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Contains clippings and photographs of Bradford West Gwillimbury buildings and streets

Article features local news, such as the reflection of the life of the publisher, and Bradford's housing situation which is reflecting in the weekly editions of The Witness.

"The long-awaited Heritage Assessment of the Armstrong - Van Voorst home on the 6th Line was presented to Bradford West Gwillimbury Council, in Committee of the Whole on May 2nd. Prepared by Su Murdoch Historical Consulting of Barrie, the Assessment was carried out as a condition of draft approval for Christina Homes Ltd.'s proposed 66 unit subdivision on the 10 acre property." ...

When this photo was first printed, the negative was flipped (so the fence would be on the right side of the photograph). We have corrected the photograph here to show how the house was meant to look.
Dorothy (Reeves) Marks is in front of the house, located at 89 Holland Street East. Additions have since been added on to the house, and the trees no longer exist.

This portrait is of Samuel Lukes, businessman and mill owner of Bradford. At the time of this edition, he was a successful owner of the Bradford Flouring Mills and lived on Holland Street. Later, he would own the Algonquin Lodge (now known as the Convent).

This was the home of Sam and Gilbert Lukes. It was originally built by John MacLean Stevenson in 1876. It was sold, first to Robert Bingham in 1877, then to James Boddy in 1894(?) who named it "Fairview". Later, after a number of other sales, it became the property of Rev. Egerton R. Young in 1903, and was renamed "Algonquin Lodge". Rev. Young in turn sold it to the Lukes family in 1910. The Lukes family, who owned the Bradford Flour Mill, made several repairs and alterations to the house under their ownership. In 1949, the house and property was sold to the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Toronto, but they soon sold the house to the Ursuline Order of the Diocese of London. In the years since, the building has been sold, re-sold, had court cases fought over ownership until late in the 1980's. In 1994, the building was torn down and the "Common Roof" facility was built.

Photograph of Elizabeth (Libbie) Florence Campbell with Margaret and Elizabeth Ellis who were the daughters of Libbie’s cousin, Dr. Charles Wilson. Wilson was a longtime Dentist in Bradford. Photograph taken outside of Bessie & William Campbell’s house on John Street, c. 1915.

A metal and wood trophy given for most attractive home in Bradford. The title was won by Mrs. W. H. Lee in 1948. Label on bottom reads:

“Blue Ribbon Trophy, Wm. A. Rogers, Made by Oneida Co.”

Greenview Farm was the residence of Richard H. Crake, wheat farmer, and covered 212 acres in 1906. It was located on the "Bond Head Rd.", or Highway 88 near Sideroad 10. It was first the Tyrwhitt Farm, owned by Colonel Tyrwhitt of Bond Head, before Crake bought it in 1903. Crake farmed here until 1914, when it was sold to F. Smelser. He was known to the town as Dick Crake.