Contains items based on the churches in the Bradford West Gwillimbury area. Headings include: Auld Kirk Bond Head Churches Bradford Presbyterian Church The Convent Church Photographs Dunkerron United Holy Martyrs of Japan Methodist Churches in BWG Springdale Christian Reform St. Luke's Anglican St. Paul's Anglican Trinity Anglican
*Churches - Other

Event Date : Sunday, February 26, 1984
Event Type : Death

Description : A well-known Bradford resident died this past Sunday after suffering a heart attack following a lengthy illness.Eighty-one-year-old Thomas Gardner had been a resident of Bradford since 1918 and was chosen as the town's Citizen of the Year in 1976. Mr. Gardner was born in Newmarket and moved to Bradford with his family at the age of 16. He and his father, Herbert, opened Gardner's Hardware Store on Holland St. and supplied the needs of local residents. When his father died in 1950, Thomas continued the family business. He soon married longtime Bradford resident Rita Cook and had two sons of his own, Donald and John. Don worked with his father at the hardware store until 1962. The store was sold in 1973. Mr. Gardner sat on the Bradford Board of Education for 40 years and was chairman of the board at the time Bradford Public School was built. Other accomplishments included being a member of Bradford town council, elder and active member of the Bradford United Church and superintendent of the Church's Sunday School program for 25 years. He was also president of the Red Cross at the time of Hurricane Hazel. For 30 years, Mr. Gardner was a dedicated member of the Bradford Lions. He leaves behind his wife Rita, sons Don of Simcoe and John of Willowdale, and grandchildren Jim, Dave, Jane and Peter. Funeral service will be held today (Wednesday) at 2 p.m., at the Lathangue & Skwarchuk Funeral Home. Burial will take place at the Newmarket Cemetery.

Event Date : Wednesday, July 08, 1981
Event Type : Death

Description : Former owner, publisher, and editor of The Bradford Witness, Ina McKenzie, died last Wednesday, July 8, after a lengthy illness. She was 89. Born Ina Galbraith in Paisley, Bruce County, Mrs. McKenzie learned to be independent at an early age after the death of her father at age 29. Her mother, a school teacher, struggled to raise her and younger sister Donalda. "I went into teaching as well because there was nothing else a girl at that time could do except become a nurse" Mrs. McKenzie remarked in an interview before her death. She taught for several years in the tough downtown Toronto core where her students included the famous Conacher brothers. "They were wonderful boys. Perhaps a bit mischievious though" she recalled laughing. After marrying her childhood sweetheart Stewart McKenzie (who died in 1975) she left teaching to move to Detroit with her husband."All that time - it was in the 1920s - Detroit was a boom town. Everyone was playing the stock market and making a great deal of money - on paper at any rate. Stewart got a job on a financial publication called Saturday Night."Mr. McKenzie had an extensive background in the newspaper business. His father had owned the Paisley Advocate.While in Detroit the stock market crashed and Mr. McKenzie because he was a Canadian citizen was in danger of losing his job."I told Stewart 'Let's look for a business now while you've still got a job' so we went on vacation and looked at what appeared to be a very prosperous newspaper in Trenton" Mrs. McKenzie remembered.However being a very astute business woman she noted that the paper printed a great deal of political material that would come to a halt if the government changed. They decided to look elsewhere.Bradford was their next stop."When we arrived in Bradford it was a beautiful day" she recalled. However the condition of The Bradford Witness was something else again."Stewart went in and told me 'The machinery is a disgrace'" she remembered but they loved the little town and decided to stay contributing greatly to its prosperity and growth over the years.In those first years of the Depression Bradford was little more than a main street the lower end shabby the western portion relatively prosperous she recalled. "Everything was booming when we arrived in Bradford." Mrs. McKenzie noted. "But shortly after many people were in dire poverty. If we would have collected what was on our books we could have retired however people gave what they could."During this time they relocated the paper's office from Holland St. to Barrie St. (where the European Bakery is currently located) remaining there until they retired in 1968 selling the paper to Gerry Barker.Before deteriorating eyesight hampered her activities Mrs. McKenzie was extremely active in various organizations in Bradford. During the Second World War she headed the Bradford chapter of the Canadian Red Cross. She was a charter member of the West Gwillimbury chapter of IODE and a past president of the Bradford Women's Institute. She also taught Sunday School at the Bradford United Church. One of the driving forces behind fund-raising efforts for the Bradford Community Centre. Mrs. McKenzie also lent her considerable energies and intelligence to the Hurricane Hazel flood relief program and various other community projects. Ina McKenzie is survived by her sister Donalda Crosbie of Toronto nephew Robert W. Crosbie and good friend Ella Langford of Bradford. She was also great-aunt to Alexander George and Cynthia. Friends called at the Lathangue and Skwarchuk Funeral Home and a service conducted by Rev. G. McFarlane was held in the chapel on Friday July 10. She was buried next to her husband at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.Donations to the West Gwillimbury chapter of IODE would be appreciated.

