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Walter Coombs
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79 Holland Street East

79 Holland Street East

The mid-block building located on the north side at 79 Holland St. East was built in the 1890’s in the Eclectic Neoclassical style. The house was built by Mr. Watson for Ed Coombs, his wife and children (Walter, Victor and Evelyn). Ed had moved into town from a farm (on the southwest side of Concession 6) during WWII. He was on the town council and became a reeve. He ran a coal and wood business for years. After Ed’s death, the business was taken over by his son Victor. There was a garage for cars, but Ed did not drive. He had a horse stable and loft above for a single horse that was used to haul one ton of coal. Walter worked all his life for Rogers Coal Co. in Toronto. He lived in the Walker House Hotel until it was demolished.
The two-storey, three-bay house has a symmetrical façade, a centre hall plan, and a medium- pitched, hip roof with a wide overhang. There are large window openings with high floor to ceiling dimensions. The house has arched window heads with stylized keystones and narrow, second-floor windows. It also has a unique, stylized masonry treatment complete with belt course, corner mouldings, and window surrounds. The two-storey, central-bay element was modified in the twentieth century. There is pressed-block construction with replacement siding at the central bay and a parged, block foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, the house has been maintained well. It also notes that the ‘modern’, central bay with aluminum siding and soffits is not sympathetic with the original design. (1, 2, 3)

George Jackson

Bradford's First Boy Scouts

Bradford's First Boy Scouts

"Bradford's first Boy Scouts won the District Bugle at Newmarket in 1913. Leaders, George G. Green and Eldon Waldruff. Some of the boys in this troupe: Bill Stevenson, Charlie Evans, Alex Spence, (?) Hamilton, (?) McKinstry, Leonard Sutton, Norman Spence, Walter Coombs, George Mattice, (?) Bowles, Jack Stewart, Max Evans, (?) Gummerson, Graham Evans, Allie Drake, Fred Evans, Winston Stoddart, Norman Saint, Norman Wilson."

Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library

Webb, James A. obituary

Event Date : Wednesday, February 03, 1954
Event Type : Death

Description : Returning last Wednesday afternoon from Newmarket Hospital, where he had been hospitalized for over a week, Mr. James A. Webb passed away within a few hours of his arrival home early that evening, February 3. He was in his 80th year. Born in West Gwillimbury at what was then Scanlon P.O., but which today is only marked by a creek bearing the name, the late Mr. Webb spent his entire life here, where since early manhood he had been engaged in the butchering business. Married in Bradford to the late Mary Emma Collings, who predeceased him in July, 1948, the late Mr. Webb is survived by a family of three sons and three daughters. George resides in Mimico; James R. carries on the business formerly operated by his father in Bradford; Ben is in Toronto; Miss Birdie is at home; Mrs. Louis Walker (Agatha) lives in Lindsay, and Mrs. Hillary (Mary) at Vandorf. Two sisters also survive, Mrs. Sarah Kitchen of Wyebridge, Ont., and Mrs. Alice Coombs of Bradford. A very active and physically fit man, Mr. Webb remained with his business until 1948, when he left the responsibilities with his son, James. An athlete in his younger days, the late Mr. Webb excelled in lacrosse. When Arthur had a championship lacrosse team in 1899, James Webb was a member of that team and when Bradford were the lacrosse champions in 1909 he was a member of his home team. He never lost interest in lacrosse and was one of the ardent promoters and fans of the more recent Bradford Box Lacrosse teams. Formerly president of the club, last year he was honourary president. He was always at the games, enthusiastically cheering or calling advice to the players. In the passing of Mr. Webb, Bradford lacrosse has lost a loyal supporter. For fifty years Mr. Webb was a member of Simcoe Masonic Lodge. He was a member of Trinity Anglican Church, and for a number of years served on Bradford Public Utilities Commission.The funeral was held from his late residence on Friday afternoon. His rector, Rev. W. S. Johnson, conducted the services and interment was in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Bradford. The funeral was under Masonic auspices and honourary pallbearers were members of that Order, namely, Mel. Waldruff, Frank Smelser, Percy Stevenson, Archie Hammell, Donald Gray and Russell Worfolk.The active pallbearers were his three sons, two sons-in-law, and a nephew, namely, George, James and Ben Webb, Louis Walker, Horace Hillary and Walter Coombs. Business places closed in respect during the funeral hours.