The building seen in this photo (from 1995) was once located on the north side at 9 John St. West. It was a long, one-storey, frame house with a verandah on the south side and a small porch on the east side (facing Barrie Street). Dick Crake and his sister lived here for a number of years after he moved from a large house on the northwest corner of Holland and Church Streets. They both died here around the time of World War II. John Metcalfe later moved here from a farm on Highway 88 (at the west end of town). He lived in the house as a bachelor until his death. The house was eventually demolished and the Bradford Post Office was built by Art and Leonard Saint at this location. (1, 2)
The Wilkinson House is a mid-block building located at 31 Simcoe Road. It was built by Art Saint and/or George Stoddart around 1923 in the Arts and Crafts style. The house was sold to Chris Long, his daughter, and her husband Fred Wilkinson (a printer for the Bradford Witness) and daughter Marjorie. When they moved to Toronto to work at the DeHavill and Aircraft Company during WWII, the house was sold to a market gardener whose family lived here for many years. The 1½-storey, two-bay ‘bungalow’ has a simple form with an asymmetrical façade and a rectilinear plan. A broad, steeply-pitched, gable roof extends down to reduce the scale of the building from the street. It covers the open front porch and is supported on wood half columns on brick piers. There is an off-centre hall entrance from the porch. The porch (entered from the front) is raised and has a simple, wood handrail and baluster. There are wide window openings with low floor to ceiling heights. A wide band of windows across the front of the dormer emphasizes the horizontal lines and massing of this house. The wide windows are set into rectangular openings. Smaller, second-storey windows in the front dormer are offset from the ground-floor windows and have plain, wood sills and trim. The windows and the second entrance door are not original. A mix of exterior cladding materials is common to this style. The house has returned eaves at the dormer roof. Wood frame construction has brick, masonry cladding and vinyl siding on the dormer. The original cladding would have been wood. There is a painted, concrete foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, the house is in good condition with many original features that have been maintained well. (1, 2, 3)
The small, frame house located at 52 John St. West was built by Art Saint after World War II for his father (Frank) and sister (Lena). After Frank’s death, Lena moved to Toronto and the house was sold. (1, 2)
There was a vacant lot located at 11 Holland St. East after the big fire of 1871. Dennis Nolan built an addition to his Model T Ford dealership (located at 9 Holland St. E.) on this vacant lot. Len Saint used cement to build the new structure and Art Saint did the carpentry. The cars arrived at the railroad station in boxcars and then were brought to this new building. There was a display room at the front. At the rear was another service department with a door on the west side leading to the laneway at the rear. In time, Jim Armstrong and Fred Gregory opened a garage at this location. Charles Roberts also ran it and had a taxi business. Armstrong sold the building to Patchett, who turned the upstairs into a bowling alley (while also still running a taxi business) with a garage in the back. (1, 2) There was also a vacant lot located at 13 Holland St. East after the fire of 1871. Russell “Curly” Curtis (from Newmarket) married Aileen Church and they built a butcher shop here after WWII. Years later it became the site of the Simpson order office (which was run by Mrs. Fallis). (1, 2)
The mid-block structure located at 44 John St. East was built pre-1900 in Amsterdam (on the east side of the Holland River) in the Ontario Vernacular style. It was later moved to this site. This house was once the home of George Ogilvie, a tailor on Holland Street. He had moved here from Bond Head. After his death, it became the home of Dave Ogilvie and his family. When the house was remodeled, the bathroom was redone and stuccoed by Dick Saint, the carpentry work was done by Art Saint, the plumbing was done by Oswald Davey, and Ted Gapp did the wiring. The two-storey, two-bay house has a rectangular plan with a side hall, an asymmetrical façade, and a medium-pitched, hip roof. An enclosed, entrance porch with a truncated, hip roof is raised slightly above grade. It has a single door and windows on three sides. The porch appears to be a later addition. The house has small window openings, double-hung windows (not original), and plain, wood trim and sills. Wood frame construction is covered with vinyl siding and there is a parged, stone foundation. The original cladding was probably wood. According to the 2000 inventory, the house has few building elements (other than the form) that appear to be original. It also notes that the house probably had few decorative details originally. (1, 2, 3)
