Bill Warnica Collection

A collection of images donated by Bill Warnica

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: Ministers at the Baptism of Bill Warnica; Photo of the minister presiding over the baptism of Bill Warnica, Reverend Jack William Newton-Smith (right) of St. Paul's Church, Innisfil, on 11 July 1948. Also pictured are Reverend Claude Percival Muirhead (left) of the Big Bay Point Church St. Andrew's By The Lake, and his wife Berthe (née Allwood) Muirhead.

: Mitchell Rowing Skiff; Photograph taken at the Gravenhurst Antique Boat Show by Bill Warnica of what is believed to be one of the last remaining examples of a Mitchell rowing skiff from the 1800s. The accompanying informational panel presented by Muskoka Steamships & Discovery Centre provides its length as 17 feet. The full description reads: "This boat is possibly the last remaining example of the Mitchell rowing skiffs from the late 1800s. William Mitchell was a noted Lake Simcoe skiff builder located on Lovers Creek Tollendal on south shore of Kempenfelt Bay near Barrie, ON. He supplied a lot of high quality rowing skiffs to the then popular boat rental liveries on the lakes such as Rowland Boats in Orillia. This boat won a lot of rowing races and trophies at regattas around Lake Simcoe. From this particular boat, a mould was created in order to produce modern fiberglass models for Rossiter Boats of Midland. Using this mould, over 500 Loudon Skiffs have been built and sold around the world."

: Morris Warnica; Photograph of Morris John Warnica (1918-1978) taken after a day of raccoon hunting. He is pictured standing holding several raccoons in front of a car with snow on the ground. Morris was the son of Sam Warnica and Pearl Soules, and married Kathleen Agnes Aikins (1923-1949) in 1948, and then Margaret Blanche Robertson (1918-1984) in 1955. His two children are named Barbara and Donna.

: Newspaper Clipping for Kingsmount Garage; Newspaper clipping featuring a photo of the Kingsmount service station from 21 November 1940. The original Kingsmount burned down in January 1940, and was rebuilt by William Lock. It opened that fall under the management of Bill Vincent. The photo features the distinctive architecture of the main building as well as an Imperial Gas sign and two gasoline pumps. The text reads: "Bill Vincent, who has been in charge of garage in London for 20 years, has taken over the Kingsmount Garage between Stroud and Churchill on the No. 11 Highway. It will pay you to drive out and see him when thinking of getting your car overhauled, and save money. Also carrying a stock of groceries." On 15 June 1953 the Kingsmount gas bar, snack bar, and tourist cabins were purchased by Kenneth and Anne Gould from Donald Moyes. They changed the name to Kenney's Service Station.

: Newspaper Clipping on Lasher's Point; Copy of a newspaper clipping (publication and date unknown) discussing Lasher's Point and the summer hotel known as Lake Simcoe Country Lodge, formerly located somewhere between the 9th and 11th concessions on Lake Simcoe.

: Original Kingsmount Service Station; Photo of the original Kingsmount service station featuring a restaurant and Imperial gas station. The original construction burned down in January 1940. Originally purchased by William Lock in 1932, William and his wife Lucy (White) built a garage, general store, restaurant, tea room, gas station,and rental cabins on the hill between the 7th and 8th lines of Innisfil, fronting on highway 11. The station and property was later sold to Kenneth and Anne Gould on 15 June 1953. This photo shows a distinctively peaked roof on the original building as well as three gas pumps and a car parked beside them.

