Village Squire, 1977-07, Page 151
completion, the village of Drummond must eventually prove a
most desirable location.
The fact of the matter was that the sawmill was not yet in
operation, the gristmill was just barely completed and the
tavern was a primitive log building but the facts did not deter
people from coming to the village of Drummond which later
changed its name to Blythe. The "e" was dropped from the
village name in 1862. A post office came into being with John
Templeton as the first postmaster.
In 1859 William Drummond himself decided to start a
business in his new village. He operated a large general
store. Patrick Kelly bought the Blyth Mills from Joseph
Whitehead some years later and it was Drummond and Kelly
who were largely responsible for bringing the London, Huron
and Bruce Railway through Blyth and establishing a station
there.
From that time on the village became prosperous and many
new businesses were started up.
In the mid -1860's people who owned shops included grist
and flour mill -- Joseph Whitehead (later sold to Patrick
Kelly) sawmill -- Kenneth McBean, stove and tinsmith shop --
Thomas White, carriage and wagon factory -- James West,
three blacksmith shops owned by George Draney, Malcomm
McKeller and Hugh McQuarrie respectively, saddlery --
Robert Mitchell. Tailor shop -- Robert Gurney, three shoe
shops owned by Robert and John Drummond. Adam Glazier
and John Sharritt, a cooper shop -- John Heapey and a
ready-made clothing shop -- Robert Drummond.
In 1877 Blyth became an independent corporation with a
population of 850. The first town council consisted of Patrick
Kelly, Reeve; William Sloan, M.D., D.B. McKinnon, James
Wilson, Thomas Nicholson, Councillors; Robert Phillips,
Clerk and Treasurer; Charles Hamilton, Assessor; John
Gorman, Collector and J.A. Anderson and R.W. Mitchell
were the Auditors.
By 1879 the population was estimated at 1200 or a little
over.
In the 1890's and early 1900's Alex McCreight ran a
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of music l
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111
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The famous Bainton Old Mill of today was a much smaller
building as late as 1938 when local youngsters posed near it.
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