Event Date : Wednesday, July 08, 1981 Event Type : Death
Description : 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 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. 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 though" she recalled laughing. After marrying her childhood sweetheart Stewart McKenzie (who died in 1975) she left teaching to move to Detroit with her husband."All that time - it was in 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."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. If 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. 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 great-aunt to Alexander George and Cynthia. Friends called at the Lathangue and Skwarchuk 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.
Contains news clippings and articles on various disastrous events of Bradford West Gwillimbury; includes fires, Hurricane Hazel, drownings, explosion, train wrecks
"Feeding refugees: Marsh refugees enjoy a hot meal in the Bradford town hall after their flight from the flooded Holland Marsh. Most spent the winter in an emergency trailer camp set up where the community centre stands today."
"Protecting the Holland Marsh from another Hurricane Hazel will cost at least $1.6-million, according to figures released by the South Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority...." The Marsh fears its dykes will not hold off another flood if a big storm hits, 25 years after Hurricane Hazel.
Front page of the first Bradford Witness paper after the Holland Marsh flood due to Hurricane Hazel on October 15, 1954. See Related Descriptions below for individual stories of this edition.
"Conditions are never so bad but what they can be worse. The utmost care must be exercised to prevent danger from disease at this flood time. The Health Department has issued a warning about water. All water must be boiled for at least ten minutes. Bringing the water to a boil does not kill all germs - a ten minute boiling is necessary. As a safety precaution this office would suggest that the water from every well and water service be given this treatment until such time as the water from that source has been tested and passed by the Ontario Department of Health."
"Personal disability adding to the confusion of getting copy written for this week's newspaper, in which it is desirable that as much of the March flooding disaster be recorded as possible, a report of some of the plans as reported in the Globe and Mail are being copied. ..."
