The building located at 1 Holland St. East (on the northeast corner of Holland and Barrie Streets) is part of what is known as the Green Block. The structure was originally owned by Mr. Green, who lived with his family on the west side of Church St. in the hotel. The Masonic Hall is still found upstairs at this location in 2014. (1, 2) Many businesses have been located at 3 Holland St. East (on the northeast corner of Holland and Barrie Streets) over the years. They include a grocery store, a boot and shoe shop (run by Charlie Wilson), an insurance company (that was later run by Fred Cook), a delivery service for C.N.R. (first by horse and buggy, then later by Model T Ford), a hamburger stand (run by Harold ‘Butch’ Boyd), and a telephone office. The first private telephone came to Bradford in 1885 and was run by a number of businessmen. There were ten phones only for Bradford. A garage was later added at the back at the laneway for trucks and cars. (1, 2)
The article accompanying this photograph gives a quick history of B.B. "Ben" Collings' life and business. By this point, his furniture and undertaking business was only four years old (starting in 1902) and the storefront is shown in the photograph, located on the south-west corner of Holland and Drury Streets. The post office is opposite. It was said in the showroom, there would "be found some of the nicest furniture one could wish to place in his home." Starting in 1897, Ben spent four years studying the mattress making trade in Toronto.
The article accompanying this photograph gives a quick history of Bemrose Co. General Store, owned by the Bemrose brothers John and James. Their father, John, was a contractor and was well known in the town, a reputation which was passed down to the brothers. This store in the photograph was run by James Bemrose alone after his return to Bradford in 1901 in the former store of J.S. Boddy, and was in the same block as the Edmanson businesses on Holland Street (near 71 Holland St. East).
The article accompanying this photograph gives a quick history of Whimster & Wilcox Store, owned by J.E. Hodgson in 1906. It was located at 16 Holland Street West, and was immediately east of the Queen's Hotel. It began in Aurora by James Whimster and a Mr. Wilcox in 1886, though in 1904 it was launched in Bradford by Charles Elliot. The store featured dried goods, furnishings, clothing, and groceries.
The article accompanying this photograph gives a quick history of Moore Bros. Store, run by A.J. and F.W. Moore. The store came to Bradford in 1901, and was located just west of the Central Hotel on Holland Street. The Moore Brothers had patented the "Marvel Acetylene Gas Generator", a machine for those without electricity hook-ups.
The article accompanying this photograph gives a quick history of the Mickle, Dyment and Son's Planing Mill and Lumber Yard. It was run by James Spence in 1906.
The article accompanying this photograph gives a brief biography of Andrew Thompson and a photograph of their residence. Andrew Thompson ran Thompson's Hardware on the southwest corner of Holland Street and Simcoe Road. This store was formerly Driffill's Hardware where Thompson was a partner.
The article accompanying this photograph gives a brief history of the Queen's Hotel, rebuilt after Bradford's great fire of 1871 as Western Hotel. The Western Hotel burned down in 1890, and the structure in the photograph was built soon after. It was owned by William Whyle in 1906.
This photograph is of the south side of Holland Street West, looking westward. on the left side is A.Thompson's Hardware store, with the Bemrose Co. next door.
