Ban, -Win ter's H istorical Whitby JOHN SMITH Thedeiolition of unused buildings currently under way at the Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital will dlaim as one of its victims, a bouse of considerable historie intemest. Known today as "Grove House," it was originally called "Bayside, " and is located adjacent to the children's Unit of the Durbam Centre forthe Developmentally Handicapped. ri Blines Good Day! Not much news thîs week! On Friday June 30 at 1 p.m. in Grass Park (Cassels Road and Baldwin) the Rebekah's are holding a bake and yard sale. AIl prcceds go to Benevolent work. Hope everything goes well and the weather. is good. Brooklin United Church Congregational Picnicé and Outdoor Church Service, will be held at Claremont Conservation ýArea on Sunday June 25. Cars will be leaving the church ai 10:45 amn Bayside was one of the original farinhouses on the bospital property, bufit i1855 by William Gordon, a Scottlsh pioneer who had acquired the land on the west side of Whitby'Harbor i 1838. Thé story of the Gordon family was told in the Historical Wbitby column of May 12, 1976. Today's column deals with the man who purchased the Gordon farm, John Smith. -Mrs. William Gordon died in 1887, and tbe following year, ber cbildren sold Bayside to John Smith, a wealtby farmer who made the estate one of the finest farms in Canada. Mr. 'Smith was bom in Yorkshire England in 1841, and came to Canada in 1862 at the- age of 21. He settled in Whitby Township and started bis farming career working for James Dryden at Maple Shade Famm at the corner of the seventh concession and Thickson Road. Later he acquired a farm of bis own on the base line east of Brock Street, and in 1888, moved to Bayside, which eonsisted of 200'acres of land where the Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital now stands. Mr. Smith planted orchards and landscaped the farm, and A special invitation goes oui to thc leaders and members of the church groups - Mlessengers, Explorers, Tipos, CGLT, Sunday School, -Youth Group U.C.W., the Sociables and all church people. Bring your own cut1pry and dishes. Berverages wiIl be supplied. Games and races will follow the share-a-dish picnic. Please corne and join the fellowship and fun. To gel to Claremont Conservation Area, follow number seven highway and Claremont Conservation Area signs. (Approximately one mile north of Greenwood Centre. During the first week of Juiy 1 wiIl be going on vacation. But don't worry there wilI bc a columnn. You arc asked t.o stili put, information in the drop off and cal]. There will bc someone al. my numnber to take the information. I won't be writing the COluITIi but -il wiIl gel vwritten. WelI thats- the news for this week. Not much of anything going ony during the sum mer. Hope everyone has a safe and happy summer. Watch out for the kids, cause they'll soon be out of school. Marie 655-3061 . Brown's drop off (Befôre 2 p.m. Sat.) Learn-to-Sai*l program by yacht club is open to boys & girls aged 9 to 16 .The Whitby Yacht Club is now organizing a Learn-to- Sail program for ages 9 - 16 for both boys and girls for four two-week periods dur- ing the months of July and August. With the theme "Setsail for. Summer" the Wbitby, "'Corne Sail" Junior Pro- gram is open to any resident student in the Region of Durham and is flot restricted to WYC members. A Wintario grant for the purchase of saiîboats and sail equipment makes this Wintario assisted project and means that 5 more optimist sail boats, for the younger would-be sailors, and albacores for the more advanced plus a safety boat wîll be added to the exising fleet of boats that will be available for those register- ing for this course. Led by a qualified CYA (Cà nadian Yachting Assoc- iation) instructor and assist- ed by two assistant instruet- ors as well as members of the Whitby Junior Yacht Club who have passed their CYA Sail level three and four, the program will have trained leadership to teach new sallors the fine arts of boat handling, proper sail- ing, ules of the road, water safety, proper knots, weather conditions and sea- manship. From 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily, Monday to Friday, the sailing instruct- ion will be given at the Whitby Junior Yacht Club clubhouse