Innisfil Videos



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Bruce Webb - Life on the Farm
Lifelong resident of Innisfil Bruce Webb describes what life was like growing up and living on a farm in Stroud. Interviewed by Jean Warrington and Kate Zubczyk on 2 February 2016 at his home in Stroud.
Bruce Webb - Meeting his Wife, and their Family
Lifelong Innisfil resident Bruce Webb discusses how he met his wife and talks about their family life in Innisfil. Interviewed by Jean Warrington and Kate Zubczyk on 2 February 2016 at his home in Stroud.
Bruce Webb - The Ambulance Hearse
Lifelong resident Bruce Webb recalls how the local ambulance doubled as a hearse when necessary, and the confusion that was sometimes caused by the situation. Interviewed by Jean Warrington and Kate Zubczyk on 2 February 2016 at his home in Stroud.
Bruce Webb - Threshing
Lifelong resident of Innisfil, Bruce Webb, describes the process of threshing and the community spirit required for harvesting to take place. Interviewed by Jean Warrington and Kate Zubczyk on 2 February 2016 at his home in Stroud.
Bruce Webb - Webb Family Land
Lifelong Innisfil resident Bruce Webb talks about his family's land in Innisfil. Interviewed by Jean Warrington and Kate Zubczyk on 2 February 2016 at his home in Stroud.
Bruce Webb - Work and Responsibilities
Lifelong resident of Innisfil Bruce Webb discusses the responsibilities assigned to him and his siblings growing up in terms of work and education, as well as his career in construction. Interviewed by Jean Warrington and Kate Zubczyk on 2 February 2016 at his home in Stroud.
Charlotte Empringham - Golfing At Cedarhurst
Charlotte Empringham describes taking golf lessons as a child at Cedarhurst golf club on Saturday mornings while parents went golfing. There were between twenty and thirty children in attendance, and the instructor, Burt, was an old Scottish pro. Katherine Mitchell, a longtime resident of the area, came up with the idea of an inter-club ladies golf group between Cedarhurst, the Briars, Eastbourne, and Orchard Beach named the Mitchell Inter-Club Golf group. The Mitchell Inter-Club Golf Tournament began in 1962 and would end with a lunch at one of the member's homes, with a staple food of chicken salad with green grapes served at every lunch. Eventually the lunches changed from taking place in people's homes to at each club, but the tournament still occurs today after a unanimous decision to continue it as the original 9-hole tournament.
Charlotte Empringham - Stanley Thompson
Charlotte Empringham describes the impressive designs of Stanley Thompson, a golf course architect, on Cedarhurst Golf Club and other courses in the area. He was originally asked by Walter Beecham to visit the site as he had already worked locally (at the Briars and Orchard Beach) as well as numerous courses in western Canada. Charlotte explains that he would make use of the existing landscape contours and trees and jokes that there may be too many trees at Cedarhurst now that they've grown.
Charlotte Empringham - Swimming Lessons On Lake Simcoe
Charlotte Empringham recounts her days as a swimming instructor in Beaverton on Lake Simcoe with more than two hundred children a day come to the pier for lessons while mothers waited on the rocks. She remembers taking the small children in the shallowest water with carp nibbling at her feet. She also elaborates on first flat and second flat, where the most advanced swimmers would take their lessons at the second flat, students of middling skill would be on first, and beginners were closest to shore. Jamie Schrader and Carol Wilson would become her assistants once she became head instructor, and swimming lessons continued no matter how bad the weather was since it was believed that if you were going to swim in the lake, you should be able to swim no matter the conditions. Occasionally life guard duty took over instructional duty, and on the coldest days land drills and water safety were taught on shore. Charlotte also recalls how Harold Laudwick and Dougie Hilliard in particular would cause mischief during lessons. She also explains how she was disappointed to hear that boulders had been placed at the end of the pier to prevent people from diving in. One year she trained long enough to swim out to Thorah island from Cedar Beach to Maple Beach, with Jim Bailey riding alongside in a boat for safety.
Dance Halls In Innisfil
Rosemary Campbell and Jean Warrington discuss dances as a pastime in Innisfil, and visits to Peggy's Dance Hall in particular. Rosemary recounts having square dances once a month at Nantyr Public School, but that she and the other girls would end up dancing with the farmers since there were no younger boys to dance with. In her later teen years she was allowed to go to Peggy's Dance Hall and the ABC Hall. If she hadn't returned home by 11:00 her brother would come to collect her. Jean recalls that her paternal Aunt and her husband built a store at the foot of the 9th Line called Robert's Store. They lived there year-round and eventually built a dance hall at the back of the store where she would go dancing. She jokes that the location was ideal because the YMCA camp was down the road, so the boys from the camp would come up to dance with the girls in town.
