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by ftriau W inter JAMES HOLDEN HOUSE This large rambting brick house on Duadas Street East, opposite the Florence Heard School, was once the home of one of Whitby's most colorful residents, Janmes Holden. Perhaps more than any other mian, with the exception of Peter Perry, James Holden did more 10 build the town of Whitby and its institutions in the l9th century. Ho was bora at Markham, Ontario on Feb. 29, 1828-1. and was eagaged in mercantile business there until 1857 when ho moved to Prince Albert, a village sou 1h of Port Perry, where ho published a newspaper called the North Ontario Observer. In 1864, Mn. Holden was appointed as officiai assignee for Ontario County and moved to Whiîtby, purchasing an 80-acre estate where the house picîuned above st stands. Being a Liberal in polluecs, and a Methodisi in religion Mn. Holden was a personal fiend of George Brown, Editor of the Toronto Globe; Alexander Mackenzie, Prime Minister of Canada; Dr. John Polis, leader of Canadian Meihodism; and William Mulock, a future postmaster general of Canada, and Chief Justice of Ontario. Many of theso men were guests at the Holden home. In 1873 Mn. Holden represented the Liberal Party for Ontario South Riding in the fedenal eleciion which toppled Sir John A. Macdoaald's goverrnient afier the Pacific ScandaI, but bis Conservative opponani. T. N. Gibbs of' Oshawa defeated him. ln municipal politics, Mn. Holden was dcputy reeve of' Whitby in 1868 and mayor n 1 I878. Mn. Holden was direcilv responsible f'or the founding of thnee institutions of considenable importance iîn Witby and the Province of Ontario--the Whithy, Port Penny and Lindsay Railway. the Onturio Ladies' Coîlege, and tbe Dominion Bank. Ho was also veny pnoninenily involved in the buiilding of the Mthodist Tabernacle (now Si. Murk's United Church), and laid the corner stone in Atigusi 1 875. Mn. HoldeIn as alwuys inîenested in the Ibîgher oducation of young ladies, biaving five girls in biis faîiily. On the urging of Rev. J. E. Sunderson, tbe prime ie oyen in the establishmnont of tbe Ontario Ladies' ('ollege, Mr. Holdon took a leading part in securing Trufalgar ('asile fnom Sheriff Roynolds. When the Ontario Ladies Colloge was esîablished in 1874, Mn. Holden wvus elected presideni of the Board of' Directors and sorved in that position until bis deuth seven years lator. ___________________M____ I In the late 1860s, Mr. Holden enlisted the support of prominent Toronto financiers Such as James Austin, and Ontario County promoters such as Aaron Ross of Port Perny, to establish a new Canadian bank.' Mr. Holden travelled throughout Ontario County raising stock for the bank, as ho had done for the Ladies' College, and in February 1871 the head office of the Dom-inion' Bank was operied at Toronto. In Apnil, 1871 the first office of the bàfnk outside of Toronto was opened in Whitby tlirough Mr. Holden's efforts. This bank hias grown 10 bocomie the Toronto-Dorrinion Bank, one of the largosi fnancial institutions in Canada. But it was in railway promnotion that Mr. lolden excelled himiself. In 1868 Mn. Holden was one of the chief promotens of of' building a railway frorn Port Whitby to Port Perry to open up the grain trade of the nonth and channel iltbroughi by Norm Mealinq Lasi Tuesday night, the West Lynde Mixed Bowling League wrapped up its ptayoff senies. The Playoff Champions were PAT'S FAT CATS, and the Consolation Winners were BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS; 1ýA ip of the old hat, thon, to both teams. To Pat Baxter, Esme Hill, Jan Bentley. Eric Laycock, John Stratton and Ivan Booth of the FAT CATS and to Barb Holweg, Jean Booth, Cheryl McDermid, Lorne Morin, Tony Baie and Jimn Cameron of BST, we say congratulations. Last Tuesday night also saw an ouistanding individual perforrmance by IVAN