"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."
"Donna Ramsay (centre), this year's Salad Festival Queen, receives congratulations from the 1976 queen, Annette Grencer, as fellow contestant Nancy Bergeron (right) applauds. Donna, 18, was elected at the Salad Festival dance Saturday night in the Bradford community centre. She is the daughter of Don and Mary Ramsay of Concession 9, West Gwillimbury, and she plans a career in hotel management. The festival runs from Sunday, June 10, to Sunday, July 17."
"The Harvest Queen contestants posed in their ethnic costumes Sunday at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre. From left: Christine Jolivel, Debbie Langley, Fil Moniz, Stella Balon, Harvest Queen Karen Brinkos, Penny Ackerman, Michele Wierenga, Debbie Riffert, Shelley Rainey, Oksana Luczka."
"Bruno Cavallo is having a good time in Bradford. At least you'd think he would be, having sold 'about 10' paintings from his showing at the Royal Bank. Mr. Cavallo has also painted five local scenes from around Bradford and the local countryside, some of which are on display. The show, which ends on Wednesday, September 25, features a draw for one of Mr. Cavallo's paintings."
"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."
"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."
"The May Rally of the Barrie Presbyterian Women's Missionary Society held at the First Presbyterian Church, Collingwood, was attended by about 179 women. President Mrs. Forrest McKee, Collingwood, led using 'Let Your Light Shine' as her theme. The mediations were given by Mrs. Bernell McKay and Mrs. Mel Strachan of the the Central Oro group. Reports on the Synodical meetingg held at the Kingsway Church in Islington, were given. Mrs. R. H. McKee, Collingwood, gave ideas to everyone on how to create interest in their own congregations during her talk on Christian concerns. The ladies of the hosting church served a salad luncheon. Rev. Douglas Wilson of the First Presbyterian Church, took the afternoon session beginning with a communion service. Mrs.Stanley Bloss, area secretary of the Toronto-Kinston synodical, was the guest speaker. In her address, she pointed out that faith and truth make for a beautiful life; they wipe out all doubts. Tea and fruit breads were served at the close of the meeting."
The structure located at 21 Holland St. West is part of what is known as the Evans Block. The building was raised and Len Saint added a cellar and a foundation. The work was done by Mac Campbell and his team of carpenters. T.W.W. Evans had the building constructed to house his law practice. The upstairs was also used for years by Dr. Ellis, a dentist. The upper floor even served as Bradford Library in the 1930s, run by Mrs. Day. At one time, the offices of Tupling Insurance were also located in this building. In 1957 a fire destroyed several buildings to the east, but this structure was spared. (1, 2)
The William Campbell House is located mid-block on the north side at 43 John Street East. It was built around 1880 in the Gothic Revival style. This structure was once the home of William H. Campbell Sr. (a grain merchant) and his wife Bessie (Sutherland). His son Lewis was a doctor, and William L. (Billie) was a druggist. His daughter (Elizabeth/Libby) was born close to the day of the great fire of 1871 (Libby was born 15 May 1871 while the fire began on 25 May). She never married, though she took over her father's business after his death and remained in this house until her own. Dr. S. Hecking and his family purchased the house in the 1950’s and had it remodeled. He had one son (Stephen Jr.) and one daughter. As of 1995, Doctor Hecking was retired, training horses, and still riding occasionally. The 1½-storey, ‘L’-shaped main building has a one-storey, rear addition. It also has a medium-pitched, gable roof with tall chimney stacks. An elaborately-carved bargeboard and brackets support the wrap-around porch. The wide entrance has sidelights and a transom. There are large window openings, high floor to ceiling heights, and large windows (4/4 sash windows at the ground floor). The structure has load-bearing, brick masonry construction and a stone foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, additions, replacement doors and the second-floor windows on the well-maintained house stray from the original design intent. (1, 2, 3, 5)
The mid-block building located at 10 and 12 Holland St. West was built in the Ontario Vernacular style around 1872-1899. The two-storey, commercial, detached ‘row’ building had a narrow rectangular plan with an asymmetrical organization. ‘Main street’ frontage with a typical storefront façade was located at the street line. The plain façade was characterized by a high, flat, ‘boomtown’ façade and cornice with brick dentils. The two bay-façade each had its own entrance and storefront. Existing doors and storefronts are not original. The original, large, second-floor windows (characterized by segmented arch openings and concrete sills) have been partially bricked in, but are still visible from the brick voussoirs. The building has masonry construction with brick cladding and a flat, built-up tar and gravel roof. (1, 3) The west side of the building (10 Holland St. West and the location of Pizzaville in this 1995 photo) was once the site of a drugstore run by W.L. "Billie" Campbell. Fred Cook helped him for a number of years. Billie’s son, Lou, and druggist Clarence Ritchie took over the business. Eventually Clarence Ritchie ran it on his own before he retired. Fred McKay sold phonographs on the upper floor and there was a pool room run by James Ferguson. The Salvation Army held services here in the 1930’s. (1, 2) Sutherland’s Grocery Store was once found at 12 Holland St. West (site of Karen’s and Tina’s Flowers in this 1995 photo). Alec Sutherland was a baker. He had a bakeshop on the south side of Simcoe St. that was run for many years by his daughter Jessie and sister Mrs. Bessie Ryan (and her daughter Betty). They eventually retired and moved to St. Catherine’s. There were living quarters upstairs. William Compton and his wife bought the store and ran it as an IGA grocery store. Gord and Marilyn Compton later took over the store. They built a new store on John St. (where Frank Kilkenny’s house had been). The Comptons’ store eventually moved to what was known as the IGA plaza (located at the corner of Collings Ave. and Holland St. West). As of 2014, 12 Holland St. West is the site of The Holland Bloom florist shop. (1, 2)
