Read Burritt Stratford-Perth Archives
The north part of Burritt Street appeared on the 1922 map of Stratford.The part south of Ontario Street was added later.
The Burritt family made an important contribution to the city over many years. Burritt Street was named for Read Burritt, who was appointed Perth County's first judge in 1855.
Until that appointment there had been no such position in the county. Burritt had been prominent in politics, having been member of two parliaments He had taken his oath of office in 1855 before the late John J. E. Linton, a leading pioneer in Stratford, and ruled in that capacity for nine years until he died in office in 1864. With notes from Stanford Dingman
The house at 52 Devon St. was built for Read Burritt.
Architectural description: rectangular two-storey red brick Georgian with a storey-and-half red brick Gothic Revival addition built in 1866 to the left side. Left side first floor large rectangular three-section window with multi panes and narrow shutters. Second floor two narrow pointed Gothic-style windows in the peak of the roof. Edges of the gables are trimmed with decorative drop finials right side Georgian portion. First floor entrance door with straight transom and side lights on the left. Two rectangular replacement windows six-over-six panes on the right side. Second floor three rectangular replacement windows six-over-six panes. All windows have narrow shutters. Source: Stratford Designated Properties
52 Devon St.
Silas Huckleback
Silias Huckleback
Read Burritt's son, D. B. Burritt, was division court clerk for 64 years his son, Arthur H. Burritt, was in the division court until he went west. Read Burritt's grandson, Melvin R. Burritt was nicknamed Silas Huckleback, and became a genuine cowboy. At 84, he still talked about sodbusters, cowpunchers and broncobusters. He was living in Vancouver in 1975. Notes from Stanford Dingman
Story from the Lion's Club Lynn Valley Day festival
In the 1960s and ‘70s, a regular and popular feature of the Lynn Valley Days parade (North Vancouver) was the presence of local actor and storyteller Melvin Burritt in his Silas Huckleback persona. Burritt would ride up and down the length of the parade route in buckskin buffalo togs of his own making, fringes flying, astride a trusty steed, rifle by his side. Terry Nichols, the parade marshal for more than 36 years, remembers fondly the days of Huckleback leading the procession: “He was an extremely colourful character. He knew how to ride his horse and he’d carry his rifle, and that rifle was loaded. But he had that horse under control, and the kids just loved him.” Picture by Alex Waterhouse Wayward