Clinton News-Record, 1979-07-12, Page 5411 4 117
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Historically speaking
The Irwin -Gunn House
Circa 1869
This imposing Clinton residence.
was built at the corner of High and
Kirk Streets during the years 1867
to 1870 by Richard .Irwin. Irwin
came to Clinton during the early.
1860's andentered into a part-
nership with John Hodgens in 1866.
.: Their store was located on Albert
Street near the present location of
the Gailbraith store. -This con-
tinued until 1871 when Irwin retired
from the partnership because of
financial reverses, probably due to _
'fiis speculating in'fl a grain futures
market.
Two years earlier, Irwin. had
-been forced to deed his house to his
aunt, Elizabeth A. Irwin, to
produce capital, and no doubt the
house itself was partially
responsible for his financial
troubles. •
The 'house had been Irwin's
'dream. Built as a suburban villa, it
.stood on a small hill surrounded by'
over five acres of land. The house
is somewhat unique in that it still
retains its original carriage house
and stable, although these ' have
been converted into private homes.
The house itself was built in a
transitional period, with elements
of both the Classic Revival and
Italianate styles. .Consisting *of a
large two storey irregular square
block, the house has an attached
kitchen and servants' quarters
wing at the rear.
The front of the house is com-
posed. of three: bays, -with French
windows on either side and above
the main entrance. The house is.
built entirely, of brick, the main
floor being four bricks thick and
the upper three bricks thick. The
exterior retains most of its original
' decorative features, including the
raised brick quoins at the four
corners arid at the corners of the
projecting frontispiece.
Other features of the facade are
the elaborate cornice boards and
brackets, the pediment above the
frontispiece, and the carved stone
lintels above the second floor
windows. The main floor windows
do not have decorative lintels
because they were originally ob-
scured from view by the porch
•
which extended across the entire
front of the house.
Inside, the main block, of the
house is divided in half by a nine
.foot hall. The left side of'the main
floor consists of a large ballroom,
16 by 36 feet in length, and "'was
originally heated by two fireplaces.
Unfortunately, during the
ownership of Dr. Gunn one of these
was removed and the _other
'rinodernized. The drawing room,
morning room and dining room
occupy the right side of the house,p•
two of these rooms retain their
urigi lel ..carved _fire pla..c:es ,Toe. ,.
house has particularly noteworthy.
plasterwork (cornices and ceiling
medallions) and . good quality
woodwork throughout, including a
lovely curving staircase. Of
especial note is the front door, with
its etched glass side and transom
lights in a grape and leaf design.
The house_ was back into Richard
Irwin's hands in 1898. In the
meantime, he .had become involved
in a grist mill business which was
situated where Fabian's Furniture
is now. Richard Irwin died in 1909
and his wife, Harriet, sold the
house to Dr. William Gunn.
Dr. Gunn had his office -and home
in the house until his death. He was
one' of Clinton's pioneer doctors
and startedthe first hospital in 1908
at the corner of Cutter and Victoria
streets.. He- was known. as Huron's
dean of medicine and .a plaque in
his honour -was erected in 1924. in
the Clinton Public Hospital.
In Dr. Gunn's time, there were
many dances held in the house and
the spacious lawns were the scene
for numer-ous-la;vn socials. A
tone
time, there was a grass tennis
court at the south side of the house.
We believe it was Dr. Gunn who
gave the house the , name ' of
Kildonan . it was engraved on his
personal stationery.
The house was sold in.1946 to the
Winter family and although over
the years it has been the home for •
the Huron County Health Unit, an
apartment house and an antique
shop, it has suffered no disfiguring
renovations and retains its in-
tegrity as a Enid -Victorian home.
(This is one of a continuing series
of articles on Clinton and area by
Heather Hunter and Rob Cornish.)
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Both Janet and Anne are com let 1
Gord and Grace Lawson tried to keep it quiet, but friends and family would not
let the couple's 55th wedding' anniversary go unpoticed. A surprise party was
held for the Clinton couple who celebrated their emerald anniversary on July
16. (News -Record photo)
e
1. 'e • /, 1,
CLINTON N ,Ws`-RECQRD;x kflJi $D,AY,,T1131aY 1 ,''1979 ,pAGE:3
tcr;M' actress...
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'!, from page_1
joyable •change for these native
Torontonians..
"Moist of the things that support our
• careers are in Toronto,'"' Anne, noted,
:taut she comes to Blyth with husband
'Paul and their' two children even when
shtVs no•t,working.
'Janet prefers' working in Blyth as
well and' noted, "Television's a lonely
thing to do. You sometimes forget that
people will watch you and you get
easily 'disgruntled. ' Even in. larger
theatres, you're too remote from your
audience.