: Orville Daniel Cameron; Photograph of Orville Daniel Cameron (1916-1988) during a visit to Burton Warnica's farm, located on present day Algonquin Avenue in Big Bay Point, in the mid-to-late 1940s. He was the eldest son of Daniel Cameron and Alma McNiven. Orville enlisted at age 25 in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps on 3 July 1941. He trained at Camp Borden and was deployed to Britain on 3 November 1941 as a driver mechanic "C." Though in different divisions, Orville served with his friend John "Jack" Taylor and future brother-in-law Donald Beatty, both from the Innisfil area. He served a total of 46 months overseas and earned the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, the Defence Medal, the 1939-45 War Medal, and the Italy Star before receiving an honourable discharge on 3 October 1945. Orville and his wife Marie Elizabeth Beatty purchased a farm on the 8th Line of Innisfil and raised a herd of purebred Guernsey dairy cows. A farming accident forced the family to sell the farm to the Eisses family in 1960 and moved to Belmore, Ontario, to open a repair garage. Later, the family moved to Alberta in 1967, and Orville died in August 1988 at Barrhead, and was buried in the Field of Honour in Innisfail Cemetery in Innisfail, Alberta. This information was provided by Orville's children Connie Thornton, John "Jay" Cameron, and Sharon Cameron for the book Innisfil Veterans (p. 107-8).

: Orville Daniel Cameron in Big Bay Point; Photograph of Orville Daniel Cameron (1916-1988) during a visit to Burton Warnica's farm, located on present day Algonquin Avenue in Big Bay Point, in the mid-to-late 1940s. He was the eldest son of Daniel Cameron and Alma McNiven. Orville enlisted at age 25 in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps on 3 July 1941. He trained at Camp Borden and was deployed to Britain on 3 November 1941 as a driver mechanic "C." Though in different divisions, Orville served with his friend John "Jack" Taylor and future brother-in-law Donald Beatty, both from the Innisfil area. He served a total of 46 months overseas and earned the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, the Defence Medal, the 1939-45 War Medal, and the Italy Star before receiving an honourable discharge on 3 October 1945. Orville and his wife Marie Elizabeth Beatty purchased a farm on the 8th Line of Innisfil and raised a herd of purebred Guernsey dairy cows. A farming accident forced the family to sell the farm to the Eisses family in 1960 and moved to Belmore, Ontario, to open a repair garage. Later, the family moved to Alberta in 1967, and Orville died in August 1988 at Barrhead, and was buried in the Field of Honour in Innisfail Cemetery in Innisfail, Alberta. This information was provided by Orville's children Connie Thornton, John "Jay" Cameron, and Sharon Cameron for the book Innisfil Veterans (p. 107-8).

: Painswick Blacksmith Shop; Colour photo of the outside of the Painswick Welding and Blacksmith shop formerly located on Big Bay Point Road, east of where Dean Avenue [as of 2018, now the Zehrs grocery store parking lot]. The business was later owned by Don Bickel.

: Painswick School 1954-55; Photo of the class of 1954-55 of the Painswick School with teacher Mrs. Ina Martin. The photo was taken outside with the class lined up against the brick wall. Pictured from left to right, back row: Bonnie Martin, unknown, unknown, Janet Westman, Colleen Campbell?, Val Westman, teacher Mrs. Martin, Joyce Pratt, Joan? Kinton, Helen Nesbitt?, Rodney Small, Barry Finnis, Walter Kinton, and Ross Boyd. Middle row: Charlotte McKeown, _____ Martin, Katherine Borneman, Susan Finnis, Cecilia Reynolds, Joan McKenny, Helen Griffiths, Nancy Stark, Bob Hawkins, Bob Chapman, Kenneth Borneman, Gerald Chard, and Jack Nesbitt. Front row: Allan Stark, Michael Reynolds, Larry Boyd, unknown, Larry Keast, Richard Small, Peter Sisler, Gordy Lee, Bill Warnica, and Kenneth McKeown.