and using the Junior docks and the opti- mists and albacores for the sailing experience. The Whitby Junior Yacht Club members have for years been taking training in the different levels of sailing skills and this program is now available to any inter- ested youth of the Region. The registration fee will be $45 for each two-week period and can be continued for longer if desired - or $25 for one week. The two-week course is recommended. The courses will be the National CYA approved courses leading to CYA Sail level one, two, three, four and five. Eacb boy or girl miust have their own MOT BEAUJI FU L cuts, perms, sets, w,,,erytimne! & approved life jacket. The standards are high but worth the effort. Regattas and special events will be feat- ured. Ahl registrants must be able to swim. Brochures and registra- ion forms will be available - phone the Whitby Yacht Club office - 668-1391 - and a copy will be sent to you. At least thirty boys and girls are expected for each two-week session in groups of fifteen or so. While much time will be out on the water, classroom instruction. is important. .Sailing is a great sport, becoming increasingly popu- lar and this will be an opportunity to leamn how to have fun on the water, sait- ing safely. Heavy Duty ) Si ermaseal lu min um Doors WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JIJNE 21, 1978, PAGE 7- in 1901 hie constructed a -modern barr i wth a concrete foundation on the site of the present Durham Centre children's unit. The barn was featured in magazine testimonials for the company that supplled the concrete for the foundation. Mr. Smith married Sarah Crawfortb, daugbter of Joshua Crawforth, one of Witby's early settlers, and they had a farnily of eight children, four girls and four boys. Mrs. Smith was born in 1845 on the boat on which ber family crossed the Atlantic Ocean from England to seek their fortune in Canada. Mr. Smith was noted for bis interest in local political affairs, and served nearly every year for 30 years on the Town Council. The span of bis service covered from about 1880 to 1911, representing the South Ward, as Port Whitby was called. Because, of failing health he was persuaded not to seek re-election to council in 1912, but won a seat on the Board of Education by acclamation. Mr. Smith was Chairman of the Streets Committee of council for many years, and this very responsible position demanded much of his time. John Smith was a lifelong niember of the Metbodist Church and a Conservative ini polities. During 1911, the provincial government was carrying out negotiations to purchase the farms which now make up the Wbitby Psycbiatric Hospital property. Mr. Smith was the one hold-out, and would flot seil his farm, even for the $30,000 offered by the governmnent. At this point, death intervened, and the government got the farm. On Jan. 18, 1912, Mr. Smith died at the age of 70, and his funeral was one of the largest ever seen i Whitby. As was the custom of those days, the funeral was held at his home, and so large was the crowd that 300 people had to stand out in the cold for more than an hour because there was noroom for themn in the house. More than 60 carniages and automobiles formied the funeral procession to Union Cemetery- for one of the moà t respected farmers of the district. After the Ontario government purchased Bayside, the brick bouse was stuccoed over, and today it is much changed fromn its original appearance. However, the front door la one of the finest of its pemiod in Whitby. With the demolition of Grove House (Bayside), Whitby loses yet another link with its illustrious past. DENTURE THERAPY CLINI1C 111 à mndsSt. W. Whitby 668-1464 IFîiPepIaGes For Home or Cottage Heatilatorbullt-insI Fisher and Efel Stoves Glass Doors, I~ Prefab Chimneys IJ Accessories BOOK NOW YOUR FLIGHTS TO FLORIDA Starting Oct.29 From $109"0 te 1590 Also ask about Wardairs new flights to Hawaii WARDAIR Add bounce, curi and direction to straight hair with a permanent or ceut your hair in one of the new geometrie styles. LA CON*FJTESSA5*#& BEAUTY LOUNGE 19 Green St.. Whitby 668»9262 Cell For $120" Msu et Installation $11000 MITCHELL DRTHERS BROOKLUN 65$4"1 RUSSELL TRAVEL 116 SROCK ST, Se WHITY 6684000 HOuRS Mon -Fri 9 - 5m,Sat 9- 12 i »- -~ - ~ - buskling centm