25/27 Forsyth Street

Bob McKeown writes:    This picture was made in to a postcard....from left, Blanche (Wescott) Wiggins, Hugh C. Wiggins, a baker. a helper, and their daughter Helen Wiggins on the balcony....picture is c1911.....my wife's family has this Po… — Bob McKeown writes: This picture was made in to a postcard....from left, Blanche (Wescott) Wiggins, Hugh C. Wiggins, a baker. a helper, and their daughter Helen Wiggins on the balcony....picture is c1911.....my wife's family has this Postcard, sent from Marmora in 1917 by Blanche to Hugh's sister Frankie (Wiggins) Lobb (my wife's great grandmother) in Milford ON. Hugh Wiggins family moved on to Belleville by 1920s......I am always looking for more info on the Wiggins and Cooper family from the Queensboro area, and have some info to share.....

The site of this building, at 25 Forsyth St, was obtained from Mr. George Bleecker Sr.(1824-1895) shortly after he bought it from the Marmora Foundry Co. in 1857. Records do not reveal when the building was built, but not long after, the section was divided to make room for another building between it and the Bleecker store which was built between 1857 and 1868 .

The location of this building passed through a number of hands - Margaret Brady (1820-1886) , Minerva Pringle (1828-1918) and a Mr. Pope. Alexander.W. Carscallen (1877-1952) and his daughter, Grace. The first occupant of the building of whom we have a record is Mr. Haight. On May 11, 1893, the Marmora Advocate wrote that Mr. James W. Haight ran a bake shop with an ice cream parlour and a general store. According to Grace Warren this was in the north half.

In 1906, Grace Carscallen Deacon, who had received the property from her father, A.W. Carscallen, sold the property to Mr. Hugh C. Wiggins, who ran it until 1923 when he sold to Charles Lummiss. (Mr. Wiggins was also the Village Auditor after the death of Mr. Carscallen in 1907)

An article from the Industrial Edition writes, "Mr. Wiggins' house carries a fine line of staple and fancy groceries, the best brands of family flour and feed, farmers produce, crockery, glassware etc. A bakery will be found in connection. The premises occupied locted on Forsyth Street comprise a store of ample dimensions and neatly arranged."

In 1907, during Mr. Wiggin's ownership, William Frederick Bleecker moved in his ticket office business, and the northern half was converted into an ice-cream and soda parlour which could seat 20 customers.

On July 13, 1911, the Marmora Herald wrote, "Mr. Hugh Wiggins has installed a new International Harvester gasoline engine and bread mixer. He found it impossible to keep pace with his growing business with the old system."

By 1914, he had a beautiful new wooden veranda built on the front of the store, as shown in the photo at the top of this page, and, in 1921, he and Charles Lummiss entered into partnership, opening a new meat shop in addition to the grocery and bakery. The Marmora Herald wrote:

"The interior of the store is painted white throughout. A large refrigerator has been contstructed and in addition to the main part for the keeping of fresh meats, a sanitary counter has been installed with a marble top and handsome inlaid front. An iron frame runs across one side o the shop with hoists for hanging up the meat so that it will hand clear of the wall."

By Nov. 29, 1923, Wiggins had sold his building and business to Charles Allan Lummis (1881-1960) and his wife, Lillith Hamilton Bonter (1886-1981) and in October, 1924, Charles Lummiss joined forces with Edward Bonter (1881-1960) The trade name was changed to Lummiss and Bonter, in 1935, although the Marmora Herald, in March of 1934 referred to Harold Price taking over the "meat business" This grocery store included a bakery and was the location of the tragic 1927 fatal accident involving Arthur Smith.

In 1939, Stewart Blake sold his grocery and meat business to Herbert Arthur Burwash (1894-1948) and his wife, Violet May Pearl Bray (1906-1959). The new Burwash store opened officially on May 2, 1939.