Event Date : Thursday, June 19, 1975
Event Type : Death

Description : Stewart Scott McKenzie, a man who was a strong and active force in Bradford for more than 35 years as a politician and publisher of the Bradford Witness and South Simcoe News, died last week in York County Hospital in Newmarket, last Thursday following a short illness. Mr. McKenzie was born in the Village of Paisley in Bruce County where he grew up and was educated. The former publisher of the Witness had a long tradition in newspapering and was one of four sons born to a former publisher of the Paisley Advocate. Mr. McKenzie served in the Canadian Army during World War I. When he returned after the war he resumed his newspaper career and joined the production department of the old Detroit Times. In 1931, he and his wife Ina, also a native of Paisley, moved to Bradford and purchased the Bradford Witness and South Simcoe News from publisher O. M. Seim. That began a career in this town that stretched over 35 years until the couple retired in 1968 following the sale of the Witness to Gerry and Nona Barker. During that time Mr. McKenzie involved himself not only in the production and technical side of his business, while his wife handled the paper's editorial department, but also in his community. Mr. McKenzie became active in local politics and served as a school board trustee and member of Bradford's village council. In 1937, he was one of the charter members of the Bradford Lions Club and served as one of the organization's first presidents. He was also a member of Simcoe Lodge #73 of the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons. In addition, he served as an Elder in Bradford's United Church. Funeral services for the man who devoted so much of his life to his community were held on Saturday morning in the chapel of the Lathangue & Skwarchuk Funeral Home on Simcoe Street, in Bradford.The service was conducted by Reverend Robert Chapman. Pallbearers were Norman Collings, Keith Langford, Bradford Mayor Joe Magani, Brock Evans, Charles Evans and Deputy Reeve Ken Wood. Brad Walker, George Jackson and Clarence Ritchie served as flower bearers. Interment was in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto. Mr. McKenzie is survived by his wife Ina, and three brothers.

Event Date : Saturday, May 05, 1973
Event Type : Marriage

Description : Joan Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Cairns of Bradford, to James Leonard, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Rose of Toronto. The wedding took place in Bradford United Church. Rev. Robert Chapman officiated. Matron of honour was Mrs. Carl Cairns of Scarborough and bridesmaids were Mrs. Charles Janes of Toronto, Mrs. W. Lainson and Miss Joyce Cairns of Bradford. Donald Leddy of Markham was best man and C. Janes of Toronto, C. Cairns of Scarborough and Keith Cairns of Bradford were ushers. Mr. and Mrs. Rose will reside on Sherwood Forest Dr., Markham.

Event Date : Thursday, February 20, 1964
Event Type : Death

Description : Mr. C. Albert Dimock, a well known and respected resident of Bradford for more than thirty years, passed away at York County Hospital, Newmarket, on February 20, 1964, following an illness of more than two months. Mr. Dimock was born in Hants County, Nova Scotia, and received his education at schools in Boston, Mass. As a young man he went to Western Canada where he met and married Minnie Hillacre at Glidden, Saskatchewan, in November 1917. While in Saskatchewan he homesteaded and then worked as a telephone linesman and mechanic. In 1932 Mr. and Mrs. Dimock and their two children, Hedley and Ilene, came to Bradford where Mr. Dimock operated a garage for some time. During the war years he was foreman with an aircraft company in London, Ontario, and in recent years he had been with Brad Walker Motors. Mr. and Mrs. Dimock's only son, Hedley, enlisted in the RCAF and after a distinguished career gave his life in the service over India in 1944. Mr. Dimock is survived by his wife; their only daughter Mrs. L. W. McKenney (Ilene), 57 Beaufort St., London, Ontario, and one brother, T. A. Dimock, 87 Elderslie Ave., Willowdale, Ontario. Mr. Dimock was an adherent of Bradford United Church. Until after receiving injuries in a motor vehicle accident a few years ago, he was active in both curling and bowling. The funeral was held from the Lathangue-Kilkenny Funeral Home on February 22, with entombment in the vault at 6th Line Innisfil. Rev. W. N. Lee conducted the services.The pallbearers were Messers. J. Everitt, O. Hand, T. Fuller, A. Lee, M. Saint, B. Walker.