: Painswick School Senior Room, Class of 1955-56; Photo of the senior room class of 1955-56 at the Painswick School with teacher Mrs. Martin. Pictured from left to right, back row: Jack Nesbitt (grade 8), Gerald Chard (grade 7), Barry Finnis (grade 8), Ross Webb (grade 8), Ivan Atkinson (grade 8), Colleen Campbell (grade 7), Joyce Pratt (grade 8), Iris Webb (grade 8), Marilyn Reynolds (grade 8), Donna Chard (grade 8), and teacher Mrs. Martin. Middle row: Phoebe Randall (grade 8), Charlotte McKeown (grade 8), Helen Atkinson (grade 8), Cecilia Reynolds (grade 7), Shirley Kelly (grade 7), Katherine Borneman (grade 7), Marion Fairchild (grade 7), Barbara Penman (grade 7), Carol Shaw (grade 7), Gail Smith (grade 8), and Valerie Westman (grade 7). Front row: Murray Irwin (grade 7), Larry Boyd (grade 8), Michael Reynolds (grade 8), Larry Skinner (grade 8), Bill Burton (grade 8), George Martin (grade 8), Kenneth Borneman (grade 7), Anthony Knowles (grade 7), Harvey Skinner (grade 7), Peter Sisler (grade 7), and Ronnie Batters (grade 7). Missing from the photo is Alex Charpentier (grade 7). Photo and names were provided to Bill Warnica by Valerie Francis (formerly Valerie Westman).

: Painswick School Senior Room, Class of 1956-57; Photo of the Senior Room of Painswick School for the year 1956-57 with teacher Mrs. Shannon. Pictured from left to right, back row: Mrs. Shannon, Lorna Cromarty (grade 8), Valerie Westman (grade 8), Susan Finnis (grade 7), Katherine Borneman (grade 7), Bob Belshaw (grade 6), Bob Chapman (grade 7), Richard Small (grade 7), Bob MacDonald (grade 8), Ewan Sheard (grade 6), Kenneth Borneman (grade 7), and Jack Bayliss (grade 6). Middle row: Marilyn Riddell (grade 6), Luella Nesbitt (grade 6), Leona Belshaw (grade 6), Carol Jeffels (grade 6), Nancy Stark (grade 6), Betty Chapman (grade 6), Betty Belshaw (grade 6), Joan McKenney (grade 6), Joan Atkinson (grade 6), Diane Batters (grade 7), and Cecilia Reynolds (grade 8). Front row: Ronnie Batters (grade 7), Elwood Atkinson (grade 7), Joe Rowe (grade 7), Gregory Wills (grade 6), Danny Webb (grade 7), Anthony Knowles (grade 8), Peter Sisler (grade 8), Bill Jeffels (grade 6), Kenneth McKeown (grade 6) and David Thorne (grade 6). Photo and names were provided to Bill Warnica by Valerie Francis (formerly Valerie Westman).

: Pearl and Sam Warnica; Photo of Frankie Pearl Warnica (née Soules, 1887-1956) and her husband Samuel "Sam" William Daniel Warnica (1881-1953). Sam was the son of Orchard Warnica and Jane Wilson, and Pearl was the daughter of John Soules and Annie Susana Guest. Sam and Pearl were married on 27 May 1907 and had seven children: Allan, Burton, Sanford, Russell, Morris, Velma, and Earl. Sam and Pearl farmed at Big Bay Point on the 25th Sideroad until Sam's retirement and move to Guest Road.

: Peninsular Park Hotel Postcard; Undated postcard photo of Peninsular Park Hotel on Big Bay Point. It depicts what is now Lakeview Road as a grass road with two tire ruts and grass in the centre. Before proper roads, the only way to access cottages on the point and the hotel was to drive across the hotel's lawn.

: Pepall Family Cottage; Photo depicting the front exterior of the Pepall family cottage in Big Bay Point, formerly the home of the Cooke family. James Baron Cooke and his family had moved from Barrie to Innisfil in approximately 1877 and settled on a farm at Big Bay Point on lot 30, concession 14. The farm today exists as the Big Bay Point golf course as well as a strip of waterfront that had been converted into cottage waterfront lots. The stucco exterior now hides the original logs used in building the home. Photo donated to Bill Warnica by Nanci Patten, the second great-granddaughter of James Baron Cooke and his wife Mary Alice Booth.

: Peter Cremers Outside Meadowbrook Cabins; Photo of Peter Cremers, owner of Meadowbrook Cabins, along with the restaurant and bar, standing outside of his business. Peter allowed Cal Madill to display and sell lawnmowers, tractors, snowblowers, and other similar items outside of Meadowbrook. This photo was taken sometime between 1966 and 1978. Cal later purchased his own business in St. Paul's, Innisfil.

