A child’s view of the Second World War
Eighty-five years ago our world was engulfed in the Second World War. I was three years old when the war started in 1939, and nine when it ended in 1945. My childhood life was always focused on the war and how we could win it. When I was older my mother told me that she […]
Granny Royal settled locally c. 1858
In May, when you drive west on County Road 9, before you get to the Mad River bridge, you will pass a lot bursting with lilac blooms. When you see this grand sight, thank Granny Royal. These lilac bushes sprang from her lilac bush on the corner of the lot. Who is Granny Royal, ancestor […]
Rural mail delivery began in Creemore in the mid-1920s
A change was taking place on Mill Street in Creemore in the mid-1970s. Four store fronts, which had seen better days, were torn down and a new building put up with two storefronts and two apartments on the second floor. Today you will recognize this building as the post office and Pizza Perfect. The postal […]
Communication by mail was essential
From The Creemore Star, May 2, 1957: Postmaster Cecil Hayward moved into new modern quarters in the Gillespie block last week and in the upper photo is seen with clerk Miss Grace Lemmon in the smart surroundings. In the lower photo, CB Smith is seen receiving his morning mail from the battery of lock boxes […]
Creemore post office was a gathering place with more than mail
When I left you a month ago, dear readers, I said, “Creemore needs a new postmaster.” Creemore hadn’t needed one for a very long time. The Gillespie family had filled that role for 70 years. Appointed postmaster was Cecil Hayward and his assistant was Miss Grace Lemmon. Creemore needed a new post office as well. […]
Silver Jubilee Medal awarded to postmistress
As I sit here at my desk looking out at my Mountain Ash tree, I am writing in long hand on some scrap paper. In a day or two I will type the words into an email addressed to Trina at The Echo. When done I will press send and instantly the story will be at The Creemore Echo office. If I wanted […]
Risky route through 10-mile forest
This year we have been telling the stories of the first mail deliveries to this area. We are talking about the days when Stayner was just a howling wilderness and Collingwood was just a big wet swamp with rabbits running through. When the story left off in March we were reading an account of an interview with Mr. James More of Dunedin […]
Owen Sound mail run took a week
Today we are thankful for the truck drivers who bring mail to Creemore and for the rural mail deliverers who brave storms, snowbanks and muddy roads to leave mail in our mailboxes. In the early settlement days in the area the story was much different. The History of Simcoe County by Andrew Hunter paints a picture of mail delivery in the early pioneer […]
Carriers delivered mail on footpaths not fit for a horse
In this area we are very fortunate to have the Bruce Trail not very far away. Many local people enjoy these trails regularly. But none, I suspect, would be interested in walking from Barrie to Meaford and then back again. And after a while repeat the walk. In the early settlement days in this area […]
Memories of skating Saturdays
It’s Saturday! It’s January! There’s free skating at the rink! Time to make our way to Creemore’s rink on Elizabeth Street East. Riding into town in a horse drawn sleigh was young Dorothy Timmons (now Shropshire). She was among many other school-age country children converging at the rink with a few dozen village children. You could put on […]