The increasing use of automobiles by criminals in the 1920s has been noted in this column on…
Valuing Our History
Egremont farmer blamed hobo for burning his barn in 1930
Several columns over the past few months have dealt with an epidemic of barn fires in Wellington…
Fire gutted Fergus building owned by Robert Kerr in 1931
On the evening of Feb. 6, 1931, Fergus experienced a serious fire on its main street. The victim…
An afternoon of hooky led to 1880 Guelph tragedy
A fine fall afternoon can be an irresistible lure for young boys to abandon the classroom, and to…
Narrow gauge railway ended isolation in the north
The main impediment to rapid development in Wellington County was a lack of transportation.…
Founder of Tamblyn Drug chain grew up at Belwood
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the death of Gordon Tamblyn. Today the Tamblyn name is well…
1890 marriage breakup had city’s tongues wagging
Joe Brydges, a resident of Guelph in the 1880s, worked as an iron finisher in the foundries of the…
Smoking in bed claimed Mount Forest veteran in 1920
The Mount Forest cemetery contains a section reserved for World War I veterans. The…
Fergus constable was tried for assault in 1894
Policing in small towns during much of the 19th century left much to be desired, at least from the…
1864 flower show reveals gardening practices 145 years ago
Agricultural societies are the oldest organizations in Wellington County, dating to the very first…
Elora-born man became noted American churchman
From time to time this column features a Wellington County native who has achieved success and…
Career of promising young MPP ended in 1934 car crash
Last week’s column, describing the 1934 firemen’s convention at Elora,…
Turnout in municipal elections was frequently low in the 20th century
Last week’s column covered some of the changes in municipal voting through the 19th century.…
Four men changed pleas in 1921 attack on jailor
Note: This is the second part of the story of Sam McArdle, Joseph Hobson and John…
Queens Plate horse race was run at Guelph in 1864
The biggest event in Canada’s horse racing season is the Queen’s Plate, and it has been…