This article is part of continuing series on the historical demographics of Newmarket and area. The previous article featured Monica Sisler and her experience as a war bride. Let’s take a closer look at the wave of war bride immigration in our area. There has been a great deal of analysis as to the causes for this wave…
Tag: Genealogy
Many War Brides Shared Common Roots In Newmarket
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…
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…
Transitioning To Vibrancy In Sharon
This weekend on NewmarketToday we return to our examination of the hamlet of Sharon and its transition into a vibrant village. Last weekend we looked at the establishment of the community and the vital part that the Children of Peace played and this weekend we will expand our exploration. I mentioned in my first article the skills and…
Hamlet Of Sharon Traces Its Roots To Loyalists, Quakers
In my continuing series on the historic hamlets in our area, we travel to East Gwillimbury. I’ll begin with a brief history of East Gwillimbury. There are three townships bearing the name of Gwillimbury: East and North Gwillimbury in the County of York, and West Gwillimbury in Simcoe County. These townships take their name from the…
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…
