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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEÊDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1976. PAGE 7 Brian Winiter's I Histori Q Whitby cal THOMAS HUSTON This somewhat reinodelled hiome oni the 'cast side cf' Byron Street, betxveen St. John and Trerit Streets, wvas for mnany years the hiomnecf Thomnas Huston, one cf Whitby's most dedicated public servants. M% Mr. Huston served the Town of Whitby as Clerk- Treasurer for 37 years, froi1 8594to 1896. This record has been si-rpassed only by John Frost, who served in the same Position 40 out of his 47 years withi the Town of Whitby. Thomas Huston was born ait Ballyrnena County, Antrim, lreland in I1825, and came to Canada in 1 854. His taiiber wanted im iitu beconte a, minister, but young Tomn H-uston hiad other ideas about his future. Fie was weiI cducated anïd was appointed by sorne business firms to take charge of ship cargoes at sea. One of Mr. lluston's voyages took him te Quebec, and on te Kingston, wlîere hienmet Capt. James McAllen, cf Witby, who saied the schooner "Scotlanid".Fie joined Capt. MeAllon, who was Whitby's harbor mnaster, and came witb him te act as a bock keeper. Shortly afler bis arrivaI at Whitby in 1 854, Mr. Huston found a new position when James Rowe and Co., the largest wairebousing and sbipping firrn at the Bay, appointecl Christopher McDernîott te succeed Capt. MeAllen as liarbor nmaster. Mr. I luston beganl working in the couriting house of Janmes Rcwc & Co., along witlî Johin Blow, wbo was later te ho inayor of Whitby in 1I889-90. Jamnes Rowc, the hcad of the ccmpany, mis Witby's first mlayor in 1855. As a young clcrk , Mr. Hutston often had te werk ail îîight , checking goods on and off steamers and sailîng vessels duriiig tbe faîl shipping season. The barber business declincd sbarply after the Grand Trun k Rail way ( now thle CN R) was huil t tIirouigh Whitby in I1856. Tom i1 luston was laid off hy James Rowe & Ce. and for tlîrec vears acted as clcrk and payinaster fer H ugli Mclrien, who st ppiied wood for the ne\w railway's l0oomoti ves. WheiiN cBrieni's heal tIi tiled anid lie wcn t out of buisiness, Mr. I luston \vas neot long witbeu t a job. The tewpl Saturday of this week is Christmias Day, 1 976. Saturday f nexi week is New Year's Day. I1977. Traditienally. my coluimn does flot appear between Christmnas and New Year's Day. This year, as in the past. tradition MvlI be served, but with a twist. My columln vîlIl ot appear in 11)77 because. you see, this is the last Words from \Ve-st Lynde that 1 will write. Not couintîng siiniers (Jttly and Auguist), 1 bave writtcn this colurnn every week since the first Wcdncsday of' April of 1974. That. boys and girls.imeans my deatbless prose bas appeared on these pages approximattly 115 times. 1iiarn told' that the coluiinu hlas been good, or bad. or beth. Probably, it has been a lit tie of both cvery eek. Corri dor G:C ap e rs May 1 take the opportunity to wisbi the Frec Press staff a very Merry Christruas and a Ilappy and prosperous Ne Year. Because of the generosity of Mlike B3urgess and biis staff, the Community Columins appear weekly iin the Whitby paper. Tbanks Mike and enjoy the holiday. P. Barker D.T. is pteased to announce the opening of his practice of Denture Therapy for the provision of a COMPLETE DENTURE SERVICE 111 D undas St. West, Whitby 668-1464 i bave cnjoecd wri ting t bis coiutnn . Iltlbas given mIle tlho epportuni ty cf peu ing fort h soiiCti ies incelieren tly,. iy views on nuineretis Issues. I \veil remnemnher Micn ia vcry proininen t local polit ician calied tIlle coiumn "al disservice ti the cotîlinui ty-. Mhentia mcinbcr oetItle excetive of otir local ce i îîî t uty associa tion cai cd Itle"a fils t-taI kilng, fi y by -nigli t iid ividia i. lue te today aind gone toemerrow , anud the itiiirotts teîepbnîoie calls wiîicliîbegan vi tlIltlie xords, b&yen irrespomîsible S.0.13."'. liti cichcase,.tIlic veblemience ef tlue reaic tionto ittîy word s left îiiune m re ce r t a inidtii a t 1t iaîd said wats very clese te tlle trtulti. i hivea s etjoyed biiai l.i1rt et tllie t wtt issues t ha t t raiist*ktr t îcd Wc st [y mide frontiliaisutbd ivi sien it e i coitimi ty. 