The Bradford Witness was the local newspaper. It was first published on February 20, 1879 by Mr. E. Garrett. He was born in Hampshire, England, but settled in Bradford with his parents when he was only one year old in 1856. Before starting The Witness, he worked for Mr. Broughton who published the South Simcoe News, another Bradford newspaper. The fire of 1892 destroyed the offices of The Witness, and the two papers amalgamated, with E. Garrett as proprietor.

"Stewart Scott McKenzie, a man who was a strong and active force in Bradford for more than 35 years as a politician and publisher for 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 has 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. 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 and Skwarchuk Funeral Home on Simcoe Street, in Bradford."

"The paper you are holding today marks a milestone in the history of The Bradford Witness. It is the first Witness and Scope to come off our brand new King press. Here King field rep. Bill Runnels and Witness pressman Gerard Perrell make a few adjustments during a run on Topic this week."

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

Contains misc. items, lettered A - O

Article from the Bradford Witness - May 31 1906 edition on H.S. Broughton, postmaster and librarian of Bradford. This edition provides many biographies and photographs of prominent citizens at the time.

Bradford Witness
Vol. LXVIII, #04
January 25, 1933
Page 1

"Toronto - The Canadian Mobile Home Association has announced an offer to provide more than two hundred mobile homes at cost price to victims of the Ontario flood. The C.M.H.A. has pulled its dealers from Winnipeg to Quebec City. Mobile homes can be made available on twenty-four hours' notice and hauled immediately to the stricken areas. ..."