: Pier at Belle Ewart; Aerial colour photo of the pier at Belle Ewart. Visible at the far right of the photo is the stern of the Emily May, which was abandoned and left to rot just under the trees. The pier in 2017 is approximately half the length that it is in this photo. Construction to shorten the pier is believed to have started in 1958/59 and completed in the early 1960s.

: Plan of Subdivision for Lots 26 and 27 Concession 9; Plan #786 for subdividing lots of 26 and 27 on the 9th Concession of Innisfil into 36 smaller lots, which was approved on 5 September 1960. This plan was drawn up by George Burton, and the names Rose Lane, Kathryn Road, William Drive, and Holiday Way make reference to George's wife rose, children Kathryn and William, and the lot as former site for Holiday Acres Camp. William Drive is now named Burton Drive. George Burton ended up running for the position of Reeve, and winning, in order to combat Innisfil council's proposed $100 levy (later $500) for each lot sold. George served as Reeve from 1969 until 2 December 1974.

: Plane Crash at Big Bay Point

: Portrait of Earl Guelph Warnica; Portrait of Earl Guelph Warnica (10 June 1923 - 21 March 1996) who was the son of Samuel Warnica and Pearl Soules. He married Mary Komoski and they had one child, Ernest. Earl was a World War II veteran and was one of 6 survivors of a bombing raid made by the U.S. Air Force by mistake, on his men. Earl was Bombed for over two hours by the Americans and not allowed to return fire. After the war Earl was based in Holland for a year, driving fuel trucks into Germany for the Allies. He also had a street named after him, Warnica Drive, in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Earl built many houses in Innisfil and in the Kawartha Lakes area.

: Portrait of Gunner Earl G. Warnica; Portrait of Earl Guelph Warnica wearing his uniform. Born 10 June 1923 and died 21 March 1996, he was the son of Samuel Warnica and Pearl Soules. He married Mary Komoski and they had one child, Ernest. Earl was a World War II veteran and was one of 6 survivors of a bombing raid made by the U.S. Air Force by mistake, on his men. Earl was Bombed for over two hours by the Americans and not allowed to return fire. After the war Earl was based in Holland for a year, driving fuel trucks into Germany for the Allies. He also had a street named after him, Warnica Drive, in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Earl built many houses in Innisfil and in the Kawartha Lakes area.

: Portrait of James Baron Cooke; Undated portrait of James Baron Cooke as an older man. The photo details a side-profile, and James is wearing a suit jacket, vest, tie, and collared shirt. James and his family had moved from Barrie to Innisfil in approximately 1877 and settled on a farm at Big Bay Point on lot 30, concession 14. The farm today exists as the Big Bay Point golf course as well as a strip of waterfront that had been converted into cottage waterfront lots. Photo donated to Bill Warnica by Nanci Patten, the second great-granddaughter of James Baron Cooke and his wife Mary Alice Booth.

: Postcard of Swimming Time at Sunfish Camp; Scan of a postcard showing a number of swimmers in the waters of Lake Simcoe at Sunfish Camp, which was a summer camp for the Danforth-East YMCA club of Toronto serving underprivileged boys aged 9 to 16, and was originally located on Hanlan's Point. It was later relocated for the construction of a new airport (now known as Billy Bishop). The land was purchased from William John Goodfellow by the YMCA in 1933 and when William passed away in 1934 before the construction of a road was completed, the YMCA finished building the road. Building materials before that point were transported to the end of the 9th line, and then transported by lake. The camp had 48 boys in the summer of 1935, which quickly grew to more than one hundred and the nine original sleeping cabins grew to 33. The camp also had a large dining hall, boat house, recreation centre, hospital, and Veterans Lodge for former councillors returning from WWII. The boys were taught sailing, canoeing, swimming, nature studies, physical training, games, a variety of sports, crafts, Native American lore, leather work, and model airplane building. The camp was eventually relocated in favour of a more remote location, and the property was sold to George and Rose Burton, who converted it into Holiday Acres resort. For a more complete description, please visit: http://ourstoriesinnisfil.ca/islandora/object/ourstories%3A2648998

