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The building located at 15 Holland St. East was bought by Harold Boyd many years ago. He ran a pool room on the ground floor on the west side. He added a second floor above the pool room for living quarters. Jack Pong owned a restaurant on the east side of the building in the 1930’s. (1, 2)
The two-storey, brick and cement building located at 19 Holland St. East was owned at one time by George Simpkins. He ran a plumbing, heating, electrical, and eavestroughing company upstairs. There was a show room downstairs and the east side was a workshop. George and his family lived on Moore St. across from Joseph Street. Ethel Gapp was his bookkeeper, Ted Gapp was his electrician, and George Manton did the heating work. They drove for miles around the country in a Model T truck. Harry Barron bought the business in the 1930’s and kept the same workmen. Then the business was moved to the southwest corner of Holland and Simcoe Streets. (1, 2)

Contains news clippings and articles on various churches of Bradford West Gwillimbury

Many businesses have used the flat-roofed structure located at 29 Barrie Street. It was once the home of a farm machinery business run by Reuben Tindall. When he retired, he sold the business to Dick Crake. Dick, who sold machinery and 28 Chevrolet cars, was a bachelor who did not drive. Allen Ceeiry(?) was his chauffeur. Dick had one of the first radios in town and his shop was a popular hangout for farmers and teenage boys who wanted to listen to hockey games. Dick ran the business until he retired. Then John Morden (from Kirkland Lake) started a body, fender, and paint shop at this location which he ran until his death. A businessman from Bond Head ran a blacksmith shop here for a period of time after WWII. (1, 2)

The structure located at 29 Holland St. West was vacant for many years. Howard Bowser bought and restored it as a shop with living quarters upstairs. Ted and Audrey Gapp lived here for a number of years. Helen Bantam ran a ladies’ shop downstairs and lived upstairs. She may have bought it from Bowser. At the time of this photo (1995), it was a barber shop.
The building located at 31 and 33 Holland St. West (on the northeast corner of Holland and Moore Streets) was built around 1880 in the Ontario Vernacular style. It was constructed on the site of the former Edmanson Bakery (33 Holland St. West). The bakery was the origin of the big fire on May 23, 1871 that destroyed much of downtown Bradford. E.P. Snow had a harness and saddle shop at 31 Holland St. West for many years. He lived on the north side of John Street. Later it was bought by Secondo Cavallo, who ran a shoemaking business at this location. He lived on the south side of John Street. Cavallo’s daughter (Aida) ran the business for a few years and then it was sold. Lash Davey and Bill ran a butcher shop at 33 Holland St. West for several years. They had a slaughter house on Piccadilly Hill (Simcoe St. South). James Webb, a butcher and lacrosse player, later ran his shop here. Webb was joined by his son Jim, who eventually took over the business and employed Harold Boyd. Jim originally had an ice house at the back of the property. A freezer locker was built later by Len Saint at the back. The building and business were eventually owned for many years by the Pezzanitti family.
The one-storey, commercial, semi-detached ‘row’ building has a wide, rectangular plan with an asymmetrical organization. There is “Main Street” frontage with a typical, storefront façade located at the street line. A plain façade is characterized by a high, flat, ‘boomtown’ façade with brick dentils. The two-bay façade is dominated above the storefronts by an applied, pressed- metal cornice with stone brackets at each end. Existing doors and storefronts are not original. Wide, glass, storefront windows with stone sills are also not original. The building has masonry construction with brick cladding, a stone foundation, and a flat, built-up tar and gravel roof. According to the 2000 inventory, the modest building is in good condition. (1, 2, 3)

This house is located on the south side at 156 John St. West. It was originally a garage built by Merle Woodcock on his property. The structure was on the laneway that went to Holland Street. This laneway was a popular spot for sleigh rides when the Moore family had creek property many years ago. (1, 2)

Contains news clippings and articles on various events of Bradford West Gwillimbury

Contains news clippings and articles on various organizations of Bradford West Gwillimbury

The mid-block structure located at 79 John St. East was built around 1860-1890’s in the Gothic Revival style. Originally, there was a shed and garage attached to the house at the rear and a vacant lot on the east side. This building was the home of Charles Aitcheson and his wife Carol for many years. He was a painter and decorator and he worked for Bill Sutton. Cyril Mestagh was the next owner of the house. He and his wife Jennie and their daughters (Vera and Gladys Irene) lived here. Cyril was a small, market gardener and a well-known grower. He hauled vegetables to the Toronto market. The house was sold when Cyril retired.
The 1½-storey structure has an ‘L’-shaped plan with a centre hall, a one-storey, rear, kitchen wing and a medium-pitched, gable roof. The asymmetrical façade has an off-centre, front gable above the façade projection. There is a raised, front porch with a shed roof set onto wood posts on brick. The steps, door, windows, and enclosing walls of the porch are not original. This building has small windows with high floor to ceiling heights. A wide, Regency-style, ground- floor window has a wide, centre opening flanked by narrow lights. It is set into a rectangular opening with a plain, wood frame and sill. An upper window is centred above the lower window in the projecting bay. It is also set into a rectangular opening with a plain, wood frame and sill. Only the 2/2 windows in the structure are original. The building has wood frame construction, vinyl siding (not original), and a parged, stone foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, some original details still remain. (1, 2, 3)

The mid-block building located on the north side at 93 John Street East was built pre-1900 in the Gothic Revival Cottage style. A large horse stable and a barn for storing marsh hay once stood behind the house. A fence also ran across the length of the rear of the property. Brunnetto Caesar lived here with his wife Grace (Stamper). He worked on the marsh harvesting marsh hay and as a teamster. He later bought a tractor and did custom work (draining and breaking marshland). Bill Wilson and his wife bought the house after World War II. He worked on the railway and retired here. He had a large garden at the rear, as well as a barn. Bill eventually sold the house to Ferrara and moved away.
The 1½-storey, three-bay house has a rectangular plan with a centre hall, a symmetrical façade with a centre gable over the entrance, and a medium-pitched, gable roof. The entrance porch does not appear to be original because the peak and eaves of the hip roof of the porch interfere with the ground and second-floor windows. Double-hung windows are set into rectangular openings with plain, wood frames and sills. The house has wood frame construction, stucco cladding, and a parged, stone foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, the main-floor windows, screen door, and the two-storey addition at the rear are not original. (1, 2, 3)
Please contact the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library (905-775-3328) if you have any other information about this photo.