In our continuing series, I am sharing stories I received from our readers of how their ancestors ended up in this area and their early experiences upon arrival. This account comes courtesy of Ken Sisler, who tells us the story of his aunt, Monica Sisler, who, by all accounts, had an interesting life. I should mention that…
Tag: Genealogy
Fertility Once Propelled Growth In Population
History Hound Richard MacLeod begins a series exploring historical demography through sharing the stories of how local residents came to live and work here. This is the first article in a series on a topic that has captivated me for years. Since the early 1950s, historians have been working on a new branch of Canadian…
Newmarket Vastly Changed Since Days As White British Enclave
This is the second in a series of articles on the historical demographics of Newmarket and area, in which we will shall examine the current figures with an eye to the way we were and the direction in which we are moving. In part one, I asserted that our major growth and diversification began after Second World War, and so…
When’s The Last Time You Had An Old-Fashion Conversation?
When was the last time you had an old-fashion conversation? Not one conducted over Facebook or by email, or a brief chat about the weather with a neighbour while rushing off somewhere. I am talking about a two-way exchange about something meaningful, a community connection. I remember having so many quality interactions with people around…
Irish Immigrants Settled In Newmarket’s Paddytown
A tiny Irish settlement along the river on Main Street north of Davis Drive (formerly Huron Street) remains a vital part of our Newmarket history. It took many years for Newmarket to spread north over the hill on Main Street north and this is the story of a tiny community that was indeed ahead of its…
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…
Newmarket: Ice Cutter, Soda Jerk, Candy Girl, Milkman Among Long Gone Jobs
Whether you are a history hound or simply researching your family tree, you have probably come across occupations that are now extinct or most certainly rare. Ever wonder what those jobs entailed or where they went? Let’s have a look at what some of our ancestors did for a living. Some occupations on our list disappeared thanks…
Old-Time Sayings Bring Back Memories Of Grandparents
Here’s a fun topic that should spark memories of our parents and grandparents: let’s look at the quaint ways they spoke, their phrases and unique idiomatic expressions. Canada is a country of immigrants, and our words and expressions reflect that fact. Newmarket’s early ancestors came from England, France and after the American War of Independence, the…
Exploring The What, How and Why Of Area Headstones
This weekend on NewmarketToday, we begin a two-article examination of tombstones or monuments. I have been conducting walking tours of cemeteries for years and a major focus of these tours has been the history behind burial markers and the hidden language that the engravings on monuments represent. I have also conducted presentations on the topic…
Your Memories, Photographs Vital To Preserving Our Heritage
I wish to solicit your kind assistance with several of the projects that I have on the back burner, so to speak. Several projects are merely awaiting additional information judged pertinent to the re-telling of the story of several local heritage topics of interest to yours truly and, more importantly, the community at large. If…
