Showing 105 results

People and organizations
Anson House
Corporate body · 1912-

Anson House, since 1912 Peterborough’s most historic home for the aged, became the third Protestant home in Peterborough in 1931. The Peterborough Relief Society was founded in 1862 with a view to providing outside relief for the poor of Peterborough. The mandate was narrowed to be primarily Protestants, and primarily women and children, in 1863. The organization continued to dispense some outside relief, but beginning in May 1865 its prime concern became the Peterborough Protestant Home, located by 1870 on Steward St. just north of Brock St, and after 1911 at the location on Anson St; its name was changed to Anson House, in 1931. At different time, there were pressures (usually resisted) to have the Home operate as a House of Refuge, but its mandate was not so widened. Anson House ceased to exist and was integrated into the nursing home at Fleming College, where one wing was named in perpetuity for Anson House.For details see the history of the organization, Anson House: A Refuge and a Home (Trent University History 475 Class, edited by Elwood Jones and Brendon Edwards, 2001)

Barrie, Thomas
Person · 1866-1942

Thomas Barrie (1866-1942), Otonabee-born Peterborough businessman, began his business career with the J. T. Fairweather Co. Fairweather’s was then at the north-west corner of George and Simcoe, and in 1900 he acquired the Fairweather builing. He shared the building with Turnbull’s department store. Barrie’s moved to its attractive new building just south of Charlotte in 1912. Turnbull’s took over the whole building; during this renovation, Turnbull’s store collapsed in August 1913, a disaster that left six dead. Barrie’s expanded to several western locations, including Vancouver, Regina, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Toronto. During the 1930s, he reduced his western story. He was a life member of Rotary and of YMCA, a former president of the chamber of commerce. He was survived by his wife and sister in 1945.

Barrie's Limited
Corporate body · fl. 1900-1960

Thomas Barrie (1866-1942), Otonabee-born Peterborough businessman, began his business career with the J. T. Fairweather Co. Fairweather’s was then at the north-west corner of George and Simcoe, and in 1900 he acquired the Fairweather builing. He shared the building with Turnbull’s department store. Barrie’s moved to its attractive new building just south of Charlotte in 1912. Turnbull’s took over the whole building; during this renovation, Turnbull’s store collapsed in August 1913, a disaster that left six dead. Barrie’s expanded to several western locations, including Vancouver, Regina, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Toronto. During the 1930s, he reduced his western story. He was a life member of Rotary and of YMCA, a former president of the chamber of commerce. He was survived by his wife and sister in 1945.

Bath, Duncan T.
Person · 1921-2013

Duncan Thomas Bath, in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta, 1945, and worked as a CGE electrical eginee for 41 years. He was married to Isabel (nee Shearer), and had one son, Warren (Janet) who had two children, Cameron an Aaron.

Bradburn family
Family · 1850-1990

The Bradburn family was headed through successive generations by Thomas Bradburn; Thomas Evans Bradburn; William H. Bradburn; Herbert I. Bradburn; and William Bradburn. As well, the land papers contain properties related to Rupert Bradburn who was very interested in opera houses and theatres. The Bradburn Opera Hall, built about 1875, was the pride of Peterborough for 30 years, when the Grand Opera House was built. Rupert Bradburn and his family owned both for some years, and also theatres in Port Hope and Cobourg (Victoria Hall).

Thomas Bradburn (1819- 30 August 1900) was raised on the farm of his parents [Thomas Bradburn (1791-1875) and Sarah (d.1878)] and as a young man clerked for the Hon. John Simpson, Bowmanville. He came to Peterborough in 1842 to work with Oughtry Morrow. After Morrow’s death in 1848, Bradburn and Bell continued the business. The business was reformed as Bradburn and Mason, and later as Fair and Van Every until 1885. Thomas Bradburn married Jane Morrow of Peterboro in Toronto, February 1852, the Rev Mr Wilkinson presiding. Jan Morrow died 14 July 1861 and is buried in Dublin. Thomas Bradburn married Linda Helm (   -18 September 1926) of Peterboro, 2 July 1867, the Rev I. N. Johnston presiding. Thomas Bradburn died 30 August 1900, survived by three sons (Thomas E., William H., and Rupert) and two daughters. Gertrude died 30 July 1874.

T. Evans Bradburn (18 May 1853-16 November 1933 ) managed the Bradburn estate. He was a member of the City Council, Board of Education, the Reeve of North Monaghan, and the MPP for Peterborough West, 1905-1912. He married Kate Ormond 2 February 1875, in the Charlotte Street Methodist Church.

