The structure located at 21 Holland St. West is part of what is known as the Evans Block. The building was raised and Len Saint added a cellar and a foundation. The work was done by Mac Campbell and his team of carpenters. T.W.W. Evans had the building constructed to house his law practice. The upstairs was also used for years by Dr. Ellis, a dentist. The upper floor even served as Bradford Library in the 1930s, run by Mrs. Day. At one time, the offices of Tupling Insurance were also located in this building. In 1957 a fire destroyed several buildings to the east, but this structure was spared. (1, 2)
Excerpts relating to Bond Head and Bradford Libraries from Angus Mowat's journal. Mowat was the first Inspector of Public Libraries for Ontario, a position he held from 1937 - 1960.
Photograph of Ethel Day, wife of Professor W.H. Day and librarian of Bradford Public Library from 1936 - 1953. She was also the mother of Ida Day Smith, former librarian, whom she took over from in 1936. Mrs. Day was the sole librarian and worked originally a room on the second floor of T.W.W. Evans law office at 21 Holland St. West, then in the late 1940s, moved to a room above the fire hall on Barrie Street. She hand-wrote all records, and was librarian until her death on November 23, 1953.
Event Date : Tuesday, November 24, 1953 Event Type : Death
Description : Died suddenly at Bradford. Beloved wife of the late Professor W. H. Day, and dear mother of Mrs. Earl Caughty (Stella), of St. Andrew's, N.B.; Mrs. R. C. Smith (Ida), of Weston; William N., Niagara Falls; Henry A., of Mimico. Resting at the T. Kilkenny & Son Funeral Home, Simcoe St., Bradford for service on Friday at 1 p.m. Interment Woodlawn Cemetery, Guelph, on arrival of motors at 3:45 p.m.
Event Date : Tuesday, November 24, 1953 Event Type : Death
Description : Although it was known that Mrs. W. H. Day was in very frail health, the suddenness of her passing early yesterday morning shocked her friends.Mrs. Day returned to her home here in recent months after a long period of failing health during which she was at the home of her daughter in Toronto. She was seen about town frequently and seemed to be surprisingly active for one who was far from well. She visited, and was visited by, her friends and many felt that her condition was not so serious as at first believed.Early yesterday morning a neighbour, Mr. Cox, noticed the lights burning in her home and just had gone to the house to investigate when Nick Burnside, on his milk route, arrived. Together they entered and found Mrs. Day. Dr. Blackwell was called but Mrs. Day was beyond medical help.
Event Date : Tuesday, July 05, 1938 Event Type : Death
Description : Passed away suddenly, in his 68th year, while working his land in the Holland Marsh. Husband to Ethel A. Williams. Was instrumental in establishing the Holland Marsh after moving to Bradford from Guelph where he was a professor at the Ontario Agricultural College.Is interred in Woodlawn cemetery in Guelph where Rev. Vaughan conducted the service.
"Editor's note: with the new Bradford Public Library scheduled to hold Official Opening Ceremonies November 6, 1988, following is an article submitted by D. Cilipka on the library's past history in Bradford." ...
"During the month of July, the Bradford library will only be open on Saturdays. Mrs. Day, librarian, is taking the librarians' course, provided by the Province of Ontario, - in Barrie, and will therefore only be in town, during the next month, at the weekends."
Photograph of Ida Day Smith, daughter of Professor W.H. Day and librarian of Bradford Public Library in 1936. She was also the daughter of Ethel Day, who took over the librarianship in 1936. Ida Day was the sole librarian after Mary Brown, and worked in a second floor room of T.W.W. Evans' law office. Once she married Raymond Smith in October of 1936, the couple moved away and Ida's mother, Ethel, took over the librarianship duties.
