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Evans, Dr. Wilfred G.

  • CA BWGPL PH14848

Municipality :
Community : Other - Bradford
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Dr. Wilfred G. Evans, a native of West Gwillimbury, dies in Didsbury, Alberta.

Ex-Warden Scott, Creemore, Passes

  • CA BWGPL PH14717

Municipality :
Community : Other - Bradford
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Isaac Scott, former reeve of Creemore and former warden of Simcoe County, dies at the age of 71 following a week's illness.

First Telephones Installed in 1885

  • CA BWGPL PH25573

Municipality :
Community : Bradford West Gwillimbury
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Bradford's telephone history began in 1885 when a telephone wire from Toronto to Newmarket was extended to Barrie through Bradford. That same year another line was built from Bradford to Alliston and Beeton. Gibson Cook was appointed local manager for the Bell Telephone Company and a tiny switchboard was installed in his store on Holland Street.

The telephone office was open for service from 8 a.m. on weekdays, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sundays and from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 to 4 p.m. on holidays.

Mr. Cook remained as agent until his death in 1891 when his son-in-law R.F. Green became manager.

Bradford's telephone exchange was destroyed by fire in 1892.

Telephone numbers were first assigned here in 1897. Bradford's telephones were removed in 1901 because of lack of subscribers. Telephone poles and lines remained in place, however, and in 1904 five persons subscribed for service. A new switchboard was installed and the line from Alliston to Bradford was made metallic, improving service considerably.

By 1905 the switchboard was inadequate and a new one had to be installed to accommodate new customers.

Poles on Main Street were removed in 1936 and plant was installed in underground conduits instead.

A minor disaster struck at Bradford's telephone system in June 1939 when a workman Bill Peachman, digging a ditch accidentally cut the telephone cable linking Bradford with Toronto and points south. A telephone crew worked all night to restore service.

Mr. R.F. Green remained in charge of the telephone office until 1932 more than forty year. Mr. G.G. Green was then placed in charge.

Mrs. J.E. Green took over the responsibility of local representative in 1938.

1957 saw the end of crank telephones in this area when instruments were cut over to dial operation. Dial equipment was housed in the Bell Telephone Company's new exchange on Holland Street.

All telephone numbers were changed coincident with the cutover and the exchange name PRospect 5 5 was assigned to Bradford subscribers.

Reeve Arthur Evans officially inaugurated the system by making the first call over the new equipment.

The 100th telephone was installed here in 1925.

The 500th telephone was installed in 1951, and the 1000th in 1957.

Bradford had 5,010 customers as of December 31, 1985.

This information is reprinted with permission of Bell Canada.

Former Local Principal Passes At Midland

  • CA BWGPL PH14736

Municipality :
Community : Other - Bradford
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Mr. J.H. Lukes, former principal of Bradford Public School, dies in Midland. Mr. Lukes was married to Leona Davey, a native of Bradford.

Former Teacher gets Queen's Jubilee Medal

  • CA BWGPL PH25649

Municipality :
Community : Bradford West Gwillimbury
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Former Teacher Gets Queen's Jubilee Medal

Miss Barbara Stewart, former Bradford public school teacher, has been awarded the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal.

Miss Stewart, who retired last year after 36 years of teaching, said from her Markham home Friday, "I don't know how I got it or who recommended me. It came by registered mail last month and it was a complete surprise."

She joins Bradford lawyer Charles Evans as a recipient of the medal, awarded to persons who have made outstanding contributions to the community.

She said she had just returned from a trip to Germany, and would soon go back to Bradford public school for a day to tell the students about her trip.

As for retirement, "I'm just loving every bit of it."

Former Witness Publisher, Owner Ina McKenzie Dies After Illness

  • CA BWGPL PH25678

Municipality :
Community : Bradford West Gwillimbury
Lot :
Concession :
Description : BRADFORD - Former owner, publisher, and editor of The Bradford Witness, Ina McKenzie, died last Wednesday, July 8, after a lengthy illness.

She was 89.

Born Ina Galbraith in Paisley, Bruce County, Mrs. McKenzie's learned to be independent at an early age after the death of her father at age 29.

Her mother, a school teacher, struggled to raise her and younger sister Donalda.

"I went into teaching as well because there was nothing else a girl at that time could do, except become a nurse." Mrs. McKenzie remarked in an interview before her death.

