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Description : These days, there are very few businesses that have been around for 100 years. The Bradford law firm of Evans and Evans is one of those few. Founded in 1894 by T.W.W. Evans, the firm was augmented by his sons, Charles and Brock in the 1920s. Today, "Evans and Evans' refers to grandsons Thomas and Robert. On Thursday, the law firm, which has been in the same building for more than 75 years, opened its doors to family, friends, clients and celebrated its first 100 years. There were photos on display that not only chronicled the history of the Evans family, but the history of Bradford and West Gwillimburry, from turn-of-the-century lacrosse teams, to Bradford's centennial celebrations in 1957, to the sod turning for the new library and West Gwillimbury Administration centre.

Description : William Armson came to West Gwillimbury in 1820, from Nottingham, England. He served in the Britisharmy and had been decorated for outstanding service during the Peninsular Campaign of the Napoleonic Wars. In recognition of his military service, he was granted the 200 acre parcel described as Lot 5, Conc. 7 in West Gwillimbury, on the northwest corner of County Rd. 88 and Sideroad 5. At the farm gate, a Simcoe County Historical Plaque states, "William Armson - elected as the Township's first Councillor in 1843, appointed Warden in 1846, and first elected as Warden of Simcoe County in 1847. He served this position until 1852" - the longest-serving term for a Warden of the County. Armson played a leading role in establishing the County of Simcoe in the 1840s, and was the first Reeve of West Gwillimbury, in 1850. On his death, his son John took over the arm. The south half of the lot was sold to Robert Wood in 1881, and was in possession of the 3rd generation of the Wood family when it was recently sold to developers. The two families - the Armsons and the Woods - had owned this farm for 180 years. While the Armson home is of historical interest because William Armson lived there, it is also of architectural interest. Built in 1843, this farm home is the only two-storey mud block house in Simcoe County, and one of the few remaining mud block houses built in the Township. It was built as a full 2-storey in the prestigious "five over five bay front" style, with end gables and chimneys, and a wing on the rear. It is an excellent example of the impressive homes built in the mid-19th century. As evidenced by the photograph, the exterior - except for the modern window sash - remains largely original. Much of the interior detail is also original, and well-preserved. The remarkable and rare feature is the mud block method of construction. Clay, likely from the farm was mixed with straw in a mud puddle. The mixed mud was placed in moulds, and set out to dry. After baking in the sun, the blocks were removed from the moulds and laid out on boards to dry. This mud block building is and excellent example of the ingenuity of the pioneers in employing local building materials to build their new homes, as they became established in West Gwillimbury. The Armson-Wood house is a building that embodies both local and provincial heritage attributes, and is a wonderful part of the Heritage of Bradford West Gwillimbury.

Municipality :
Community : Bradford
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Description : Early in its existence, there were two events that challenged the integrity of the Old Bradford Town Hall. The Edmonson Bakery erupted in flames and before being quelled the resulting fire, being driven by a northwest wind, destroyed 125 buildings in Bradford's core and headed towards the Town Hall. The building was saved through the efforts of the Newmarket Fire Department. Four years later, it was wind that his the structure. A violent windstorm tore the roof and belfry off the Town Hall, and caved in one wall of the brick building. On the night of October 15th, 1953, the Town Hall became the command centre, organizing relief activities for the 3,000 marsh residents displaced by Hurricane Hazel. This hall, built 150 years ago, was the Bradford community centre for decades, providing the setting for school commencement exercises, political gatherings, plays, choral concerts, badminton courts, Knitting Club sponsored amateur nights, Salvation Army Band concerts, Victory Loan programs, tap dancing, a Christmas Market, the Christmas Party with Santa, Saturday dances, Council chambers, offices of the Mayor and Clerks, Police Court, Police Department and town library. The continued use of the facility - the oldest public building in Bradford West Gwillimbury - not only contributes to the lifestyle of a growing community, but provides an important link to the past.

Municipality :
Community : Bradford West Gwillimbury
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Description : A Medical Missionary's Life in the Congo

Editor's note:

Dr. Jim Evans is the son of Bradford lawyer C.T.S. Evans and is currently serving with the United Church of Canada's Institute Medical Evangelique in the Republic of the Congo.