Dealing With Fires
Jean Warrington and Brian Baker each explain the community aspect of how fires were dealt with in Innisfil prior to the 1960s. Jean begins by talking of how she was forbidden to use the coal oil lamps at her family's cottage as a child as her grandmother was terrified of fire after her farm burnt down in 1925 while she was visiting a cousin in Texas. The only person present at the time of the fire was a hired man as everyone had gone to do chores - the man noticed a fire in the woodshed where he and the others had eaten lunch. He went to the phone to ring everyone on the line to alert them of the fire. Jean's aunt received the message first and then alerted others. Jean's mother was in Barrie at the time making a wedding dress for a friend, but as soon as she heard about the fire she hired a taxi, which took her to Stroud. She felt the taxi wasn't fast enough so she left in hopes that a friend could drive her there faster but quickly discovered that everyone else was already at the fire. Unfortunately much was lost in the fire. Brian shares a similar story of how the community made use of a long ring to alert neighbours of a fire and everyone was expected to go and help out and form bucket brigades as there were no fire stations at the time.
Dedication of the Trinity Church Pioneer Families Memorial
Footage of the dedication of a memorial to the pioneer families of Trinity Church. The event took place on 18 June 2000 with approximately 40 family members present at Barrie Union Cemetery. The service was conducted by Rev. Dr. Richard Tanner and Rev. Bill H. Warnica. This video was donated by Bill Warnica.
Deirdre Fitzgerald - Living In Innisfil Today
Deirdre Fitzgerald of the Welcome Wagon explains her decision to move to Innisfil and how the small community feel drew her to Gilford in particular. She originally moved to Cookstown in 2007, and lived in Alcona north of the beach for some years, and then moved to Gilford near the lake. She and her husband were initially attracted to the area because it was between Barrie and Toronto, both of which were too big, and Innisfil seemed like a tight community with warm and friendly people. She also enjoys having Lake Simcoe so close to appreciate and meeting the people who fish and boat nearby. She also explains that the economic recession was noticeable in Innisfil but that in recent years new businesses have been emerging throughout the Town.
Deirdre Fitzgerald - The Welcome Wagon
Deirdre Fitzgerald describes her role in the Welcome Wagon organization in Innisfil and the impact it has on those in the community. She works mostly in Cookstown-Thornton delivering packages to welcome newcomers to the community as well as baby welcomes, baskets for new brides, people over 50, retirees, and new businesses. The organization has been operating since approximately 1930 and is used to greet people new to the municipality and provide information about the community as well as gifts or coupons from sponsoring businesses in the Innisfil area. Deirdre explains how helpful the sponsored products can be as they work as an incentive to attract customers to a business as well as familiarize the recipients with the services and businesses available in the community,
Dutch Farmers
Jean Warrington and Brian Baker discuss the arrival after the Second World War of Dutch immigrants to the farming community of Innisfil. Jean's uncle who lived on a farm invited a Dutch family, the Eisses, to stay with him to assist their move to Canada. The family was allowed to bring only $250 in cash and very few items, so the head of the family purchased a motorcycle in Holland and had it shipped to Canada. She remembers being with her brother and seeing the family wearing wooden clogs. The family were devout Christians but since there was no Dutch community in Stroud, the mother, father, and three children drove to Bradford by motorcycle every Sunday. Brian explains how a number of locals were displeased with the influx of "displaced persons" following the war out of fear that the newcomers would "take over." He remarks that many of these new arrivals did very well for themselves and the community. Like Jean, he also recalls being fascinated after seeing a Dutch farmer riding on a tractor in wooden clogs, but also remarks that the Dutch farms were and remain some of the best in the country.
Elwood Webb In World War Ii
Elwood Webb, 89 years old, discusses his time in World War II. He joined the army in 1942 and mentions visiting his family doctor who recommended he think on his decision to join the army, but Elwood felt it was his duty. He then traveled to the Exhibition grounds in Toronto and received his uniform there and stayed for two months. There was a terrible snow storm that year and the new recruits were taken to the corner of Bloor and Yonge to help clear the road. From there he went to Brantford for 8 weeks of basic training, and then to Base Borden for almost two years. From there he took the train from Barrie Station and traveled to Halifax, then took the third largest ship (which carried 18 000 soldiers) to Scotland. The ship was too big to come far into the harbour so it remained largely in the ocean while smaller watercraft unloaded the troops. From there he traveled to Aldershot, England for one week, and then transferred again across England until D-Day. He then went to Normandy approximately 1.5 months after D-Day but the weather was so bad that he ended up staying on the Isle of Wight for three days before landing in Normandy. It took all day for all 810 men of the regiment to arrive. They stayed on the beach for 24 hours and then walked further inland (32 miles) - they walked in three groups so that if a bomb hit, only one third of the regiment would be lost. They traveled into No Man's Land and recounts the German troops opening fire there before they retreated. At one point during their movement through France, he and three other soldiers took 1200 prisoners in one day. They traveled along the Seine River, which was full of dead horses and cattle, but they eventually crossed the Seine and went up hill 88 where he was wounded in the arm. He was taken by stretcher to the river where the boat operator was Don Beatty from Innisfil. It took 5 days from when he was wounded to be taken to a tent hospital on Normandy beach where he received shots of penicillin every 3 hours. The next soldier to come in was Ernie Aikens off the 12th Line, who was killed approximately 13 days before the end of the war. Mr. Webb is featured in a book, Innisfil Veterans: Their Lives and Memories published by the Innisfil Historical Society. Born in 1923, Mr. Elwood Webb passed away on May 22, 2014.
