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125th Anniversary Supplement of The Canadian Statesman, October 3, 1979 Dr. Williams THURSDAY. API Telis How Bowmanville Got its Name Thursday, July 28th, 1955 by Dr. L.B. Williams Recently, I noticed in the Statesman that you, through counsel, were accounting for how Bowmanville got its name, and that it was named after my wife's grandfather, William Bowman - a great honor indeed, and we are only sorry it isn't true. I'm afraid you are barking up the wrong tree. Grandfather Wil- liam Bowman, father of the late Mrs. Albert Arnot, whose daughter is Mrs. Williams, was an Englishman through and through who came here from Devon, England, with all his wordly goods tied up in a red bandana. Charles Bowrman, after whom Bowman- ville was named, was a Scotsman from Ber- wickshire, three months in sailing the Atlantic who established out here a series of chain stores - among them Bowmanville 1824 (then called Darlington Mills) with his headquarters in Montreal. At that time our town's business, consist- ing of three or four small stores was all on the West Hill with the roadway down Waverly Road to the harbor. There wasn't any road to the harbor east of the creek. There was a census population of 118 persons in 1825, exclu- sive of Indians. The first store was opened by one Lewis Lewis, who after four years operation sold to Charles Bowman and Co., who first local manager was the father of the town's once Post Master, the late J.B. Fairbairn. Years later, a boy, John Simpson, only 12 years old be- came clerk, was in control at 18, and eventually took over the whole local Bowman interests - land, hold- ings, store, milis and distillery, the latter across the road below the Vanstone Mill. Bowman owned prac- tically the whole site and more, of the present site of Bowmanville. (The Scotsman wouldn't RIL 14th, 1949 6c PER COPY NUMBER 15 These B.H.S. Students to Produce School Magazine "The Screech Owl" This fine group of Bowmanville High School students with one of their teachers, Miss J. Cunningham, are the brain trust behind reviving the B.H.S. "Screech Owl". This annual magazine of the school which has not been published for a decade or more has really come to life this year and will soon go to press as a bigger and better school magazine. The above students are the ones responsible for editing, lay-out, soliciting the advertising and everything else that goes into the making of a popular student magazine. From left to right they are: like our present Tax Bill). Simpson, father of our late citizen, D. Burke Simpson, K.C., later became Senator Simp- son, and in his holdings located his handsome three storey brick residence a mile east of Bowmanville, on the south side of Highway No. 2, now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Stacey as a Tourist Home. Senator Simpson organized the Ontario Bank of which he was president, was for years agent of the Bank of Montreal, and today we have the dignified archi- tectural Bank of Mon- treal which graces King St. It's pretty hard to keep from digressing from my subject. The Bowman Stores sheltered and outfitted the militia enroute west through the town in the William Lyon Macken- zie Rebellion of 1837. By this time the Bowman business, having large capital was able to outstrip all competitors for in pioneer days it was impossible to carry on any kind of enter- prise on a cash basis. Their I.O.U was taken readily as gold. Paper currently being then very scarce, the Bowman and Co. issued a 25 cent shin plaster of their own and the late Rhys Fairbairn told me Front row - Isobel Cruickshank, Wilma Richards, Marjorie Mutton, Lois Wilson, Bernice Hansen, Maria Clarke, Colleen Clarke, Stella Bonk, Nancy Varcoe. Second row - Catherine Teeple, Veronica Friend, Marie Martin, Gwen Griffith, Gregory Friend, Miss Cunningham, Audrey Sturrock, Peggy Dippell, Jean Reynolds. Third row - Pat Cole, June Bickle, Virginia Hopkins, Gerald Morris, Duncan Philips, Bill Rundle, Joan Rice, Isobel Carter, Pat Bowles. Back row - Fred Tuerk, Jim Frank, Robert Knox, Ken Crawford, Bob Gallagher, Norman Allin, Roy Gorham, Bill Robinson, Earle Brown. the Fairbairns had one that had of course, never been redeemed. I have a copy of the wording. Mr. Charles Bowman, the object of this review, spent most of his personal time in the Old Country effecting frugal purchase of goods for his new world enter- prise. Close Wed. Noon NOTICE! - 1925 We, the undersigned business and profes- sional men of the town of Bowmanville, have decided that we will now keep our respective places of business closed on every Wednes- day afternoon during the year, excepting only during the month of December when we will keep open on Wednes- day afternoons and ex- cept Wednesday's be- fore a public holiday. A. Tait H. Allin Alex. Elliot A. Harnden C.S. Mason N.E. Neads J.T. Mollon E.W. Sisson Martyn Bros. T.H. Knight W.J. Dudley W.H. Dustan S.G. Chartran H.J. Babcock W. Claude Ives A. Dillick Congratulations on your 125 th A nniversary! Best Wishes for continued success from the Staff and Residents of arnwood Nursng eHore 26 ELGIN STREET - BOWMANVILLE TELEPHONE 623-5731 rena Excellent Cuisine... ...Great Entertainment The Finest Marina on Lake Ontario Bowanvil e, Ontarlo JL LAJ JLO AJ.à , JL Furniture Factory Plans To Open in Canning Plant April 4, 1962 A new industry, the Bowmanville Furniture Company (BOFCO) will start production here on June 1st, Councillor Glenholme Hughes, chairman of the Indus- trial Committee, informed Bowmanville Town Council at the meeting held in the Council Chamber on Monday evening. BOFCO has signed a lease for more than 6,000 square feet of space and will enter into possession at the former canning factory on May lst, it was announced. Councillor Hughes stated that his new industry was at first attracted here by the, industrial sites to be serviced near 401 High- way, but had decided to locate at the former canning plant to enable production to start ear- lier. The canning plant is owned by Schwarz Bors. The principal stock- holders, who will oper- ate the company, are Leonard Johnson, Toronto, who will take up residence here, and Berwynne Tillock, now of Bowmanville. Coun- cillor Huges stated that these men were first contacted by K.N. Mor- ris, the Industrial Com- missioner, at the end of November, 1961. F.J. Horne Alldread & Morrow Couch, Johnston & Cry- derman Ltd. G.C. Bonnycastle G.A. Edmondstone J.D. Devitt Haddy & Co. F.C. Pethick W.G. Nelles E.V. Schobell A.L. Nicholls Frank Kerslake R.W. Copeland Dominion Stores Hydro Power Co. Brown & Bennett J.J. Mason & Son Thurston Fur Shop S.W. Mason & Son M. Cawker & Son