Named for Perth County 

Perth Street was named in 1855, by John J. E. Linton, one of Stratford's most important early citizens. He was a Scot, and he used his influence to name the street after something Scottish. A number of streets in that area follow the tradition of naming streets for Ontario counties. 

John James Edmonstoune Linton (see Linton Avenue) was Stratford's leading public watchdog when the community was being settled. He had come to Stratford with his wife in 1833, and they established themselves as leading pioneer citizens. He was a lawyer and a teacher. In 1835 he opened the first school in Stratford, a private classroom in his home. That wasa year after his wife had started the first school in North Easthope Township. 

John Linton

Linton was instrumental in bringing about the separation of Perth County from the District of Huron. He had the privilege of naming the new county and later the fore mentioned street in honour of his Perthshire friends. But he didn't get his way without a fight. Linton jockeyed for position in the community with his archrival, John Daly who, as a Canada Company agent, ruled affairs in the village. Daly was Irish. They had other differences, too, but they did unite in the campaign to separate Perth from Huron. 

Daly wanted to call the new county "Monaghan," after his ancestral home county in Ireland, but Linton the Scot won out with "Perth."

The name originated with the town of Perth on the Tay River in Perthshire, Scotland. It is Gaelic in origin and believed to mean."height over the Tay" or "confluence of the Tay" with the Eam River. Source: Streets of Stratford, 2004. 

Archidald Sidney Clegg

36 Perth St.

Archibald Sidney Clegg, veteran

Flight Sgt. Archibald Clegg was killed on Aug. 18, 1943, at age 31. As the air gunner, he was in the No. 464 Australia Squadron (Aequo Animo) Ventura aircraft when it crashed. He was and was buried in the Blacon Cemetery, Chester, Cheshire, England. He lived at 36 Perth St. His parents were James and Gertrude Clegg.  Source: RAF Association  Canadian Records

Crew:

64 Squadron RAAF was formed as a bomber unit in the United Kingdom in 1942. Comprising personnel from Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the Netherlands, the squadron served a light bomber role from bases in England, and undertook operations over France and the Low Countries. It also flew night fighter missions. After the Allied invasion of France, the squadron moved to France, where it was used to prohibit German transports and infrastructure.  

464 Squadron Venutra aircraft

Doug McNaughton. Champion Fiddler, teacher and judge

Doug McNaughton was born and raised in Stratford. He is a master fiddler who holds the reputation of being one of Canada's finest instructors as well as  being a highly -respected fiddle judge. Doug is no stranger to the Canadian fiddle contest circuit, winning the title Junior Champion on two occasions, and achieving a top 10 finish on five occasions at the renowned Canadian Open Fiddle Championship in Shelburne, Ontario. 

A masterful back-up musician in country and bluegrass circles, Doug has worked with a number of multi-Juno winning and nominated singers or country acts such as Marie Bottrell and Terry Sumsion. He also plays with friends from time to time in a bluegrass band called Granite Hill. see: Granite Hill

Doug started his career with noted Stratford violinist Cam Trowsdale.(see William Street). “Cam taught me for three teen years before he had to leave to pursue his own work but we always remained in touch. He was an inspiration and friend.” After Cam left, Doug then pursued further studies in Kitchener. 

Doug started in the classical world but it was the fiddle tradition that stirred his soul.

Young Doug McNaughton shows his violin teacher, Cam Trowsdale, his new violin. The photo was taken at the McNaughton home at 45 Perth Street in 1960. Photo: Brenda Trowsdale-Barr. 

Doug McNaughton, on the right, with fellow musicians from Granite Hill.  See  Facebook 

In 2024, Doug marked his 50th season judging fiddle competitions across Canada. As an instructor, Doug has dedicated countless hours into preserving the Canadian Fiddle tradition over a 59 year teaching career that will mark his Golden Jubilee in 2025. Many of his students have become Champion Canadian fiddlers in their own right, pursuing careers in music across North America. See: Fiddle Judges  

Doug and his wife Diane continue to have their home base in Stratford from which Doug travels widely to support the fiddle tradition. Sources: Doug McNaughton, Brenda Trowsdale-Barr.


A Letter, written in 2025,  by Doug McNaughton, fiddler, to Paul Wilker, violinist, about their violin teacher, Cam Trowsdale. 

Note: Doug played his fiddle at Cam's Celebration of Life hosted by Cam's sister, Brenda Trowsdale-Barr, at 192 William Street, the Trowsdale family home, in September 2025. Paul was unable to attend but sent greetings and memories.


Cam was a special person in my life. As I said at his celebration of life, "He could teach just looking at you." I knew by his eyes, what he wanted. 

We got together ever so many times when he came home. We would go for lunch and just chat about the Music World. Cam played fiddle tunes in his last years and loved it. His grandfather was a fiddle player and Cam said he always wanted to play fiddle. One time we went to his home place on William St. and I played piano for him while he played old fiddle tunes. He played a bow for every note ( reels ) which is really not fiddle playing, but what we call classical fiddle. Fiddle playing requires some single bows and slurred bows and putting them in wherever you decide at breakneck speed. 


Cam said to me when he finished, "What do you think?" I thought, what can I say but .......... "Great Cam." He was just beaming. 


I have often talked about him to a number of my students over the years. He was so passionate in his teaching. Even though I went in another direction for playing the violin, I still love to listen to a good violinist. I was always happy playing either. I was several months away from trying for my grade 10 in violin and had my pieces down, when I said to myself, "Why am I trying for my grade 10 when I am heavily involved in fiddle playing ." So I left the classical world and went on playing and teaching fiddle. One of the girls from High Park T.O. I worked with for some years when we could get together in fiddle, is now performing solo in Classical violin with some of the Toronto Symphony. The Concert Master lets her use his violin for these solos. Her name is Joelle Crigger.

 

It's a shame in one way, Paul, that you did not keep going on the violin because you certainly had a talent for classical. I remember you as having this smooth touch to your playing. I have been fortunate in being in bands over the years from Country, Folk, Gospel, Blues and Bluegrass. I did get to perform in 2 seasons of plays at the Avon Theatre for the Shakespeare Theatre in a actor-musician part, which was so interesting. So in a way, fiddle took me to a number of different genres, that, thanks to Cam, I got to experience those years. 


And thanks to Cam, I have passed along his teachings, to some of my former students that have gone on to win the Canadian Grand Masters and some in the top ten finals, the American Grand Masters champion, and another player, the American Champion, to a number that have travelled North America and the world in large shows. Without Cam and his teaching, that would not have happened for me to be involved in these amazing players' lives. I used to tell Cam, these players are your grandchildren. 


Even though Cam was so well known in the Classical World across Canada, he was always interested to hear about these young fiddle players.

We were so blessed to have had him as a teacher and to have known him. For more information on Cam Trowsdale, see William Street.  See also, 

 Campbell Trowsdale | The Canadian Encyclopedia