BOOTH. Ivan, the league's premier bowler, nolled a perfect 450 game, and in doing so, becarne the first West Lynde beague memnber to do so. Congrats Ivan, il couldn't have been done by any nicer guy. Lots of news ihis week fromi the West Lynde Community Association. First, John Giles, the very capable Membership Director, has nesigned from the Executive. He will be miîssed for, in his terni as Memnbersbip Iirector, ho did a great deal. lie incroased the mernbership substantially, gave direction and leadership to the Street Reps and created an excellent network of telephone cominiiitee miembers. lHe was an effective inebr of the Executive and we aIr owe hirna great vote of thanks. Second. the next Association Dance, ibe Spring Flitig, will bcolicld on Junc 26îh ai Ileydenshonc Pavilion. beginning at 8:30 P.MI. Tickets arc S9.00 a couple and will go on sale on May I 4thi. Tickets can lie olbtained f romn any of t he lE-xecu tîve. Third, Family Fun Day willbe)e l ild Ibis ycar on Joinc 1 2ih. A great deal of work goes mbibt is event and volunteers are needed. If YOU vanm b b elp), give K-vini French or Karen Kerr a cal i. Fourth, anyone in îerested in lbelping put toge ther the West Lynde float for the ('ourity T'own Carnivai parade should give Ed Dawson (9856) or Marg B3oyce a cuIt. Fifîb . thc W. LU ('A. is pIt t ilng Lp a boo11b ait the Trade Fuir. Jii- Mil Is and Sharon Owens are ini charge ol ibis and woutd appreciate offers of assistance. dom-it-yoursolf WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1976, PAGE 7 Whitby Harbor. The railway started operations in 1872, but soon ran into financial difficulties. In 1873, Mr. Holden became managing director of the railway and succeeded in extending it to Lindsay to open up the lumber trade of Victoria County. Mr. Holden, a t the time of the extension to Lindsay in 1877, obtained a charter which would allow the Whitby, Port Perry and Lindsay Railway to build anywhere in Canada. He. had dreams of building a transcontinental railway from Whitby, and in the fait of 1881 he went to Winnipeg on a business trip to secure financial support from western businessmen. At Dominion City, Manitoba he contracted pneurnonia and died on Oct. 24, 1881 at the age of 53. The transcontinental railway frorn Whitby died with him but the "National Dreamn" was realizcd by the CPR. Sixth, and final item. From time to time, things appear in this space advising you to cail this or that memnber of the Executive. Also, as the year goes on, people want inf orimation on W.L.C.A. activities and often cati me. In the interest of assisting in both instances, the following is the Executive and their phone numbers: President - Bob Hopson - 6088 Vice-President - Jim Mils -. 6381 Secretary ,Marg Boyce - 9691 Treasurer Shhioôn Owens "'5096 Direc tors: Kif nKerr 2-244 -KevinFrench -6956 >;' F innigzan -4942 Last wèek, Isaid that I 'would reviev«rwhat, was happening a year agdin, this -colunI thought about -it, looked at my old columns, and decided against it. The highrises are being built and nothing can ho done about it. Given this fact, why say anything more tha'm we fought a valiant fight and we Iost? And so did the whole town of Whitby. Well, that's it for another week. See you here in a week's time. Choose frorn our collection SUDING Ca!!l f or f ree estimates VINYL ALUMINUM COLORLOK MITC HELL Building!SupiI4Is Ltd.b Brooklifl. 655-4991 so simple.. costs so l ittie! The Firoeplrnoe Plus Daily 10 a.m. ta 8 p.m. Gi'es satisfaction Alfr.'& 1801 DUNDBAS STREET EAST, WHITBY Ail ages: WIi,,,s, chidren and %duits.. One i.t.Itlng liersubject. Additio,,al subj'ier, s or ii,,id.l s kinsaine fmI $I(Iper MbjectiNo proofs -cIoose from fIiIlisnj *,ooI pofriats (poses - our st'Iectlo.) Ntin mav select ,,dditioonI porraits ofied îonlittIe prices. Giardteed comiplete satisacton o, or iey cheeriully relunrded. No hante