HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 125•or
Section 1; Page 37 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE JUNE 28, 1973
SAMWELL$ PICKARD
REPRINTED FROM THE HISTORICAL ATLAS OF HURON (1879)
You'll note the building also housed the Masonic
Lodge and even the Exchange Bank of Canada.
The present business owners, Warren May of F.
A. May & Son, and Howard Holtzman and Andrew
Bierling of A&H are well aware of the tradition that
has been passed on to them.
In their stores, you'll still find some of the
friendliest clerks in Exeter and similar to their
predecessors, they offer quality merchandise at
competitive prices.
Warren, Howie and Andy extend their best
wishes to all residents of the town on the occasion
of its 100th birthday and invite you to drop in and
say hello in the building that has probably been
visited by more people than any other in Exeter
through the past century . . and where your
patronage is still appreciated.
H Food Market
BAMWELl23 BLOCK: EXETER,ONT.
BAMWELL 84 PICt("Ft 13 HEAD oTricE lloprruilL,CgeiTiti.Pivinpqm.000,000.
GEVERAL DEALERS IN DRY GOODS, GRocER its , flArs,CAPs, . IRECTOR3
BOOTS a, smors;cLoTHING or MILLJNERY,MAI4UFAFTURED 11.H.GAULT, M.!? PREST. I THOMAS OAvERHILL VICE PRE3T. I E.K•G REENE.
op THE PIREPOSES. J-Amrs C RATH ER74 A •W• 0 G ILVIE , At.rx.BuNTIN,
THOS. TIFFIN, C,Fi.MunRAY Crisilin3, GEORGE BURVS.iti3PECTOR)
W.,A.HASTiNOS, PTANACEFt OF EXETER BRAtIGH
Talk About Tradition...
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If walls could talk, imagine the stories that
would unfold from those housing the men's and
ladies' departments at F. A. May & Son and A&H
Superior Food Market.
Probably in no other building in Exeter . .. or
anywhere for that matter ... has the same type of
business been conducted for so many continuous
years. Granted, there have been changes in
ownership and in some of the merchandise sold, but
Exeter residents of the last century have been con-
tinually coming into this building to buy groceries,
meats, hats, caps and clothing.
Through the years such well known names as
Fred May, William May, J. G. (Jim) Jones, J. Hubert
Jones, E. J. Spackman and others have served Ex-
eter and area customers.
F.A. May It Son
rdiNIVAIIIII 41E7
ast
of
in
Building has
long history
•
JOTTINGS BY J.M.S.
May 30, 1963
If a person looked closely
enough at the above picture it
should be easy to recognize the
busiest business block on the
Main Street of Exeter.
True the building has "un-
dergone considerable changes
since this picture appeared in the
Huron County Atlas in 1869. Along
with the picture of the store is the
4' picture of Mr. George Samwell,
after whom the block was named,
Associated with Mr. Samwell
was Richard Pickard, grand-
father of C. V, Pickard, clerk of
the Town of Exeter.
The store at that time was a
hive of industry as it not only
carried the stock of a general
store but employed several
milliners and several tailors for
making men's suits. Customers
picked their cloth from the store
and the tailors completed the job.
The middle store was the
hardware store of Hugh Spack-
man. Above the hardware store
was the early home of the
Masonic Order. The Exchange
Bank is beyond my recollection.
E. J. Spackman took over the
Samwell & Pickard store as well
as the hardware store and
combined the two with an ar-
chway between, The hardware
store was moved to what was the
bank building.
The sign on the left wall of the
building was changed to E. J.
Spackman and although almost
faded beyond recognition, it can
still be seen,
In 1906 J. G. Jones moved to
Exeter from WinchelSea and took
over the Spackman general store.
He was joined in 1908 by William
May of Mitchell, and the name
was changed to Jones & May.
During the occupancy by Jones
& May a modern new front was
installed in the building. The
ornaments at the top of the
building had already been
removed.
The centre building in the
picture contained the groceries,
the boots and shoes and the gents'
furnishings of Jones & May. The
north was for general dry goods
and the millinery department. In
1915, F. A. May joined the firm
and in 1948 Warren May joined
his father and the store is now
known as F. A. May & Son,
The boot and shoe business was
sold to A. E. Buswell & Son and is
now Smyth's Shoe Store,
In 1948 the building formerly
occupied by Beaver's Hardware
was taken over by J. Hubert
Jones and the present food
market installed. In 1957 on the
retirement of Mr. Jones the
business was taken over and is
presently known as A & H
Superior Food Market,
T-A January, 1934..
The latest population figures of
the village available is 1,956.
T-A April 11, 1940
A horse and cutter belonging to
Mr. Garnet Hicks, of Usborne,
was taken from the James Street
church shed Tuesday evening of
last week and the following
morning it was found standing in
the farmyard of Mr. August
Gregus, about half a mile from its
home.
Mr. and Mrs. Hicks had driven
to Exeter for the evening and
when ready for home they found
their horse was missing and as
the road was blocked to motor
traffic they had to walk the two
and a half miles home. •
Someone had untied the horse
in the shed folded a blanket that
was on the horse and placed it on
the seat of the cuttef and driven
off and when through with it had
left it to wander home alone.
As the night was cold and raw
the horse was quite chilled
when found the next morning. We
understand that it has suffered no
ill effects. A similar episode is
reported to have taken place a
few nights previous. The officers
of the law are investigating,