"But the audiences who come to
Blyth show that there's a: tremendous
need for theatre.
stuck in
he middle
Most people feel intimidated earrings._
when they .go to -the dentist's office. It's just,_like the: housewife who
They have no control over what , decided to hire a maid. She wants
may happen as soon as they sit in , the house to be spotless before the
the big chair and open their ' new employee arrives. It gives a
moi4ths,. good impression. ,
I've �l'ieen lucky. So far; the bi- .After looking thoroughly unat-
yearly trip to the dentist has of- • tractive after a good•wetting down
fered little threat to me. I'm one of under the sink, I attempt to
those people with good teeth who delicately' lower myself into the
has only had a few cavities filled chair, which is always too high for,
-and the occasional,cleaning job. ' me and I end up climbing into the
Instead', I suffer from un -thin' ..With towel draped over my
g P ,
controllable hair. I have a fine, ' head and plastic bib around •my
frizzy mop, full of cowlicks, neck, • I present my chosen
strange twists and turns'. This has photograph to the hairdresser
nothing to do with the dentist, mind . stating in a rather uncertain voice,
you., but while some fear the "This is what I want to look like."
dentist, one of my great traumatic Some ',hairdressers are honest
'experiences is getting clipped. enough to admit that I may never
Taking a trip to the hairdresser ' look' like the lady I've chosen.' to
takes much planning_ and careful model myself after, while others
consideration. -:First, the decision just begin snipping.
to make the initial call to set up an Hairdressers don't appreciate
appointment must be made. magazine suggestions; I've
"What would you like done?" the decided. If they don't accidently.
receptionist will undoubtedly ask. drop the photograph to the floor
"How do I know?" I always feel among the cuttings, they will
like replying. "I just want to come undoubtedly give a cut in a totally
out of, there looking different than I different style. If I want my hair
do.now.'' left longer, I'll come out with a
Hairdressers like to have some brushcut. If I ask for my ears to be
idea on what their client wants covered, they'l,l, stick out.
done to their hair. To meet. this Ask for a simple wash-and-wear,
requirement 1 buy a dozen Hair. ' cut, I'll end up in rollers, be placed
Magazines and try to choose a style under the dryer for an hour, come
that will suit me ' perfectly. out to the sizzling sound of the
Unfortunately chances are very - curling iron, get a covering of hair
slim that I will end up as a clone of spray, and end -up looking as if I'm
--the model I've picked out. She's (.1 'Wearing'a football' helmet.
undoubtedlya heaut _'and the .h i.r- . _ ..-
__....._ . - . �' ... ,._...__ u...,v ..._... ��tji_a.:.g-nn..p.laster�d.-on.my: face,- ..
do she's wearing took four hours to I'll tell the hairdresser what a
lovely job` she's done, pay the
bill, go home and cry for an hour,
and promptly wash away , the
creation.
I have not found an answer to my
dilemma with hairdressers from
Lucknow to Windsor, but I think I'd
prefer a painful trip. to the dentist's
create.
An hour before my arrival at the
salon, I carefully wash my hair,
dress in my most stylish outfit, put
on full makeup and don earrings.
Actually this entire procedure is a
futile gesture. Nine times out of ten
my hair will be re -washed` and I'm
always asked to remove .. my office anyday.
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22 ISAAC STR ETA LINM I ON 482+ 333
peey
devoted to their work; not only in Blyth,
but also through the winter months as
well. When the Blyth season finishes,
Anne will going to Montreal to work.
Janet will return Toronto for the
winter, but will be back in Blyth next • living out of two residences. I don't
think I could`flo that again."
Another time, she accepted a jotilust
before her second child was due. The
baby_was ho between. .jobs and Janet - -
managed as a mother and actress by
taking her baby to work. '
"Having a husband in the theatre
business makes it easier on the
family," Anne reasoned. "He -realizes
the difficulties and can help too."
When Anne . or Janet's husbands'
aren't working on a steady job, but the
women are, the men take care of the
children, the same works in reverse,
when the men are working on a play. At
Blyth however, the families work
together, making home _.life ,more
comfortable.
"This can be a tricky business,"
Anne admitted, "butthen.every job -has,
it's drawbacks."
theatre and this, year Anne jokes that
her oldest daughter is going on tour.
She will be on the stage as .she takes
part in the Children's Theatre.
Workshop which will travel arouiid•the
area. ,
With some concern, lanet explained •
that the theatre can be hard on p'epple.
with families. The long, 'late hours, the
amount of travelling and, the pressure
of the work can. leave a mark on
children and many theatre couples
split up.
"You have to make some sacrifices.
for your family:," Janet claimed,,:' but
sometimes when an opportunity con'xes
up you 'have to take it becauseit might
not come again. .
Janet has faced such situations
before. Last summer she was away for
six months and only got to see her
family after a long drive back ' to
Toronto.
"I was always working, a driving or-.
season to carry on as artistic director.
' Neither actress ever thought , that
their weekly dr ma lessons in high
school would lead to this.
—"I always d'id"theatre for fun," Jarlet
said, "I really didn't get hooked_intil I
did Canadian work."
"I like the theatre," Anne added.
"It's not relaxing, but it is a challenge.
Not only is their work a challenge,
but when the day's rehearsals are
finished, both women must return
home to husbands and children. Each
have two children,' Janet's are 2 -and 9
years Old and Anne's children are aged
5 and 8.
-The kids aren't suffering. We work`
'together as'a family'here," Aline noted-
as she eyed her two youngsters quietly
sitting, in on the interview. The children
have always been involved in the
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