"Bradford's six inside postal workers will remain on the job until they and almost 22,000 other members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers across Canada have the chance to vote on the federal government's last contract offer, despite threats by the union that the Bradford local would be placed under trusteeship if posties remained on the job. Bradford's workers returned to their jobs last Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. but one hour later, there were five picketers outside the Barrie St. post office. The four men and one woman were members of the Barrie CUPW local and had been asked by the national office to picket the Bradford office following a telegram message from Bradford Union Steward, Bill Marks, to the national CUPW headquarters informing them that Bradford workers were going back."

"When the Canadian Union of Postal Workers national headquarters learned that inside workers at the Bradford Post Office intended to return to work last Wednesday, the union ordered the Barrie local to picket the Bradford building. Five picketers paraded back and forth in front of the building for about three hours Wednesday morning while the Bradford workers set about sorting local mail inside. Barrie CUPW President, Dan Westwood, had hoped to talk the Bradford posties into staying off the job, but arrived an hour after the local workers went back."

Newspaper article on the history of the home deliveryman, created by the Tecumseth & West Gwillimbury Historical Society

Bill McCullough, mail carrier, on the Seventh Line of Tecumseth Township. The photo was taken at the Andrews farm. Mr. McCullough shared the mail carrying duties with D.W. Watson in Beeton. Bill was one of the first to start delivering mail to the rural community.

"A meeting was held Sunday evening to discuss the future of the Bond Head Post Office. Above, [left to right], A.R. Secor, area manager; Bradford postmaster, Keith Stevens and the organizer of the meeting, Mrs. Lynda Usher, consider the future. Although an advertisement has been placed for a new postmaster, no one has applied for the position, About 50 villagers attended the meeting."

"Bradford's six full and part-time inside postal workers broke ranks with their union last week and returned to their mail handling jobs. Local mail is being sorted but no outside mail is moving. According to Canadian Union of Postal Workers' steward Bill Marks, the four full-time workers and two part-time mail sorters held a meeting last Friday. Mr. Marks said that they were unanimous in their decision to return to work."

"Mr. Charles Melbourne has been awarded the contract for another term of carrying His Majesty's mail between Bradford and Newton Robinson. It would be difficult to improve upon Charley."

"Harold Stephens, rural mail carrier on the Lefroy route for 22 years, died January 13 in his 71st year. He had been in failing health for some time and for that reason gave up the mail route two years ago. Mr. Stephens had seen many changes in Innisfil since starting to drive the mail about 1952. Most of the 18-mile route was gravel then. Initially, he called at 75 boxes and when he retired he was serving 150 boxholders. In an interview with Scope at that time, he recalled gasoline was only 25 cents a gallon when he first took over the mail route. The deceased saw the end of the era of mail coming to Lefroy by train and the start of truck service. He used to meet the train at 11 o'clock each morning in the early years and part of his contract included delivery of the mail bag for Churchill to the post office there. On retirement he noted the vast decrease in parcels from Eaton's and Simpson's over the years. Harold Stephen's moved to Lot 20, Concession 4 in 1931 and upon retirement from farming a few years ago, built a new house on the farm lane. He grew up at Churchill on the 5th Line, west of Highway 11 where his parents, Llewyn and Lizzie Stephens farmed. He is ervived by his wife, Phyliss and daughter Mary Ann and several step children. A brother, Jim and sister, Doreen also survive. He was predeceased by brothers, Fred and Glen and sister, Eleanor."

A photograph of the Bradford Post Office, taken by Lewis (Lew) Campbell in 1938.

Mailman Jimmy Welsh on his winter route. Rural Route, Tottenham, c. 1940s. Personal mail delivery began in 1916.