Jim and his wife will be writing to The Witness periodically on his experiences in the Congo.

Dear Friends,
We are somewhat uncertain as to how we should formulate our first circular letter as a married couple. Since many of you know only one of us, we feel that some sort of introduction is called for. Thumbnail biographical sketches will be unnecessary for some of you and inadequate for many of you. But they seem to be our only alternative for this kind of letter so we hope that you will understand.

Jim's home is Bradford, Ontario where he lived until he entered the University of Toronto. There he gained his medical degree and completed a year's internship. He then went to British Columbia to work in a home mission hospital of the United Church of Canada. After two years there he had a marked change of scene by going to Congo for four months. Upon his return he "dabbled" in theology for a year and then took a year's surgical residency in Vancouver. It was during the later experience that he decided to return to Congo. Thus, as an appointed missionary of the United Church of Canada, he took a tropical medicine course in Belgium and arrived in Congo in 1965. Three and a half years in Africa were not only quite interesting, but provided Jim with an opportunity to assess the needs. During an extended furlough he took various refresher courses and completed a Master of Public Health program at John Hopkins University in Baltimore. This new experience and knowledge should be helpful as he now oversees the Public Health program here at I.M.E. (Institute Medical Evangelique).

The ship docked in Baltimore on July 29 and it was exactly one month later that we were married. The first week back was spent with Jim's family in Canada and at the end of that time Jim's brother, Bob, was married -- two family weddings in one summer! Then Patty began a very busy but happy three weeks at home in California seeing family and friends after a year's absence and finishing up wedding plans.

Short Honeymoon

Our wedding was as meaningful and happy an occasion as we could have hoped for. All of our family and friends who were able to share this experience with us made it all the more special. For those who could not come, we wish we could tell about it in detail but there just is not enough space.

After a "mini honeymoon" of two days, we returned to pack our possessions and make arrangements necessary to enable us to leave a week and two days later! It was a hectic time but somehow everything was accomplished and we left Covina September 10, spent a day and half in Seattle seeing many of Patty's friends and family there, another day and a half in Toronto and Bradford, and on September 14, left for a two week honeymoon in Scandinavia.

What a wonderful two weeks that was! We spent the longest time in Norway where the scenery was spectacular. We traveled by plane, steamer, and train, thus getting a variety of views of many areas. We stopped in Stockholm for a couple of days and ended our Scandinavian visit in Copenhagen which is, indeed, the charming city it is reputed to be. This stay in Denmark included a trip to the Hans Christian Anderson country which was one of the highlights of our two weeks. September 29 we began the trip to Congo which included a planned layover in Brussels of eight hours and an unplanned layover in Geneva of six hours due to technical problems and the strict security measures. Were we ever happy to arrive in Kinshasa! We were happier still to arrive at I.M.E. which is now our home! After our many travels over the last year we were eager to settle into one place.

Like Home

We have been here six weeks now and, indeed, it does seem like home. Jim is very busy in the public health program for even as current programs continue, the public health team is evaluating the direction in which it is moving and potential opportunities for contributing further to the rural health program of this region, as well as public health interests here on the I.M.E. grounds, Jim is teaching two courses in the school of nursing in addition to taking his share of night calls for the hospital.

Parry has been quite busy as she supervised the painting of the interior of the house after our arrival and is presently doing those final touches to make it look like home. She is discovering the challenges of keeping house and cooking where there is no hot water (although now there is running water all day since the rains started), where there is the constant battle with the bugs, where all water must be boiled before drinking, where doing the laundry is not just pushing buttons on a washer and dryer, etc. One could go on forever -- but the important point is that such aspects of life do not continue to seem as inconveniences but rather become those things one just does in daily living. Patty is also making some progress in her Kikongo study as she attends class two times a week and tries to keep to regular study hours. Her best opportunities to hear it spoken so far have been on road trips when she has accompanied Jim. One trip was to a village with the public health team to carry on clinics, another to a village where T.B. patients were being followed up, and the third to a community health centre which was originally sponsored by I.M.E. and is now becoming independent. These have been fascinating trips as they have been opportunities to see some village life, to meet village people, and to understand better the physical, social and spiritual needs of the Congolese.

