street and Jim Catania of 176 Church Street also identified the Collings hearse and building. Mr. Catania said another photo in the Witness (September 21) showed him and his father, Peter, and brothers John and Leo harvesting in the 1930s. The boys picking carrots in the picture were members of the Horton family."
"This week's photo was submitted by Max Morris of Stayner and shows the Holland River from the CNR bridge as it looked in the 1920s. Mr. Morris writes that much of the marsh had not yet been drained when this photo (looking north) was taken. The fisherman in the foreground is believed to be William Semenuk. The docks on the right are now part of Varley's Marina where the Snowarama route begins this Sunday, February 5."
"Euchres continue to be well-attended at the Gay 60s club rooms on Frederick Street. Another euchre will be held Saturday, March 25 at 8:15 p.m. and on Saturday, April 1, again at 8:15 sharp. The last of euchres, which will include a lucky draw for a quilt, afghan, and box of groceries, will be held Friday, April 7 at 8 p.m. Tickets for these three prizes are now on sale at 50-cents each or three for a dollar. They are available now from any member of the Bradford senior citizens club. The club rooms were jammed with card players last week as the Simcoe County zone 11 cribbage tournament was held with 20 tables at play. The third in a series of euchres was held last Saturday in the club rooms."