'Flicassessiuiettfigli t etf1974. and tleeiîighrisc batitlle tfi1975. aliltiottooi y mod(eria telv 'successfui . we re mi riive ou s e xaîîîî les oftI iclii i utty ex pressinîg vaîlidmi legi ti mute opposit in1 t)e eveiiuucii t s obivieuLs te tllie wisbces aîud iliite res sft'tlue peo ple. i hiave ilso etjovcd l1ciiîg aiblc e )assis I i iose people wlîo laiboumr long -ainîd liair d lii supp,îor t ot tmi i i iiyaîct ivi tics by providim-ig en pttb! icilty tIot liese aiivi tics. The Scouts. Ctubs. Bciers. t(lie v airieti s damnuces. tIle Wamrriors anud tllc Mleliis Aililetic Associitien Ire bilt ai fewv tuait conie St lias bail a orea t vcar. Whit 1w). \vitll a tremnenidotis atiieiint et* public participa- tion. retainied its Police Station. l)on ogers. :îfter nearlv I1 , yeais oe* *trust ration. vas t1inllv able te oblain bis bîîtildliniý permit fui bhis sion shep on Flickson Ro,d. Ary Saika opened lie r antique sheup Vifs Gallery' on Brec k St ree t Nor t h in \Wb i tb. Cengraniia t ions Arvy The rat epaye rs received con i inat ii.ion t ha t it \V()(11( bc' wi tliii n the Town 's lg ri-li ts to a ssist Senior Ci t c ns a nd biandicapped witli afterdablc transportation. Two st tidents frinI)Dr. Robe rti Tloriln ' Scbiooliin thle Corridor. wec chosen to \ict as Pages a t Qtiecn *s Park. Speed ing along Garra rd RZoad las bec n curbcd seule- %w a t . t batiks te t(lie pronpt actti ofetDui]hani Regio enal io liice. Garrard Rd. Lacrosse Assôýitioii receîived a donat ionî A i MORIGAGES' 1 M 4T L 0 ist & 2nd Arranged; Bouqht gpd Sold at Prime Rtes coul Peter Kade 668-1556 ANUBIS INVESTMENTS Ltd. 149 Mrock st. N., Whltby immiiediately te mmid. The reporting of activitios bore in West Lynde lias aise provided me with soi-ne cf my botter mîomnents. Se, tîîis coluinîn is finisbed. Hopefully, one of yen eut tiiere wili see te it that news frein our ceuniunity gots te the paîges of the Free Press. I say this because the Free Press is truly the "Voice cf the Cou-nty Town", and the omly really lecal weekly sorving Whitby. And West Lynde sliouîd be part cf it. Se, thaiiks te Mike Burgess, Publisher cf the Free Press, tfor givinîg te spacc, and supporting me, and West Lynde. Tiiauks aIse te tiiose wbe gave ne, sotietimnes inadyertently, iîîateriami fromîî which the coîuîîîn was writton. And a very special thanks te niy faithful reader( s). Geedbye. auîd have a good Chîristmas and a botter New Year. --30-- EDITOR'S NOTE: We tîîank Ncrm for the excellent work hoe bas perforiîîed for us and for our Whitby roaders over tue past tiîree yoars. Faithful reader(s) cf Nerm's coîumn: Don't despair. \Vc expect that Nortiî wilI continue te contribute te the Fiee Press, in one way or anc tber, in the futuro. t'roithte Corridor Ratepayers Associattion. The Towvn Couincil chose te louve the 25% lot coverage clause ini tîe OfficiaI Plan despite pressure and opposition frei the developers. Corridor Capers dances have continued te be extromely Tue Corridor Area îaîs au treuîendous coîîînunity spirit tîiai is the eîîvy cf larger areas. XYe have an active Ratepayers, Associationî thiat dees its best te help thie people iun tîe area witlî prebleins large or small. Couigrat ukliions everycne. It is only xith the ce-oeration of everycute iii the Corridýor that se much bas been accemplishied in the jîast year. i xvisîî yen ail a Merry Chîristumas and Happy New Yoar. Umtil Januîury, tliat's it for '76. M. McEacbern 725-8967 coifiCil bad becomne very dissatisfied with the performance cf the tcwn's cIerk-treasurer, Benjamin Yarncld, end asked hlmi te resign. Jamnes Rowe, John Watson, and otho 'r influential men recommnended that Mr. Huston be given the. position because cf his accuracy in accounting. On June 6, 1859, hie becamne Clcrk-Treasurer cf the Town cf Whitby, with ain office iii the first town hiall, which was Iocated at the north end of what is now Centennial Park. John Hum Perry, son cf Whitby's founder Peter Perry, was the first mayor Mr. Huston worked for. In 1879, the oldl town hall was considered toc far rernoved from the centre cf towmî, and the tcwn offices were moved te Hopkins' Music IHali at the corner of Brock and Coiborne Strecets. This building served as the town hall tilt 1960. Mr. Huston was a recognized authority on municipal law and gcvernilent affairs, and was a skillful and correct bookkeeper. It was said that hoe cculd solve any cf the "brain twisters" pubîishied in thenewspapors, and although hoe was exceptional ut answering questions in Bible comipetitions, hoe always declined the prizes. Like nany other mon cf bis timne, Mr. Huston was a Mason, anîd sorved as Master cf Composite Lodge in Whitby ini I875. One cf his hobbies was bis collection of the Law Journal cf Ontario, cf wîîich ho had every issue. The collection was said te ho wortb hundreds cf dollars. Mr. Huston married Hannali Scuthwell in 1855 and had threce chi.ldren, Mrs. W. Adams, cf Whitby; William, l)resident of Woodstock College; and George, a printer ut Providence, Rhode Islanîd. After the deatît of bis first wife, Mr. Hluston rnarried Mrs. Hugh McBrien, the widow of bis former eiployer. The sudden death cf his son William in 1896 was a severe blow te Mr. [Huston, and hoe died sbortly afterwards on April 20, 1896, ut the age of 71. 1 k