Hope

These are happy days for us as we are beginning our marriage, establishing our home, making and renewing many friendships, and joining in the effort to provide better health care. It is with the hope of helping to meet the many needs of these people that we have come; and we trust that our efforts, your prayers and God's participation turn our hope to reality, through our lives Christ himself will become a reality to those we encounter.

Especially, now as Christmas approaches, we are thankful for God's Gift of his Son and we want to take the opportunity of this season to share with each of you our wish that yours will be a most blessed Christmas and a very happy New Year.

Sincerely, Dr. Jim and Patty Evans

Patty Evans

Patty (nee Parks) spent her pre-college years in various California cities where her father has pastored American Baptist churches. She began her college days at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, and after two years there, transferred to Standford University to complete the work for her nursing degree. Following a year's work in Covina, California (where her family now lives), Patty entered a Master's program at the University of Washington. She changed the role of student to that of faculty member at the end of a year and taught in a coronary care program at the University. In August, 1969 she began the challenging and exciting experience of sailing on the hospital shop the S.S. HOPE as it made its 8th voyage -- this time to Tunisia. It was a full and busy year as she worked in the Intensive Care Unit and had an opportunity to learn about the language and culture of the patients and the Tunisian counterpart nurses. It turned out to be a year not only for new nursing experiences but also for travel as well throughout Tunisia and to parts of Europe. One of these times was to meet Jim in London for two weeks at Christmas which was, of course, a most happy holiday. The year in Tunisia ended on a delightful note, for Jim, on completion of his program at Johns Hopkins, was able to go to Tunisia to work with the HOPE public health team for the last five weeks and then sail home with all the other "Hopies".

Municipality :
Community : Bradford West Gwillimbury
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Description : The Commission and the staff at the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Utilities Commission would like to convey what a pleasure it has been to serve the community for the past 8 decades. You can look forward to receiving the same excellent service from both Barrie Hydro (for hydro service) and the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury (for water service); the service level that you have come to rely on.

"The Ad Hoc Facilities Committee, comprised of Mayor Frank Jonkman, Councillors Marty Toombs and Jim Corneau, Chief Building Official Art Janse, Deputy Treasurer Ian Goodfellows and Police Chief Bruce Davis met on Wednesday night, to consider future facilities that could include a new Police Station, a consolidated administration centre, and possibly, an indoor pool." ...

"On May 27th, 1857, the Town of Bradford was incorporated. Next Sunday, May 27th, Bradford will launch a year of Sesquicentennial celebrations, with a Re-enactment, Proclamation and Sesquicentennial Flag-raising, 3 p.m. outside the Bradford West Gwillimbury Council Chambers on Holland St. East.
There will be a proclamation by the Mayor, greetings from the County, Province and Federal government - and a brief (and humorous) re-enactment of the incorporation, by the award-winning Bradford District High School Drama Club.
Then watch as the flag is raised, and enjoy a slice of Sesquicentennial cake.
Organizers are looking for participants for a Sesquicentennial Parade to take place at 3 p.m. on August 19th, following the same route as the Santa Claus Parade. The theme: 'Bradford Through the Ages'.
Anyone with antique farm equipment, classic or antique cars; representatives of Minor League sports, and hockey alumni of Bradford's historic teams (The Blues, Vasey Jrs., etc); choirs and bands - in fact, any community group, business or organization is invited to participate in this historic event.
The Town is looking for nominations for Parade Marshal; residents can nominate anyone for the honorary position. There will also be a contest for Junior Marshal."

Article on the service of World War I veteran, William J. Weyman, from his perspective in the 9th Scottish Highland Artillery Division, 50th Brigade. This edition of Bradford Today featured many aspects of the Bradford Remembrance Day Ceremony in 1991.

Article describing the opening Sabbath on November 10th, 1889 of St. John's Presbyterian Church at Coulson's Hill.

Image of an invoice from A. Sutherland Grocery on Holland Street. The invoice is dated June 12th, 1926 and to Hazel Campbell. Alexander Sutherland also operated a bakery on Simcoe Road. His wife, Elizabeth was the sister of Bessie Campbell (wife of William Campbell).