Thomas Beall originally began the jewelry business in Whitby, ON in 1852. On January 1, 1859, Thomas moved the business to Oakwood, driving in an open-box sleigh with his wife and child. He brought the first coal-oil lamp to the area, and for a while did a "flourishing" business in the sale of coal-oil lamps.

After four years in Oakwood, Thomas moved the business to Lindsay on April 1, 1863.

In spring of 1865, Thomas Beall moved his jewelry and watch business to "No. 8 Keenan's Block" (the second store east of the north-east corner of Kent and York Streets.) George Washington Beall purchased the business from his father in the summer of 1884 and continued it in the same place until May 1899, when he moved to a brick and frame one-storey building (the fourth store east of the north-east corner of Kent and William Streets.)

One Sunday morning in 1884, thieves entered the store on Kent Street West through a hole cut in the ceiling from the rooms above. They cleaned out anything of value. The items were never recovered despite the offer of a $500 reward.

Eventually George W. Beall bought the Kent Street West property and constructed a new building in 1912. In 1914 he sold the business to his son George Godfrey Beall.



[Note: the wall-length cabinet on the right in the bottom photo can be viewed at the Olde Gaol Museum in Lindsay.]