Construction of the house located mid-block at 129 Barrie St. (and six others) was begun in 1912 by Lieutenant George Stoddart. When Stoddart went overseas during WWI, the project was completed by builder Art Saint. This house was built in the Edwardian Classicism style. Mr. Moore, who ran a store on the north side of Holland St., moved to this house from John Street. It was eventually bought and sold in the 1990’s by Murray Quinn and family. The two-storey house has a bell-cast, hip roof. A square plan and simple form are highlighted with a large, classically-inspired porch. The hip roof on the entrance porch is supported by painted wooden columns and simple, rounded bracket supports. Simple, double-hung windows are balanced within the façade. The dormer window mimics the roof line of the main house. Construction is solid, smooth brick with simple details. According to the 2000 inventory, the screening (added later to enclose the porch) does not detract from the building’s appearance. It also notes that the house is well-maintained. (1, 2, 3)
Builder A.J. (Arthur) Saint and his wife Margaret once lived in the structure located at 113 Holland St. West. Art bought the house in 1931 and completely remodeled it. He added a walk-in refrigerator and a two-car garage in the old summer kitchen and woodshed. At the back of the lot at that time there was a two-storey barn that Art turned into a workshop. He had three children (Keith, Helen and Karen). Art died in 1952 and the house was sold a couple of years later to John DePeuter. It was later remodeled and bricked again as seen in this photo from 1995. (1, 2)
This is the front view of the house located mid-block on the east side at 143 Barrie Street. It was the last house built by Art, Tom and Len Saint after WWI. The building was constructed in 1925 in the Arts and Crafts style. It became the home of many people, including Erv Hill and his wife. He worked for Dennis Nolan and was a noted (Ford) mechanic. Harold Seaurow and his wife (who came from Grand Valley) later bought and moved into this house. Harold was a car salesman and a partner with Wink Crake for a while. He then went with Jim (Catania) and Brad Walker. The 1½-storey ‘bungalow’ has an asymmetrical façade and a rectilinear plan. A broad, medium-pitched, gabled hip roof extends down to reduce the scale of the building. The slightly-raised porch is entered from the front. The roof, horizontal siding, and a wide band of windows across the front of the porch emphasize the horizontal lines and massing of the style. There are wide window openings with low floor to ceiling heights. Multiple, double-hung windows are set into wide segmented, arched openings with 1/1 panes, lug sills of precast concrete, and brick voussoirs at the arches. The smaller, second-storey windows are offset from the ground floor windows. They are set into a gable and dormers and have plain, wood sills and trim. A bay window projects out from the south wall and has no foundation. The house has wood frame construction with masonry cladding, vinyl siding and a painted, concrete foundation. The original siding would have been wood. According to the 2000 inventory, the house is in good condition with many original features that have been maintained well. It also notes that the windows, shutters, and porch railing are not original. (1, 2, 3)
This two-storey, solid-brick building is located on the north side at 37 Holland St. West (on the corner of Holland and Moore Streets). It has been the site of several businesses, including Western Tire, Municipal Savings and Loan, and a grocery store. Originally, it was the Kilkenny Furniture Store. Frank Kilkenny, his father, and Keith lived here. The front part of the building was a furniture display and show room. There were stairs on the west side leading up to the show room. It was later turned into a funeral parlor when funerals ceased to be held in the deceased’s home. In the early 1930’s, Len and Art Saint built an addition on the back. The back part was used as an embalming room and for casket storage. It had two car bays. There was an elevator in the back part that provided access to the second floor. After Frank died, Keith remained an undertaker for only a short time. He preferred to work with refrigerators, furniture, freezers and radios. There was an office off Lovers Lane (Moore St.) that later became the location of Keith’s radio repair shop. Tom Kilkenny, an undertaker and furniture maker, later ran his business here. He employed a number of men. Behind the brick building was a two-storey, frame building used for storing cutters, sleighs, furniture, and the other things used in the business. There was also a small garden. Neal Lathangue eventually took over the funeral business. (1, 2)
Construction of the house located mid-block at 123 Barrie St. (and six others) was begun in 1912 by Lieutenant George Stoddart. When Stoddart went overseas during WWI, the project was completed by builder Art Saint. The house was built in the Edwardian Classicism style. Archie and Minnie (Spence) Hammel moved up the street into this house. They ran a grocery store on the south side of Holland St. (in the second building from Drury St.) and they both died in this house. Minnie left a lot of the Spence records in the attic. These records dated back to 1900 when her father ran a lumber company in Bradford. The two-storey structure has a bell-cast, hip roof. A square plan and simple form are highlighted with a large, classically-inspired porch. The hip roof at the entrance porch is supported by painted, wooden columns and simple, rounded bracket supports. Simple, double-hung windows are balanced within the façade. The dormer window mimics the roof line of the main house. Construction is solid, smooth brick with simple details. According to the 2000 inventory, the house is well-maintained. (1, 2, 3)