Geoff Dawney - Baling Straw
Lifelong Cookstown resident Geoff Dawney describes the process of baling straw in the mid-twentieth century. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Geoff Dawney - Businesses In Cookstown
Cookstown resident Geoff Dawney recalls his memories of the businesses located in Cookstown and the families that ran them. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Geoff Dawney - Cost Of Living
Cookstown resident Geoff Dawney describes the cost of staple items like bread and gasoline in Innisfil as well as farmhand wages and tasks in the mid-twentieth century. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Geoff Dawney - Dump Truck Business
Lifelong Cookstown resident Geoff Dawney recounts some memories of owning a dump truck and operating in the Cookstown area. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Geoff Dawney - Family Home
Geoff Dawney describes the reconstruction of the Dawney family home, barn, and outbuildings after a fire in 1936. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Geoff Dawney - Farmers On The Marsh
Cookstown resident Geoff Dawney recounts his memories of the first farmers on the marsh lands near Cookstown and the sense of community that arose between farmers. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Geoff Dawney - Highway 400 And Working As A Mechanic
Geoff Dawney, a lifelong resident of Cookstown, describes his experiences working as a mechanic and fixing the cars of holiday makers that broke down on Highway 400. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Geoff Dawney - His First Job
Lifelong resident of Cookstown Geoff Dawney describes his first job and the wages he received for a day's work. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Geoff Dawney - On Meeting His Wife And His '59 Chevy
Lifelong Cookstown resident Geoff Dawney tells the story of how he met his wife as well as his memories of one of his favourite cars, a 1959 Chevy. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Geoff Dawney - The Dawney Family
Innisfil resident Geoff Dawney discusses his family including his mother, father, and siblings, and their life in Cookstown. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Geoff Dawney - Threshing
Lifelong resident of Cookstown Geoff Dawney describes labour intensive and community focused act of threshing the fields each year, as well as the equipment necessary and traditions associated with it. Interviewed by Kathryn Schoutsen and Kate Zubczyk on 21 July 2015 at the Cookstown branch of the Innisfil Public Library.
Herb Dietrich - Bill Lamb The Ice Man
Herb Dietrich reminisces about the "ice man" Bill Lamb, who lived in a pointed stone house and kept an ice house by the 8th Line dock. Herb recalls going to help shovel sawdust (used as an insulator) and his father going with a team of horses pulling a sleigh to haul blocks of ice from the lake to the ice house. Herb recalls that Bill loved to fish and told him stories of spear fishing. Bill also owned a spear made of a cross-cut saw blade with barbs on it and a leaded handle, which Bill had used with his brother Bob to catch trout. Bill's ice hut would be located about a mile out from the foot of the 7th Line, and he would feed his line down about 80 feet. He used boiled barley and minnows as bait, and Herb recalls he sometimes used a snagger (a homemade apparatus for catching fish) until it was outlawed.
Herb Dietrich - Fishing On Lake Simcoe With Bill Lamb
Herb Dietrich recalls the time he spent fishing and ice fishing on Lake Simcoe, often with the local 'ice man', Bill Lamb. Herb explains that Bill's ice hut would be about a mile out from the foot of the 7th Line, and would feed his line down about 80 feet. He used boiled barley and minnows as bait, and Herb recalls the use of a snagger until it was outlawed. The snagger was a home-made apparatus made of piano wire that was had straight hooks soldered on either end, and another near the weight in the middle. Minnows were placed on the hooks and whenever a whitefish neared the minnow, the fisherman would know and tug the snagger up so that the device would bend upwards and trap the fish inside. Herb explains that it was somewhat unpleasant but that people thought differently about the treatment of animals at the time. Herb also elaborates on Bill's hut, explaining that it had a handmade stove in it that ran off of used motor oil. Herb was always welcome to fish with Bill, and sometimes Herb rode his horse, Laddie, down to the take and then turned him loose but Laddie would find his own way home.
Herb Dietrich - School Days
Herb Dietrich talks about his school days in Innisfil. Nanytr Public school was set to close but when the Dietrich and Flagel families moved to Innisfil the school was kept open. The building itself was only one room and held eight grades with only nine students before the other families arrived. After Nantyr he went to Lefroy Continuation School for two years because it was understood that you would get two years of high school education, then help on the farm for a few years, and then strike out on your own. He mentions envying the children who lived in town when he saw them playing baseball after school because farm children first had chores to do before and after dinner once school finished for the day.

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