Stratford Sketches and paintings
This wood cut was enlarged from an illustration on a map of the town of Stratford prepared on order of the municipal council in 1878. See Evolution of Ontario Street for more detail Stratford-Perth Archives
Hand drawn sketch appeared in the newspaper depicting Stratford in 1870's. Stratford-Perth Archives
The view of the Huron Street bridge area in the early 1870s was drawn by Vic Kelly of the Stratford, Beacon Herald and is based on all known earlier drawings and photographs. It was checked by the late R. Thomas Orr a few days before his death. Perth's first courthouse built in 1853 stands north of the Avon at the corner of Hamilton and William Street near an earlier Saint James Church. Centre foreground is Dufton‘s mill. The large mill at the dam was originally a Canada Company sawmill, and later became a flower mill operated by Colonel W. F. McCulloch and finally by William Mowat. Stratford-Perth Archives. The little house west behind the Dufton Mill was nicknamed "Anne Hathaway's Cottage" and was the last piece of land to come into the parks properties along the river in c.1978. Vince Gratton
This watercolour was painted by R. Thomas Orr in about 1880, to record his memories of what Tom Orr Sr.'s property looked like when he, R. Thomas, was about 10 years old. The view is northerly, across the Avon River as though it were an aerial photo taken from the over the Ontario Street business buildings. The building at the left, the Orr planing mill and factory, is located about where the bandshell is now. The building on the right is the Orr family house at 50 Cobourg St. (see Cobourg Street), the street that runs horizontally in the foreground of the photo. Crossing the river is the long and narrow wooden Waterloo Street bridge. West of the bridge on the far shore of the Avon is the Easson planing mill (see Easson Street). The wooden dam is beyond the left side of the scene. Drawing :Stratford-Perth Archives. Text: Brian Wendy Reis, If You Grew Up in Stratford . . . FB
Jessie Turnbull Scott's painting of Stratford in the summer of 1899 has been part of the Stratford-Perth Archives collection for many years. The building in the background is John Idington’s (see William Street) 1870s mansion on the north side of the river – now 300 William St. In 1956, The Idington’s home, “situated on an isolated slope" dominated the north side of the river, its tower visible to the entire town." The
perspective in Scott’s painting is from the south side of the Avon River, looking east towards the Waterloo Street bridge.
Stratford Brewery, Sheard & Co. Proprietors 1882 Stratford-Perth Arrives
The Shakespeare Hotel Drawing by Bruce Stapleton ( see Cambria Street) Stratford-Perth Arrives
This poetic watercolor by R. Thomas Orr shows the log school , the residence of J.C. and the "Auld Kirk" clustered together, though they were separated in reality. Stratford-Perth Archives
Steamboats came to the Avon River in about 1877, during a Victoria Day regatta. Initially, there were to be two entries: a 17-foot paddlewheeler, Firefly, owned by William Jeffrey, and a 12-footer, Dreadnaught, owned by D. Nichol. But it was an unexpected third entry, by a young man from Baden named Adam Beck. He and his boat, Water Lily, won the Victoria Day race, as well as a rematch in the following July. The young Mr. Beck later became Sir Adam Beck. Picture and text: Nancy Musselman Fuller Stratford Falx Mill shown on North side on Water Street. Stratford-Perth Archives
The Stratford Collegiate School as it looked in 1882 Stratford-Perth Archives
St. Andrews Church 1840 Stratford-Perth Archives
The square, three-storey, red-brick building to the northwest of the Huron Street bridge was the Stratford Hotel in about 1910. Directly behind it is St. Joseph’s Church. Photo: Stratford-Perth Archives.
Crowd following he arrival of the first train from Dover Feb. 3, 1876 Stratford-Perth Archives
Arrival of the first train from Dover Feb. 3, 1876 Photo: Vince Gratton
This original water coloured print dated c.1880 is owned by Vince Gratton. The artist appears to have stood on the north side of the river about at the north entrance to the damn. Looking south east he captured the Knox Church and the Albion Hotel as important landmarks.