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The Bradford Witness decided to release a series of articles from local townspeople on the history of certain events in Bradford and West Gwillimbury's time. This week, the history of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, which also marks its centennial year, is the topic.

Staff artist's sketch shows how the robbery was executed by men, who forced people to lie on floor and then looted tills. Constable is also depicted as he went upstairs for revolver and entered into gun duel with men who nearly hit him.

Road block on highway was almost immediately thrown up by provincial police. Police said the pattern of escape used by men was similar to that employed in the hold-up of the Royal Bank of Canada at Woodbridge, just 17 days ago today.

Located on Holland St. at the corner of Barrie St. This building was originally a hotel (Central Hotel, Uneeda Hotel and in 1900 the H. Hulse Hotel). In 1951 the bank was held up by the Boyd Gang which had robbed a number of banks in the Toronto area and Montreal. The robbery resulted in a shootout with Bradford police. There is a bullet lodged in the building across the street from the bank which was the police station at that time. Today this building is the CIBC bank.

Frank Wilson and Leonard Jackson, two of the three men who held up the Bradford C.I.B.C., receive a preliminary hearing. Article details Provincial Constable Reg. Wilson's testimony as to what occurred that day.

Two bullets which missed Cons. Wilson are indicated here, lodged in doorway by Nick Bicko, left and Emery Sarasin, who saw the shooting. Wilson was out for a casual stroll near the bank when he became suspicious. He went to room and got gun.

"This is the location of the new Bank of Commerce the way it looked in 1915. At this time the bank was named Standard Bank and was located a bit further west. Around 1920, the bank branch moved to the corner of Barrie and Holland Streets. The buildings in the picture are a laundry and the post office."

"Bradford Police Constables Bruce Davis, left, and Spencer Moore, right, look on as the moving crew takes a safety deposit box unit into the new Bank of Commerce building. The securities were moved Friday night from seven to after midnight. Four members of the six man town police force were on hand to guard the money. One man had to spend the night at the bank because the alarm system was not hooked up in time."

The building located at 1 Holland St. West was originally built as a hotel (Central Hotel, Uneeda Hotel, H. Hulse Hotel). Tom and Len Saint worked on the construction of the building. George Webb ran the hotel for a while before he moved to Saskatchewan. Tom Bell was the manager for many years until he retired and moved to the east side of Simcoe Street. Around 1917 it became the Imperial Bank of Commerce. A large safe and living quarters for the bank staff were located upstairs. The entrance to the apartment was on the west side of the building. John McDowell and his family lived here in the 1930’s. The bank was robbed by the notorious “Boyd Gang” in the 1940’s. At one time the front offices were used by the police, and the back offices were used by Mr. Scanlon (a lawyer). The bank closed in 1972 and was moved further west on Holland Street. This building then became a real estate office, a convenience store, and as of 2014, the Coffee Culture Café. (1, 2)

The building located at 23 Holland St. West may have been owned by George Stoddart Jr. at one time. It had living quarters upstairs. The ground floor once housed a bank (possibly the Imperial Bank) and there was a large vault in the back. The manager was Fred Stevens. He moved to Barrie when the bank closed. This left the Canadian Bank of Commerce as the only bank in Bradford at that time. The Bradford Witness newspaper, under the direction of Stewart and Ina McKenzie, later moved to this location from the Seim Building. (1, 2)
The building located at 27 Holland St. West also had living quarters upstairs. The ground floor housed the practice of lawyers Gardner, Morris and Denney for a while after WWII. Mrs. Marg Fallis lived upstairs for many years before moving to John Street. (1, 2)