Event Date : Friday, June 15, 1956
Event Type : Death

Description : Mr. James Henry Smith of Bond Head passed away in York County Hospital, Newmarket, on Friday, June 15, at the age of 84 years. Mr. Smith had led a very active life until about a year ago, being particularly interested in gardening. Born at Queensville, the eldest son in a family of the nine children of John and Mary Lazenby Smith, he moved with his parents to Concession 4, Innisfil, where he resided until moving to near Bond Head in 1920. In January 10, 1902, he married Hattie Morris of Essa Township who survives him with their two sons, Harold of Toronto, and Alvin of Bond Head, and their two granddaughters, Alice and Velma Smith of Bond Head. A sister, Miss Ida Smith of Bond Head, and a brother, Lessley of Victoria, B.C., also survive. Eleven years ago Mr. and Mrs. Smith retired to Bond Head where Mr. Smith's activities had been confined largely to his home garden which he enjoyed after his active life as a farmer. Formerly a member of the Methodist Church at Bethesda, he had been a member of Bond Head United Church and an elder in that church for a number of years. A friendly man, he was highly regarded among his neighbours. The beautiful flowers sent by Bond Head United Church, the people of Bond Head community, Bond Head public school, Girl Guides, as well as those from more distant points, attested him as a good neighbour and friend.The funeral was held on Monday afternoon from Bond Head United Church, with the services conducted by Rev. R. Love, assisted by Rev. W. J. Burton. Interment was in Thornton Union Cemetery.The pallbearers were Messrs. Harry Wilcox, Gordon Brethet, Jackson Glassford, Wm. Brooks, Wm. Watt and Arnold Rogers.

Event Date : Monday, October 03, 1955
Event Type : Death

Description : Percy Reynolds, life-long resident of Bond Head and member of West Gwillimbury township council during the past four years, was instantly killed on Monday afternoon, October 3, when his truck was struck by a C.P.R. freight engine at a Jane St. level crossing in Weston. Mr. Reynolds was driving at the time of the accident. With him was his 20-year-old son Walter, who miraculously escaped serious injury. Walter, who was asleep at the time, wakened by his father's shout just before the crash. He does not know whether the truck stalled on the tracks or whether his father saw the train too late.The cow catcher carried the truck for a quarter of a mile down the track before the engineer was able to bring the train to a stop. Mr. Reynolds was on the side of the truck struck by the train and he was dead when removed from the cab. Walter, bruised, cut, and in a state of shock, crawled through the back window of the truck's cab after the train was brought to a stop. He was taken to hospital in Weston where X-ray revealed no broken bones and he was released from hospital early that evening.The truck was completely demolished.Through unofficial channels the word reached Mr. Reynolds' family of the accident and his death, and a considerable time elapsed before a neighbour P.P.C. located the police in charge and through them were able to contact Walter. At once a neighbour friend went for and brought home the bruised and shocked young man.
Percy Reynolds was born in Bond Head, the son of Mrs. Reynolds of that village and the late Mr. Joseph Reynolds. After school days he started in business in Bond Head in 1924 and by 1926 he extended his business operations there from a butcher store, to a butcher store and transport business, both of which he operated continuously since that time. For more than twenty years he was secretary-treasurer of the Bond Head school board and with the greatest of care he had cherished the old records of the school, some of which were recalled in this newspaper at the time of the opening of the new Bond Head school. When West Gwillimbury formed a township School Area Board, Percy Reynolds was a member of that Board, a position he held until his becoming a township councillor four years ago.In November 1931 he married Elizabeth Lewis of Schomberg, who also was a native of Bond Head. They have twin sons, Walter and Wallace, and one daughter, Mildred. Also surviving are his mother; three brothers, William, Harry and Edward, all of Bond Head; and one sister, Mrs. Barnard (Olive), of Barrie. Mr. Reynolds was a member of the United Church and the funeral service will be held from Emmanuel United Church, Bond Head, on Thursday afternoon at two o'clock.