The Marmora Herald reported, "With almost startling suddenness, the Grocery and Meat Business carried on by Stewart Blake for over four years was transferred to Mr. H. Burwash of Baltimore, near Cobourg, this week."

Charles Allan Lummiss

In August of 1934, Stewart Blake of Campbellford leased the business from Lummiss & Bonter, and his father rented the apartment above his son's store. Two years later in November of 1936, Keith Armstrong, who had worked in the store, took over ownership of the meat shop. (The next year he moved across the street to the Shannon Block.)

Glenn Mawer: Great front street store . Jim Black was the butcher

1946, Alex Fraser,  Burwash Grocery truck — 1946, Alex Fraser, Burwash Grocery truck

In Dec. 1941, Norman C. Stover (1905-1967), the baker at the store, and his wife, Margaret Annie O'Neill (1915-2002) left for another position as baker in Belleville,

It was 1948 when Herbert Burwash died and his widow made the sale to Vaughan Alexander Glover (1917-2000) and Dorothy , who continued the grocery store. Two years later in October he completed extensive renovations on a cement block extension, 30' by 40' at the back of the store. The main floor of the new addition would be used as a warehouse and the basement used for the new heating plant, and storage.

Herbert Burwash Obit

Violet Burwash Obituary

In 1956 the grocery store was put under the banner of the I.G.A. - the Independent Grocers Association - In May of 1966, Mr. Glover moved the business to a new location at Matthew Street and North Hastings Street. That store was sold to Dwayne Welch in June 1971, while in 1969 Jack Jones with Jack's Bargain Barn moved into the Old Glover store. This was the last business to occupy the whole building.

Forsyth St looking south - Library Collection.jpg

Forsyth Street, Business Section, west side, looking north, Marmora.jpg

Lisa Giroux-Belanger :  I remember going into that store, it always smelled like tires. Nov. 22, 2014      Annmarie Willman-Spry writes:   Jim Spry says that's Pete McInroy's car. Nov. 22, 2014 — **Lisa Giroux-Belanger :** I remember going into that store, it always smelled like tires. Nov. 22, 2014 **Annmarie Willman-Spry writes:** Jim Spry says that's Pete McInroy's car. Nov. 22, 2014

It was 1975, a developer from Peterborough, Mr. L. Tazowki, purchased the building and divided it into two. With reduced stock, Jack's Bargain Barn moved into the south half, and on Dec, 4, 1975, Mac's Milk, a convenience store chain, set up on the north half with Norman Warren from Newmarket as manager.

In 1983, Patricia Scea, the proprietor of the Marmora Mac's Milk moved out to reopen at the Bowes and Cock's building at the south east corner of Hwys 7 & 14.About this time the building was purchased by Bill and Gigi Kourukis, who opened a restaurant, known as the "Corner Pizza, The north half was rented to Lee-Anne Trenear in 1989

By 1993, the building was sold to Bob and Marie Gibson Kent, who officially opened as Bob's Pizza and Family Restaurant in the south half, the north half being occupied by a number of businesses:- Karin Heller relocated her pet and grooming business there in 1993, followed by the Royal LePage Real Estate office on November 21, 1996. The year 2003 saw Elaine Wells open a Dollar & Up Store and by 2008, Ron and Adele Ireland ran the "Dollar Market" and later a home and decor store, known as Changing Seasons, along with a Sear's cataloque outlet.

In the south half, Bob and Marie continued to run their restaurant until retiring on April 14, 2003, when the building was taken over by Margaret and Lloyd Ellis of Trent Hills They in turn handed over the reins in 2005 to Ben Brown, when the restaurant became known as Grandpapa's Family restaurant. Then in 2008, the restaurant and building was sold to Larry and Peggy Cole, and is renamed the Lyons Den Family Restaurant.

On April 6, 2010, Michael Bailey and his sister, Donna Bailey and Amanda Zufelt became the owners of the building and ran the restaurant, by then known as Bailey's. They have since sold to developer Jim Perkins.