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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-06-30, Page 55P6 Y41 1 VS CH The order of the day Henry Marlton, Steve ndrews, Captain Shephard, T. Garrow and George cheson were among, the ustomers of a grocery store Goderich in the 1880s which xtended credit after the stom of the time. The thick account book in Bich their purchases were ntered from 1883 to 1885,. elusive, has been out of ight for 90 years until Miss arj Johnston, South Street, rought it to the light of day. t bears no identification of e store or its proprietor. With the names of Rev. Dr. re, Peter MacEwan, Alex aunders, Rev. Charles Letcher and Hugh Strang gypping up frequently, it might be deduced that the erchant was' a `resbyterian, probably harley Nairn, at Hamilton treet and The Square. This ieory is wrecked by two ,tries: C.A. Nairn bought a Ion of maple syrup (for ,.40) and on another oc- sion borrowed a dozen tins salmon to replenish his ock, Search of the Huron"Signal les of the period turned up w grocers advertising, and ,e only one who ran an ad .,nsistently was G.H. Old, e cash store" on the ,ware, offering. "crockery, Lssware, lamps and a full ,e of groceries". George rant, "at the south side of rthouse square," and C. rabb, with "the oldest tablishment and cheapest ore in the county of Huron," i k newspaper space only asionally. The story of the Olds of oderich and Sault Ste. arieappeared in the Signal- . on July 8, 1976, but the .tion of George Old's store sstill not been determined. must have been convenient Miss Eloise Skimmings, ito lived on ,Stanley street; •ptain T.N. Dancey, East eet, and William Lee, 'ntreal Street. Nearly everyone came to , stores on foot; you would ,t hitch up to travel a few ks, Anthony Allen, at the ie operating Dunlop Yern, had his own tran- irtation; he brought in 14 _. pounds of butter, for a credit of $2.10. Henry Attrill would come in with a coachman on the box, driving a handsome matched pair. For the big house across the river he purchased lobsters, sardines,. tomatoes, corn, loaf sugar, castilesoap and a dozen ale; this set him back $4.55. This grocery store had considerable marine trade. The steamer Manitoba, steamer Quebec and schooner Ontario are men- tioned. The last-named took on dried apples, ten' dozen eggs, two pounds of green tea, one black coal oil, lamp wick and four bushels of_pptatoes.v, at $1.60. Isaac Cassidy bought three pounds of butter at 18 cents, a margin of three cents on the price, paid Allen. E.T. Erratt brought in 27 pounds of bacon and received $2.70. J.J. Wright of Point Farm spent $22.73 for table sup- plies. That was on August 22, 1883,. when there were many guests. M.C. Cameron, who had just been elected to the House .of Commons from West Huron by 29 votes, was'a patron of this store. Those who , ran accounts evidently did not mix cash transactions and there are such .entries as five cents for lemon peel to Rev. J.A. Turnbull. Other familiar names in the book: William Kay, William Lee, Ed Campion, Judge Doyle, R. Radcliffe H. Clucas, Wm. Saults, A. McD. Allan, George Rhynas, Thomas Lowry, James Buchanan, J.H. Colborne, George Niebergall, A.M. Polley, .. and " Capt.. John McDonald. The number of customers charging goods to their ac- counts appeared to average about 20 daily. Most goods were delivered; every grocer and butcher had a horse and wagon. If John Old III, of Sault St. Marie, Michigan, to whom a Jubilee 3 invitation has been sent,.. will visit Goderich this summer and bring along a specimen of grandfather Old's handwriting, it may be found to match that of the old account book. 44`' 4%Y Goderich on your Tri -Jubilee from Advanced Realty Funding Corp. District Representative Don Denomme .engage etprime rates District Office: 75 Hamilton St. Ph: 524-2747 Goderich on your 150th" from MORRIS DRAPERIES Custom Made Draperies and. installation AVAILABLE 1%11 '4•11‘ RODS Kirsch A AIILABLE Fran & Jean Morris '524-2551 36 NORTH ST. i.