Weldon Armour- One of Carleton Place’s Cool Kids

This cool group took over the steps of the Bank of Nova Scotia in 1959!
Pictured are Blaine Cornell, Gary McLellan, Weldon Armour seated, Dave Gordon, Dale Costello, Bob Bigras, Gerald Griffith, Ray Paquette and Gordon Bassett.- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

 

Today in my story about the John Street home in Carleton Place two of these young lads in the photo above helped me out with the story. Each time I look at this photo I truly believe that this has to be the ultimate photo of Carleton Place. I wonder what happened to Weldon Armour and why he was in a wheel chair. Today I found two stories in the newspaper archives and going to document them here for safe keeping.

You are part of  history now Weldon.

 

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  31 Aug 1963, Sat,  Page 34

 

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  01 Mar 1979, Thu,  REVISION,  Page 2

 

“John Armour also mentioned that his uncle Weldon Armour had two of them” in a story I wrote.  Wow–  John Armour? Related to Weldon? Everyone is really related to everyone in Lanark County:)

What did Weldon have two off? Click here–Do You Remember? Memories of the Pengor Penguin

 

Dale Costello– It was a privilege and honour to have counted Weldon “Woggi” Armour as one of my CP buds. We often joined in in keeping the parking meters intact and upright.  Spent many a day with Weldon, one of my valued CP buds. Always one for a laugh, his spirit was never broken and still lives within me. We ran the social activities from the steps of the Bank of Nova Scotia every week and many a young lady received close scrutiny from the boys. Weldon had a car with hand controls, and we would cruise all over town on $1 worth of gas those days.

Marilyn White– How true. They used to stand him at the meters and remove his wheelchair. He would often ask us as we walked by to give him his chair. He was so much a part of our town.

 

Linda SeccaspinaGroup Admin– Where was the location of the office?

 

Dale Costello– Off of the side street, not facing Emily Street.

Ray Paquette– Actually, it was a brick extension to the Armour home on the east side. Weldon’s desk was in front of a large picture window facing Emily Street so that he could watch the passing traffic during slow periods in the office. The entrance to the office was off Charles Street…
Ray Paquette– I stand corrected! I just checked Google Street View and the Armour home at 98 Emily shows the office extension with a ramp leading to an entrance. If memory serves me, when Weldon was first the MTO agent for license renewal, he worked out of a makeshift office in the kitchen (where I bought my Ontario plate in 1971 on return from NS on posting to Ottawa). When the word got out among the RCMP community in Ottawa that Weldon was operating the license bureau, they would form groups with one member designated to drive to CP to get the license renewal for everyone. The exponential increase in business lead to the need for the extension and a dedicated office

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun and Screamin’ Mamas (USA)

 

Related reading

 

So are the High School Cool Kids still Cool?