: Queen of the Isles Timetable; Copy of an advertisement featuring the timetable for the Queen of the Isles steamship that shuttled between Barrie and Big Bay Point (Peninsular Park) and also to Orillia. The Queen of the Isles is a less recognizable name from the fleet of the Lake Simcoe steamers as the ship did not last long in the region. It was built in Orillia in 1885 and was a coal burning steamer. Due to the railway expansion and improved roads, there was an insufficient demand to keep it profitable and thus was sent to the Bay of Quinte, Ontario by rail car.

: Rental Cabins at Green Lantern Cabins; Photo of several small rental cabins made available to travelers at Green Lantern Cabins, located in St. Paul's, Innisfil. Owned and operated by George and Mabel Ransom, the business also offered a restaurant, tearoom, grocery store, and Supertest gas bar. With the relocation of Yonge Street to accommodate a more gradual curve in 1952, the business lost its prime location and George was compensated $3000 for loss of business by the Department of Highways. The Ransoms retired and sold the property on 20 September 1985.

: Robert Cheeseman with his Pony; Photo of Robert James Cheesman, son of Albert and Betty (née Bowman) Cheesman, with his pony. Located on south half of lot 11, concession 14 of Innisfil (now Barrie), Betty and Albert Cheesman built a storey-and-a-half building with a walk out basement, living quarters upstairs, restaurant and variety store on the main level, Supertest gas bar, and cabins to rent out to travelers. About 100 feet off of highway 11/Yonge Street they built a row of three smaller cabins along the north fence line and one large duplex cabin along the west fence line. The establishment was named Meadowbrook, and the Cheesmans lived there - along with a pony and some chickens - until the business and property were sold in 1952 to Leonard Kearns. This photo was taken behind Meadowbrook. Photo credit to Bob Cheesman.

: Robert Cheesman's Pony; Photo of the pony that belonged to Robert James Cheesman, the son of Albert and Betty (née Bowman) Cheesman. Located on south half of lot 11, concession 14 of Innisfil (now Barrie), Betty and Albert Cheesman built a storey-and-a-half building with a walk out basement, living quarters upstairs, restaurant and variety store on the main level, Supertest gas bar, and cabins to rent out to travelers. About 100 feet off of highway 11/Yonge Street they built a row of three smaller cabins along the north fence line and one large duplex cabin along the west fence line. The establishment was named Meadowbrook, and the Cheesmans lived there - along with a pony and some chickens - until the business and property were sold in 1952 to Leonard Kearns. This photo was taken behind Meadowbrook. Photo credit to Bob Cheesman.

: Robert and Heather Cheesman with Chickens; Photo of Robert James and Heather Gail, children of Albert and Betty Cheesman, feeding chickens behind Meadowbrook, their service station and cabin rental business. Located on south half of lot 11, concession 14 of Innisfil (now Barrie), Betty and Albert Cheesman built a storey-and-a-half building with a walk out basement, living quarters upstairs, restaurant and variety store on the main level, Supertest gas bar, and cabins to rent out to travelers. About 100 feet off of highway 11/Yonge Street they built a row of three smaller cabins along the north fence line and one large duplex cabin along the west fence line. The establishment was named Meadowbrook, and the Cheesmans lived there - along with a pony and some chickens - until the business and property were sold in 1952 to Leonard Kearns. Photo credit to Bob Cheesman.

: Ross Law; Photo of Ross Sanford Law at a young age wearing shorts and suspenders in a grassy and treed area. Ross was born 20 July 1939. The photo was taken at the home of Sam Warnica and Pearl Soules, his grandparents, now on Guest Road. In 1964 Ross married Marjory A. Trotter.

: Ross Law 1957; Photo of Ross Sanford Law taken in 1957. Ross was born on 20 July 1939 and is the son of Grant Law and Velma Irene Warnica. He married Marjory A. Trotter in 1964.

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