In part two of my timeline series, I pick up the story in 1858 when Newmarket was incorporated as a village and will proceed through to 1881 when we were incorporated as a town. You can read part one here. In 1858, our first election took place Jan. 4 to choose a council for the new village. The Act of…
Tag: Interview
Fur Trade, Quaker Settlers, Rebellion Part Of Newmarket’s Early History
I am often asked for the date that a certain event took place or building was built. It had long been my intention to produce a brief timeline for people to use as a reference point, so I’m beginning what I anticipate will be a series of articles listing important dates in Newmarket history. Let’s start with the years…
Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe Behind Familiar Place Names Of Today
While he is well-known in history for his role in Upper Canada history, not as much is known about John Graves Simcoe’s life before he came to Canada and after he moved on after four years of service here. I discovered an individual who enjoyed an incredible life before and after he strolled through our local…
Cawthra Family Has Equal Historical Impact In Newmarket, Toronto
The Cawthra family was equally famous in both Newmarket and Toronto history. I am often drawn to the commonality of prominent names in the histories of Newmarket and Toronto. The Toronto Cawthras and Newmarket Cawthras share a common lineage through Joseph Cawthra, their patriarch. Many of his descendants played significant roles in the establishment of Newmarket and Toronto. The Cawthra family of Toronto was famous for its business, social and cultural contributions to the city. This was also true…
King George School Opened In 1913 In Booming Newmarket!
In our continuing series on the history of Newmarket schools, I’m featuring another of the schools that I attended, King George School on Park Avenue at Church Street. As rapid growth continued to occur in Newmarket, King George was built to alleviate a severe shortage of educational resources on the west side of town. The Newmarket newspaper of the time…
‘Impressive’ Addition To Early Newmarket School Included 200-lb Roof-Top Bell
In my continuing series on local schools, I am stepping back to look at the history of education in Newmarket. The records are sketchy in regards to the early schools of Newmarket. The first class in the little trading post of the New Market was said to have been held in the basement of William Roe’s house,…
Stuart Scott Now Newmarket’s Oldest Standing School
This article highlights a brief history of my alma mater, Stuart Scott Public School, which will be celebrating its centenary next year. I am starting my series on the schools of Newmarket with Stuart Scott, since the demise of Alexander Muir and King George schools, it is now the oldest school in town. We can gather…
Newmarket Schools Regularly Rose From The Ashes
Over the next few months, I will be highlighting the history of various Newmarket schools, and as an introduction to this pending series, I am providing a brief overview of the growth of the educational system here in Newmarket. Our story begins 1843, when the Grammar School, a small schoolhouse on the northeast corner of Millard and Raglan was established …
Newmarket’s Odd Fellows ‘Rubbed Elbows’ At 156th Lodge In Canada
We continue our look at local service clubs, lodges and organizations from the past with the hope of bringing their history to light. The Odd Fellows had a fairly large following in the Newmarket area, having spread first from Britain to the United States and then north into Canada with the immigration. While the exact date…
Music Is A Powerful Force In Unlocking Memories That Make Up Our History
Does the music from your past have the power to stop in your tracks, swept away in a myriad of nostalgic feelings? Well, it most certainly does for me. I can be just getting on with my life, be it a good day or bad, and a song that I love from my past is…
