Today I was taking pictures of where the old Findlay home was demolished on High Street. Next week there will be a story about the Newfoundland stone building. It was built in 1910, and demolished way too soon. Jennifer Fenwick Irwin, from The Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum, said she recalled an incident about the home, and went searching. I was shocked with what she came up with.
Kenneth C Findlay, age 28, who lived in that very home, was fatally shot outside the family residence at 10:30 pm on December 30, 1939. He and his wife were on their way to Almonte, as he conducted his business from there, and also had a residence. As Mrs. Findlay locked the door she heard a shot. Tragically, there on the driveway, lay her husband with an automatic pistol beside him. It seems he was used to carrying around the weapon in his car during his travels as a bond salesman in the Ottawa Valley. As he jumped into the open car, his gun went off in his pocket.
Kenneth, of course, was the son of David Findlay, who operated the well known Findlay Stove Factory also on High Street. More on the stone home that no longer exists next week. This was one of the sadder tales of Carleton Place.
Written with information from The Carleton Place and Beckwith Museum
Read a local crime story that happened just off of Townline in Carleton Place
Tilting the Kilt, Vintage Whispers from Carleton Place by Linda Seccaspina is available at Wisteria at 62 Bridge Street, the Carleton Place Beckwith Museum in Carleton Place, Ontario and The Mississippi Valley Textile Mill in Almonte. available on all Amazon sites (Canada, US, Europe) and Barnes and Noble
Carleton Place- The Happiest Damn Town in Lanark County
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