Description : Following four years of volunteer work by a team of members of the Bradford West Gwillimbury Local History Association, Governor Simcoe Slept Here - The Legacy of West Gwillimbury was launched on December 15th. In October, 2001 over forty people responded to the initial invitation to meet and discuss the possibility of writing a history of West Gwillimbury and they choose to call themselves WEGWHIST - West Gwillimbury History. The book was written by a team of 15 Bradford West Gwillimbury residents. Governor Simcoe Slept Here tells the story of the two waves of pioneer settlers to West Gwillimbury - the Scottish, Irish and English, who settled on the highlands during the 1820 - 1830 period and the European settlers who arrived a century later to the Holland Marsh. Churches, schools and hamlets are documented in the two volumes, along a CD which includes "The Many Faces of West Gwillimbury" as photographed by Franz Aschwanden, a listing of the Marsh Land Owners in 1949 and a Genealogical Index of the Families.
When the WEGWHIST Team launched Governor Simcoe Slept Here last December, we underestimated your response. Hindsight, which always has 20/20 vision, indicates that we should have printed more copies, but by the same token, we didn't anticipate that many of you were going to buy 4 or 5 copies. All 1,023 copies have found a home, and many of you asked if we are going to do a reprint. We have considered this request, and we have decided to do a reprint that will be available about Aug. 15, 2006. Some factual errors have been brought to our attention, so we are preparing a correction addendum that will be included with the reprint, and will be available to all who have already purchased a book. Pre-publication sales of the reprint will begin July 1st. The pre-publication price will be $65, the post-publication price $75.
Audio of an interview with Vira Bateman in July 1994. She is being interviewed by George Jackson. The interview largely discusses the Scotch Settlement and Vira Bateman's life story. See the Related Descriptions below for summary.
Audio of an interview with Marjorie Baynes on June 20, 1991. She is interviewed by George Jackson, Anne Coffey and another interviewer. The interview discusses the Baynes’ family tree in detail. See the Related Descriptions below for summary.
Audio of an interview with Bob and June Brown on May 15, 1992. They are interviewed by George Jackson. See the Related Descriptions below for the summary.
Due to length, the audio is split into two parts (see related descriptions below for links).
Audio of an interview with Margaret Darling on November 1, 1990. George Jackson, Ken Wood, Joe Saint, Ruth Melbourne and June Chambers are present for the interview. Margaret discusses her childhood and family. See the Related Descriptions below for summary.
Due to length, the audio is split into two parts (see related descriptions below for links).
Summary of a group interview on July 6, 2004 with various people who have lived in the community of Dunkerron. George Jackson is directing the discussion. See the Related Descriptions below for audio.
Audio of George Jackson presenting notes, research and information on the early settlers of West Gwillimbury, specifically focusing on land ownership. See the Related Descriptions below for summary.
Summary of George Jackson presenting notes, research and information on the early settlers of West Gwillimbury, specifically focusing on land ownership. See the Related Descriptions below for audio.
Summary of an interview with John Eek February 17, 1998. He is interviewed by George Jackson. John talks about his days in the Holland Marsh, and the start of Bradford's Co-op storage by his family. See the Related Descriptions below for the audio.