TAUGHT

She taught for several years in the tough downtown Toronto core where her students included the famous Conacher brothers. "They were wonderful boys. Perhaps a bit mischievious thought." she recalled, laughing.

After marrying her childhood sweetheart, Stewart McKenzie (who died in 1975), she left teaching to move to Detroit with her husband.

"At that time - it wasin the 1920s - Detroit was a boom town. Everyone was playing the stock market and making a great deal of money - on paper at any rate. Stewart got a job on a financial publication called Saturday Night."

EXTENSIVE

Mr. McKenzie had an extensive background in the newspaper business. His father had owned the Paisley Advocate.

While in Detroit, the stock market crashed and Mr. McKenzie, because he was a Canadian citizen, was in danger of losing his job.

"I told Stewart, 'Let's look for a business now while you've still got a job.' so we went on vacation and looked at what appeared to be a very prosperous newspaper in Trenton." Mrs. McKenzie remembered.

However, being a very astute business woman, she noted that the paper printed a great deal of political material that would come to a halt if the government changed. They decided to look elsewhere.

Bradford was their next stop.

"When we arrived in Bradford, it was a beautiful day," she recalled. However the condition of the Bradford Witness was something else again.

"Stewart went in and told me 'The machinery is a disgrace,'" she remembered, but they loved the little town and decided to stay, contributing greatly to its prosperity and growth over the years.

In those first years of the Depression, Bradford was little more than a main street, the lower end shabby, the western portion relatively prosperous, she recalled.

"Everything was booming when we arrived in Bradford," Mrs. McKenzie noted. "But shortly after, many people were in dire poverty. It we would have collected what was on our books we could have retired, however people gave what they could.

During this time they relocated the paper's office from Holland St. to Barrie St. (where the European Bakery is currently located), remaining there until they retired in 1968, selling the paper to Gerry Barker.

Before deteriorating eyesight hampered her activities Mrs. McKenzie was extremely active in various organizations in Bradford.

During the Second World War, she headed the Bradford chapter of the Canadian Red Cross. She was a charter member of the West Gwillimbury chapter of IODE, and a past president of the Bradford Women's Institute. She also taught Sunday School at the Bradford United Church.

DRIVING FORCE

One of the driving forces behind fund-raising efforts for the Bradford
Community Centre, Mrs. McKenzie also lent her considerable energies and intelligence to the Hurricane Hazel flood relief program and various other community projects.

Ina McKenzie is survived by her sister Donalda Crosbie of Toronto, nephew Robert W. Crosbie, and good friend Ella Langford of Bradford. She was also a great aunt to Alexander, George and Cynthia.

Friends called at the Lathangue and Skwarchuck Funeral Home and a service, conducted by Rev. G. McFarlane, was held in the chapel on Friday, July 10.

She was buried next to her husband at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.

Donations to the West Gwillimbury chapter of IODE would be appreciated.

Frank Archer, Butcher

  • CA BWGPL PH12797

Municipality :
Community : Bradford
Lot :
Concession :
Description : An article describing Mr. Archer and his butcher shop.

Further Recollections of Old Times in Bradford

  • CA BWGPL PH3929

Municipality :
Community : Bradford
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Mentions a visit from Sam McKuen, who is married to Clara Miller of West Gwillimbury, which lead to great reminiscing. He talks about Edwin Kneeshaw and Edwin's marriage to Clara Steele and talks about the Kneeshaw family as a whole. This brings him to the topic of Steele's Corner. He remembers the Steeles, the Tindalls, and Mrs. Dr. Stevenson and expresses his sadness concerning the closure of the Hipwell General Store in Bond Head.

Further Recollections of Old Times in Bradford

  • CA BWGPL PH12775

Municipality :
Community : Bradford
Lot :
Concession :
Description : T.A. Pratt shares his memories of his school days, both attending and teaching. He recalls classmates Ernest Baker, Dan Collings, Billy Montgomery, and his teachers Miss Blakesley, Mr. O.J. Stevenson, and Miss McMullen. Also mentioned is one of his students, Frank Keaney, and Joan Compton and Tom Evans Jr., who had recently scored very well in graduation examinations. Pratt also takes time to reminisce about people he knows who had recently died: Clara Kilkenny, Hector Greig, and George Bannerman.

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