This column highlights the life and contributions of an individual who I believe is ‘the mother of Newmarket history,’ Ethel Willson Trewhella. If you have followed my columns, presentations, or videos over the past 40 years, you know her work is the foundation on which I and other local historians have built our narratives. She,…
Tag: Interview
Some Of Aviation’s Best Minds Designed, Built Arrow
This is the second article in a series on the Avro Arrow story, exploring the design and construction phases of the storied craft. Next, the story continues with Feb. 20, 1959, the day that became known as Black Friday in Canada, the day the Avro Arrow project was cancelled. The infamous Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow was unveiled to…
The Avro Arrow and The Newmarket Area
This weekend on Newmarket Today we begin our much-awaited series of articles on the ‘Avro Arrow’ and its place in not only Canada’s aeronautical history but that of the world. Rather than jump into the story mid-stream, I have decided to examine the story right from the beginning. Over what I intend to be a…
Painter Made Mark On Canadian Arts Scene
This weekend on NewmarketToday, I will be featuring another prominent local artist who achieved worldwide acclaim within the art world. In past columns, I have featured several local artists including George W. Luesby and Dorothy Clarke McClure as well as the incomparable J.W. Jefferies, father of Canadian heritage art. This weekend, we shall examine the history…
The De Havilland Saga 2
Last weekend we looked at the early years of De Havilland and left off with the design and production of the Twin-Otter in the 1960’s. This weekend on Newmarket Today we shall pick up the story in the 1970’s and the advent of the Dash 7 and 8. In the 1970s, De Havilland Aircraft of…
The De Havilland Saga
When we talk about the major employers for the town of Newmarket and area, we usually identify Davis Leather, the Cane Woodworks, and the Office Specialty but there was another company that employed a huge number of the area’s workforce, the De Havilland Aviation Company in Downsview. Over the next two weeks I shall be…
Teen Town Highlight Of Social Scene In 1950s, ’60s
I have been working on this article since I first began writing this column nearly five years ago, looking back at some of the memories associated with Newmarket’s Teen Town that are still so strong after all these years. My sincere thanks need to go out to all those who have participated in quite a few…
Young Doctor’s Persistence Behind Southlake’s Beginnings
How many know the history of institutionalized medical care in Newmarket? Here is an overview of how we progressed from rooms in a local hotel to a modern facility called Southlake Regional Health Centre. The Royal Hotel at the corner of Main Street and Millard Avenue was repaired after the fire of 1907 and, in…
Two Sides Of Newmarket, Split By Prospect, Once Competed For Prominence
In this article, we are going examine the history of one of the main streets in Newmarket, now know as Prospect Street but once called Garbutt Hill. During my research for articles in this series on subjects ranging from York County Hospital, the Srigley Brick Works, the Cane family and first Methodist Church to the provenance of Newmarket’s…
Notable Main Street Merchants Abound In Newmarket’s Ward 4 Street Names
Let’s continue our look at the provenance of Ward 3 street names. There are a few streets omitted as I need to do further research, but I’ll tackle them before the end of this series. If you would like to participate by offering some insight into the specific origins of any streets I haven’t mentioned, I…