HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-06-30, Page 102Page 62
George Acheson built bank.......
from page 61 '
James W. Britnell, county
engineer.
When Jack married, his
father built the big house at 27
Nelson East, occupied not
long ago by Dr. Jack Leitch,
and gave the deed to the son
in 1907. The land originally
belonged to the Church of
Scotland, The Leitches called
the place Achlei. It is owned
now by Orland R. Taylor.
The R.J. :Achesons had
three children: William G.C.,
now. of Toronto: Madeline
Victoria (Mrs. W , A .
Crawford ), Wingham, and
Mary (Mrs. Henry. Toronto,)
Mrs. R.J. Acheson lived at IG
E;tgi Ave: W.., 1958 until her
"death in September 1975.
Mention has now been
made of five Acheson
brothers: John, George,
Robert, William and Edward.
There were two sisters, Mrs.
Henry Ford (Susannah) and
Mrs. William Crooks. both of
Goderich township. Henry
and Susannah were married
March 19. 1S57, 'by the . Rev.
E.L. Elwood. in Holmesville,
with William Ford and John
Acheson signing as witnesses.
Mention has now been
made of five Acheson
brothers: John. George.
Robert, William and Edward.
There were two sisters, Mrs.
Henry Ford (Susannah) and
Mrs \\'illiam Crooks, both of
Goderich township. Henry
and Susannah were married
March 19. 1857, by the Rev,
E L. Elwood, in Holmesville,
with William Ford and John
Acheson signing as witnesses.
Returning to George. the
principal subject of this
narrative. it is recorded that
soon after coming to
Goderich he married in 1952
Sarah Pollock, and after her
early death Ella S. Cosford,
daughter of the Rev, Thomas
('oxford, minister of North
Street Methodist Church in
1s58-60. a period in which the
-building was remodelled.
One of George's early
ventures was the purchase in
N5.1 of ,half the lot at the
southwest corner of Victoria
and Hamilton Streets. He sold
it to Samuel Slaone as site for
his big feed warehouse, later
operated by Alex Co,Rper.
It was this property, Lot
S80, which in 1858 qualified
George Acheson as a voter in
the' election of Executive
Councillors. The voters
signified their preferences
orally -- there were no ballots
-- and the poll book shows that
Acheson supported Thomas
Mercer Jones, Tory can-
didate, who was un-
successful. Many years later,
the Victoria Street wall of the
feed warehouse bore a con-
tents sheet of the Mail and
Empire, announcing the
death (June 6, 1891) of Sir
.John A. Macdonald. More
recently. a gasoline station
was operated on this corner. -
A Huron gazetteer of the
early 1860s lists George
'Acheson as "manufacturer
and dealer in boots and
shoes" on Hamilton
Street. He advertised his
store as "The Red, White and
Blue." He was in business on
. West Street at The Square in
1873, when fire destroyed 13
business places in the area.
The volunteer firemen
arrived with their hand
pump, to find that the nearest
water tank was covered with
frozen snow and it took an
hour to uncover it. Later, the
town council bought a steam
pumper and installed more
tanks.
Mr. Acheson immediately
announced his intention to
rebuild in brick, the lower
floor for stores, the upper
floor for offices or a public
hall.
In October, 1882, he ad-
vertised that "having
recently returned from the
city markets. determined to
create a panic in all direc-
tions," there would be a -great
clearing sale of dry goods,
readymade clothing and
buffalo robes. a large lot
purchased on a recent visit to
the West."
In 1886 his stock included
."dress goods, 'shirtings and
tweeds," and he offered the
highest prices for putter and
eggs. The Signal reported
that he was building a "public
hall" in the block at the
Square and West Street, and
that "his new dwelling house
will he'completed early in the
season." The public hall
served for some years as an
"opera house."
Early partners in Mr.
Acheson's dry goods
business, at various times,
were R.W. Smith (with S.A.
McGaw as clerk), -L. Johnson
and W.D. Cox. An 1887 notice
places the Acheson and Cox
business "on the west side of
Courthouse Square."•
Main part of the Goderich
Nursing Home on Nelson
Street was a George Acheson
residence, and is a good
example of. architecture in
the 1880s. At one time it
contained apparatus for gas
lighting. The site originally
belonged to the Church of
Scotland, then to Rex. Alex
Acheson built for the Bank of
Montreal the premises it
occupied at West Street and
The Square before removing
to the present quarters at
East Street.
Mr. Acheson-. sometimes
lent money on mortgage, but
transactions coming to notice
are not significant, either in
number or amount involved.
George and his brother John
in 1874 raised 8174 to assist
the 'McQueen family in
buying a river lot up in Grey.
Township.
For the latter years of •his
life. George Acheson lived in
the big brick house opposite.
