Today I poured through the archives looking for things and I would bet my last dollar I found the architect for one of the Findlay homes on High Street. I really wanted it to be the one that was demolished as I still cannot believe three council men decided the fate of that home-even though it was in great disrepair. I seem to have taken the memory of this home under my wing.
Photo by Shane Wm Edwards.
Dumps Bradley wrote a few memories about that particular house which I wrote about, and it is all on record at The Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum if you are interested. Her parents, Anne and Frank Bradley, bought the house from the Findlays in 1954. The home really wasn’t that old having been built in 1910. It was built of Newfoundland Stone and the Bradleys personally renovated it themselves. But the ad for tender was placed in early1900 so that would be too soon for this home.
G. M. Bayly was what they would once call a ‘young upstart’ dabbling in Ottawa politics and forming his own architectural business before the age of 30. George became an alderman in the Wellington ward on his first try, defeating a long time representative from his area. The newspapers noted he was more widely known in the social and civic circles of Ottawa than his opponent. He was a fairly new resident of that ward but the Ottawa Journal said he held intelligent and independent views, and was born and bred in Ottawa.
He was responsible for the design and building of several Ottawa schools, and a few homes in the Glebe.
The above ad was placed for a Carleton Place home that would seem of some opulence. Bayly, looking quite dapper by appearances, and an Ottawa mover and groover probably made sure to move in affluent crowds. It is quite possible he became acquainted with the Findlays at social events. Remember the Findlays were quite forward thinking for their time, and would welcome new ideas. An eight horsepower Ford was bought by Findlay Brothers as the first automobile owned in Carleton Place in 1900. I can see these gentlemen getting along splendidly.
I kept dating the Findlay homes, and I think it is the red brick one (George Findlay home) built in 1901, as it is very similar to ones that were built by George Bayly in Ottawa. More food for thought- and back to the archives.
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