W. H. Bradburn (4 November 1855- 3 August 1869)

The third generation included:
William Herbert Bradburn (9 February 1870 -15 January 1942) W. H. Bradburn was an agent for real estate and investment. He was alderman, 1907, 1908, 1911, and mayor, 1912, 1913. He married 2 December 1897, Elizabeth (Bessey) Cumming (d 13 May 1939)

On 14 November 1894, Marion H. M. Bradburn married Fred D. Hewson ( – died 30 March 1903)

Charles Rupert Helm (known as Rupert) Bradburn, was active as a theatre owner and promoter and died at Los Angeles, 9 September 1939. Another Rupert Helm Bradburn died 28 April 1964, and is buried in Little Lake Cemetery.

Frank L. Bradburn (died 29 July 1951).

The fourth generation included:
Herbert Ian Bradburn (1904-1988) married Florence Beatrice Preston of Ottawa at Ottawa, 16 September 1933, the Rev Mr Hepburn, Anglican, presiding.

The fifth generation included William Bradburn (1941- ) and his wife Teresa.

William Helm (1822-1901) came from Cobourg to Peterborough about 1866 and operated a machine shop and foundry on Simcoe Street near Jackson Creek (now the site of the city bus depot) until 1876. After a few years in Gananoque, he returned to Peterborough. Helm was widely known, serving on town council, the Fire Brigade, the Board of Education, with the Mechanics’ Institute and the Masonic Order.

William Cummings (1819-1890), wagon maker, came to Canada from Balnain, Scotland, in 1843. He was appointed the first Town Constable, 1850, and then became the town collector.

In the 1861 census, William Cummings was listed as 40, his wife Elizabeth as 28, his mother living with them was 74. The children were William Thomas 12, Sarah Ann 10, Mary Jane 9, and Isabella 7.

Brown, Elmir and Terry
Family

The Brown family has been in North America for several generations and this fonds contains primary materials relating to James Brown Sr (1776- 1855), James Brown Jr (1808-1878), A. P. Brown, Elmir Brown, Terry Brown and representatives of each of these generations. As well, there were connections by marriage to Adam Townley and the Rev. C. E. Thomson. Captain William Gilkison was an ancestor of Elmir Gilkison Brown.

Albert Percy Brown (1857-1928) d 3 July 1929
Married Charlotte M. C. Thompson (1864-1953)
had hardware business in Morden, Manitoba, before coming to Peterborough, c 1908 to partner briefly with William Higgins, and then started his own business, c 1914, when his first two sons were old enough to join in what became the family business. The main family home in Peterborough was 517 Weller Street (four houses east of Walton Street).

Elmir Gilkison Brown (1893-1980) b 30 May 1893, d 28 June 1980
Married Dolly Evelyn English (1902-1992) b 42 Nov 1902, d 2 Dec 1992
worked at Brown’s Hardware, 1914-33, and then by 1935 became a letter carrier and worked for the post office until the 1950s. He was ordained to an Anglican ministry in 1957, serving in the Anglican Diocese of Ontario until he retired and returned to Peterborough. In 1929, Elmir and Dolly were living at 168 Brock Street, apt 3.In 1933, they were living at 515 Weller and running the hardware; by 1935, still living at 515 Weller, Elmir Brown was a letter carrier. After retirement, the Browns had an apartment on London Street, Peterborough.

The children of the Rev. E. G. Brown were: Terry Brown, Shirley Brown, and Rayma Brown

Butt, George
Person · 1928-

George Butt was in management at Raybestos Manhatten, Peterborough.

Cahorn, J.P.
Person

J.P.Cahorn was born, raised and educated, the son of an architect, in Switzerland. When he had completed his education he worked on projects involving reinforced concrete structures in Switzerland. It was after marrying a woman from Montreal that he moved to Canada in 1973 and became a landed immigrant settling in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He found work only after 10 days after setting foot on the east coast. He worked there for the New Brunswick Power Commission, but recession hit in the early ‘80s, so he moved West to a job in Peterborough, Ontario. Within a short time, he decided to start out on his own. His business was started in 1983 and continued until he retired in 2005. There is no record of his working directly with any staff. He stayed as a one-man operation, but one who was called on with confidence. After retiring he moved to Nova Scotia.

A footnote is that his wife’s parents had a harrowing escape from Nazi-occupied France during the Second World War. J.P. assisted his wife in writing a published account of that escape.