In this column, I continue documenting the extraordinary lives of Newmarket pioneers of the early 1900s In previous columns, the name Oliver Edgar Tench has surfaced regarding the designing of local schools, buildings and houses, so I felt he was an excellent historical character to examine as part of this series. Oliver Edgar Tench (1859-1941)…
Tag: Interview
Few Could Afford TVs In Its Early Days
This is part two of a series on the history of Canadian television. You can read part one about the most popular and long-running shows here. I must confess, in the past, I have been prone to watching too much television, more than was likely good for me. Today, I tend to watch primarily sporting events…
The History Of Our Jewish Canadians
I recently had a discussion about how wonderful the Newmarket demographic mosaic is and how it contributes to making Newmarket such an intriguing place to live. The conversation turned to the historical presence of various ethnic groups in Canada and particularly in my hometown. It was this basic curiosity concerning how we all got here…
July and August Article Schedule
Good Morning Everyone, I wanted to provide a list of pending articles which will appear on Newmarket Today and on my website covering the period from this Saturday to August 17th. I know that some of you like to know what is coming up! 15-Jun Augustus Jones 22-Jun History of Cars in Canada 1 29-Jun…
Lions Were The First Service Club In Newmarket
About a year ago, Brad Joseph pitched the idea of doing a column on the Lions Clubs of Newmarket and their history. He arranged for me to interview Tom Gordon from the North Newmarket Lions Club, and this column is the product of that interview and some information I had from a previous presentation. I’ll…
Newmarket Old Boys Gathered For 1939 Reunion
Let’s go back in time to 1939 to the Newmarket Old Boys Reunion. I have made mention of this event in a few columns, but I think it was so momentous that it deserves its own column. The 1939 Newmarket Old Boys Reunion was predicated on the fact that many of the children and grandchildren of Newmarket’s pioneers…
Look For ‘Historical Gems’ Of Gabled Roofs In Newmarket
Whether I am conducting a heritage walk, doing one of my talks or just mentioning a specific heritage property on social media, the term gabled house comes up frequently. While I know what a gabled home is, I always wanted to know more about this architectural feature so that I could provide a better reason for why…
Black History Is A Story Of Firsts In Canada
This column continues my two-part examination of our Black history. My goal for these columns has always been to whet your appetite, to encourage readers to investigate further to achieve a deeper understanding of the subject, so I’ve added some additional sources for you to follow up on. Let’s continue to explore the substantial contributions of the…
Black History Month An Opportunity To Celebrate Historical Heroes
I confess that I, like many Canadians, am sadly ‘late to the table’ regarding our understanding and appreciation of both our Black and Indigenous history and its importance in our collective history. Let’s look at how February became the month in which we focus our appreciation of our rich Black history. I will examine a…
Legion Renowned For Sponsoring Sports Teams, Hosting Soapbox Derby
This is another column in my ongoing regular series featuring the history of our local clubs and organizations. The Newmarket branch No. 426 of the Royal Canadian Legion — to which both my father and my uncle belong — was started in 1946. My column on Newmarket’s military camp explains that in August 1946, after the military camp…
