HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-05-27, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1987.
Huron Historical Society
elects 87-88 executive
Partners Monty Des Roches, left, and Bob Harkness run a length of rough lumber through their new
$53,000 state-of-the-art moulding machine; it will emerge as a fully-finished length of nine-inch
baseboard. The men established R. Harkness Victorian Millworks in Morris Twp. last August.
Morris business makes
unique building product
The Huron County Historical
Society held its annual meeting in
Exeter May 20 electing a new
executive for 1987-88.
Keith Roulston of Blyth was
named as the new president,
succeeding Isabel Theedom of
Clinton who had served in the post
for three years.
Margaret McClure of Exeter is
the first vice-president and Paul
Carroll of Seaforth is second
vice-president. Doris Batkin of
Clinton, long-time secretary-trea-
suier of the organization, remains
in the post.
Other committee chairmen are:
Mrs. Helen Anderson, Hensail,
Membership; Mrs. H. Turn-er,
Goderich, constitution; Dave Mc
Clure, Exeter, finance; Mrs. Bes
sie McNee, publicity and press
relations; Mrs. Eileen Rannie,
personnel; Reg Thompson, Clin
ton, archivist; Mrs. Sandra Orr,
Goderich, publications.
The property committee is made
up of Harry Worsell, Brian McBur-
ney, Huron County Warden, and
Harold Robinson. The archives
committee includes Ethel Poth,
Harry Worsell and Harold Robin
son. The program committee
includes Mrs. L. Dempsey, Mrs.
H. McWhinney and Mrs. J.
Anderson.
Others elected to the governing
council of the Historical Society
are: Mrs. E. Cox, Mrs. G.
Emerson, Joe Hogan, Mrs. B.
Kinney, Lois Lee, Mrs. Elva
Metcalfe, Janet Sangster, Ray
mond Scotchmer and Marion Zinn.
The Exeter meeting was hosted
by the Exeter Heritage Committee
in the Old Exeter Town Hall,
restored by the committee. Follow-
ing the meeting members also
toured the historic Trivett Memor
ial Anglican Church, with some
members taking the opportunity to
play the churches 10-bell, carilon.
Pitch-In
BY TOBY RAINEY
Gingerbread, fretwork, medal
lions and finial posts are all in the
repertoire of a new business in
Morris Township, but its real stock
in trade is mouldings: deep-pro
file, robust reproductions from a
bygone era, authentic Victorian
finishes which put their modern
counterparts to shame.
R. Harkness Victorian Millwork,
located in the old Morris Township
shed on County Road 16, halfway
between Highway 4 and Brussels,
can and does reproduce more than
3,000 different interior and exteri
or wooden mouldings for discrimi
nating builders, as well as being
able to reproduce any item in
decorative wood that can be either
described or imagined.
Partners Bob Harkness and
Monty Des Roches say they are not
aware of a similar mill anywhere in
Ontario, and are confident that
they belong to a pretty rare breed of
craftsman because of the over
whelming acclaim that their work
has been receiving, ranging from
an architect-specified contract to
supply all the interior and exterior
mouldings (some 30,000 feet) for
the elegant and just-completed
Westover Inn in St. Marys, to a
recent award which recognized
their display as the best at the
annual Brantford Home Show last
month.
The pair are also indebted to the
Brussels, Morris and Grey Indus
trial Committee which located
their present premises when the
business outgrew its former loca
tion near Molesworth, and no
suitable building was available in
Brussels. At the rate they are
expanding, they may soon have to
look for more space, but definitely
want to stay in the vicinity, which
Mr. Harkness says is close enough
to the “Golden Triangle’’ of
Ontario to make good business
sense, yet isolated enough so that
they can enjoy country living and
indulge in their joint passion for
fishing, even dropping a line into
the Middle Maitland right outside
the shop’s back door, if the spirit
moves them.
“Besides, I fell in love with old
houses a long time ago, and there
are such marvellous examples of
Victorian architecture all over this
area,’’ says Mr. Harkness, who
laments the fact that so many home
renovators have torn out the classic
mouldings in their older homes,
only to replace them with much
inferior but more “modern” ma
terial over the past decade or so.
Many of these people, he adds, are
now among his best customers, as
fashion turns again toward a more
authentic look in restoration.
The heart of R. Harkness
Victorian Millwork is its just-in-
stalled $53,000 West German
moulding machine or “sticker,” a
vast, state-of-the-art piece of
equipment which can take a rough
board and in one pass turn out a
finished length of moulding, up to
nine inches wide and shaped to
order on all four faces.
The ‘ ‘brains” of this monster are
the one-of-a-kind cutting blades
which can be changed at the flick of
a wrist to accommodate any one of
the countless moulding designs
which the shop makes. Designed of
top-quality high-speed German
steel and costing $180 each, these
bladesarecustommaderight at
Victorian Millwork, using flat steel
templates on which the actual
design required has been traced by
Mr. Harkness, the firm’s crafts
man and woodworker.
Hailing originally from the
Belmore area, Mr. Harkness and
the Cochrane-born Mr. Des Roch
es have been friends for a number
of years, heading out west together
in the late ‘70’s to catch the height
of the Alberta boom, then return
ing to Ontario in 1983 to go into
business together at Molesworth.
With the establishment of the shop
in its present location late last
summer, Monte Des Roches, with
training and an extensive back
ground in marketing and public
relations, has become afull partner
in the firm, and will be the one
responsible for the aggressive
marketing approach the partners
now feel is needed to present their
unique product to the world.
Remember,
it’s their home too!
^hown
shown
Ampersand Gable
Victorian Gingerbread Gables Decorations. All custom made by
skilled craftsmen by Harkness Victorian Millworks. Many
designs available for that little extra touch to add value and
charm to your house.
R, Harkness
Victorian Millwork
R.R. 4, Brussels 887-9111
Custom Mouldings and Architectural Millwork
Heart
Answers
WHAT IS
CONGENITAL
HEART DISEASE?
Congenital heart disease is the
abnormal development of the
heart before a child is born. A
congenital heart defect may be
diagnosed at birth or it may be
discovered at some time during
childhood in a routine physical
examination. Some defects may
be caused by drugs taken during
pregnancy or exposure to Ger
man measles (rubella) during
pregnancy. They may be inherited,
or the cause may be unknown.
Congenital heart defects may
require only minimal medical
supervision or they may require
corrective surgery to avoid compli
cations later in life. Some congeni
tal heart defects can be prevented
by vaccination of the mother
against rubella priorto pregnancy
and by following a doctor's advice
while taking medications during
pregnancy. Contact your local
Heart and Stroke Foundation of
Ontario for more information.
LOFT
Closed Wednesdays
Saturdays 9:30-4:00
NEW ITEMS!
•Cross Stitch Patterns
•Aida Cloth
• Batiste Fabric for Smocking
•Craft Ribbon
Knitters LOFT
summer hours B$Ummer Yarns"Effective June 1st JVWiiiiuvi
9:30-5:00 ■
37 Main St. S.
•tojgp SEAFORTH
527-1830
Anne James, Prop.
CLASSES ***
•Smocking
•Folk Art
•Hair Bows - for
Children