North Street church, now
number 53 North Street. It
MCKId- 1VMck-id execut-o sold sttridls bre Lot '8"r ort. of
to the Achesons in 1880, and several originally owned by
nearly 80 years later it passed Dr, Peter McDougall, one of
to the • Nursing Home the town's earliest
proprietors. It was so used physicians...,
until 1977. Soon after Mr. Acheson's
death in 1911, the property
was sold by his widow, Ella
(Cosford) Acheson, to
BUILT BANK CORNER
About 1905, George
William Coats, registrar,who
evidently lived there for 21
years. More recently, it was
owned by, I)r. Kenton lam.
best, 1962.18, and helongsnof
to Roy B.' Duniopr bustle's
adrnin1strio tor of Huroo
.,'Board 'of Education.
Mr. Acheson supwrted
many Goderich industries,
and was a director or officer
of Western Canada Flour
Mills. Godcric'h Lumber
Company 1presidentl,
Goderich -Cement Brick
•Company. Goderich Engine&
Bicycle Company, GDderich
Knitting Company and a shoe
factory in Aylmer,
There survives a story
about Mr. Acheson cyclingup
Fast Street 'to the bicycle
factoryjust as the noon
whistle blew, In a hurry, he
jumped from the bicycle and
ran thescst of the way. There
was and is a bit of a grade in
that block.
-Two years in town count
Turn to page 63.
FOUNDED
IN
1891
The Blackstone en-
terprises were founded
in 1891 by the late
Charles Blackstone. In
1929 his son, W. H.
Blackstone took over.
His eldest son, H. C.
Blackstone, the present
owner, is the third
generation of
Blackstones to carry on
the business.
The Tong -remembered
ice cream parlor has
closedand the furniture
business has expanded
to utilize the entire
store, featuring
bedroom furniture on
the recently opened
second floor, living,
dining room furnishings
etc. en the main floor
and a Targe stock of
baby's furniture on the
lower level.
The present staff:
Mrs. May Doherty,
buyer -decorator; Jim
Cousins, bookkeeper,
sales representation;
and Don, delivery;
support Harold
Blackstone in main-
taining a modern and
high quality service for
home furnishings for the
Goderich area — a
service which has kept
pace with the needs of
its customers through 85
years.
BLACKSTONE
FURNITURE
welcomes you
to
Jubilee 3
BLACKSTONE'S OF GODERICH
CELEBRATE SOthANNIVERSARY
Two Magnificent Modern Stores Brighten 'The Broadway of Goderich'
Blackstone Two Stores
Are Completely Modem,
Thoroughly Up -To -Date
After completing 50 year. of enntlnvous huuinen at
the .same spot on the "Ilroadway•' of 14001710—Writ Street
—aleekstone'a dernL,d to modernize. And what • joy they
did of it No half way measures scam.] der; the modemith-
bon war complete, and tide two laree rlty stores aide by
.c1e are really 4 plraoure to mit. The long, modern store
front, installed by the Tad Plato 01wu Co, al,Kitch,ner,
is the 10.t word , art .1. -.,ger and go, the whole street
a fare letting. Irdetml, 11 le wife to say that 111acketnne'e
is ane of the most atir1000e.lunking More buildings of 11.
Uaim to M found in •Sty city
0
WN.N POU ..pyre.
PAINT
ENAMEL
Per Any Parr.
aniet On
Auk, -
'ro a ucts
ih[41b f[SON
BLACKSTONE'S
OODERICB
Cane . ren awe
In Canada—or for that nutter
In the United Bun. And the
o storm carry as good a
*lock and Gas One • serekn
ae any
The up -to -M. electric Ra-
aridwiring on the two
dorm
was done by Prank Mc-
Arthur wen -known denteel..
of Dederick. who .ee0W4*. 4
Mgh 0uM117 - . of Wen kind
TM Igen one. which la
really ted work
of M A J. Carter M.nerae.
tornit , Ltd., ...ins sod
tent h... of LMrdoe.
John Pinder. r36 .len pleas
Ing and hn4ecr renrrwttee
doe. an Elm day. eft work r
this kind.
Two ane bre k p he
H4rk,dt.s*. p' �� 0on,
'
'cream
ott lode .w
ice .4_ ._ 'Mur
K~�
d odepae.Marshall
n.ea
---– ti +r:.rr-..,.: �4,; ,...T.-4.*"lee .fi•tn'.-,
CTare Pros cook dab
and
r.A. CRAIG new Mn
eleeInMr
add.
B4rketene e wutnmay
ahoy
Mere The m.derelely priced
pnduru of the 10,04 1
Ca. Bed-
ding . a femured In the
furniture department Mother
nationally knew. line wank
the dW7 Begins bed hi yet p' ooderl.
— rhewterfteldina audio
ash., lira hairs and
It red :