Thanks to Gail Barr
Deborah Van Waard— This service station was owned by Jim McDonald and was called McDonald’s and the highway at the time was called “Christian Street”. In 1953 my father, Ed Winslow-Spragge purchased the business and I recall the folks that worked with Mom and Dad… Marion Munroe, Dolphie Elliot, Bordie Lieshman(sp?), and others that I may have forgotten. The little service station house was where Mom and Dad first lived when they moved here from Montreal with my two sisters, Susan and Joanne. I was born in 1955. In the store I recall the very cold soft drink water cooler, the big cooler room where meat was stored, a meat slicer that my sister Sue sliced her fingers on, the hard ice cream freezer where I scooped the odd cone for visiting customers. The two bay garage was always busy and Dolphie and Bordie worked on many a vehicle that came for maintenance! Marion was a lovely lady that we all loved and I vaguely remember the glasses that she wore – I think they were of the old cat’s eye variety! I don’t remember when we moved to the house next door, but at some point, as Jayne mentioned, the service station house was moved down the road and I believe Johnny Byrne (Peggy’s brother) and wife Harriet Fassbender lived there at some point. Mom and Dad always worked together in all their adventures, and eventually they sold the business to John Cochrane and his wife Margret. There are so many memories that are conjured up when I see old photos like this one!–Clippings of the Winslow-Spragge Name and the Local Garage
Where did the house go?
Heather Moat The house is further out the highway towards Pakenham.
I’m confused. Almonte was incorporated in 1880 so what 150th celebration would have been in 1970?
Jocelyn Horton McKay They were taking it from when it was first given permission to be a municipality, I think is the correct story….It went through name changes including Shipman’s Mills. The 150 celebration was taken from that first date.
There are many opinions on this but it’s rough to change history.
The celebration was alot of fun and spurned Almonte homecoming days in the next few summers.
Dawn Jones Ha!
I think we have to respect the dates and the decisions our town fathers decided to start the count from. I guess that’s my point.
I knew many of the organizers of our 150th. I helped as well. They were a proud, fun bunch.
I’m sure I will be told I’m wrong…. again. But that’s ok. We had a pile of fun.
Dawn Jones so there was a go to guy back in the day. His name was John Dunn, a recognized historian even back then. He would have an influential say as to
dates about our town history. Especially concerning milestones.
But back then everything was done by committee… meaning the town fathers discussed and agreed. Fun facts about our infamous town.
Funny note. In grade 8 at GL Comba one of our subjects was Almonte history.
Mrs. Rintoul our teacher missed the Almonte train wreck by minutes because she was not feeling good and was tardy getting to the train station.
Don Raycroft yes we discussed this extensively over a year ago. I am a tad younger than you but I remember John Dunn..was a big fan of his collection of stories of history around Almonte. Also know Mrs Rintoul she taught my brother. Thank goodness for the town historians.
Jocelyn Horton McKay they must have been counting from the first settler in 1820. I think the 200th for Mississippi Mills will be celebrated in 2023 because the first settlers in Pakenham only arrived in 1823
I still call it cochrans
Don Raycroft I remember it as Jim MacDonald’s still call it that sometime too LOL
Ross Munro haha. Exactly, John Cochran took it over from Jim.
I’m not sure when I transitioned from MacDonalds to Cochrans or why. Probably because I worked for John Cochran. But it took awhile!!
Don Raycroft John took over from Ed Winslow-Spragge!
Sue Winslow-Spragge My Grandfather delivered oil for Winslow Fuels.
Worked at the curly cone while I was a university student with my brother Terry, sister Christine and Connie Forrest. Would start in early May to clean it and get it opened by long weekend in May! Sweet (and often sticky times!!!) Good memories!!
John Cochran was our boss…great man! Great working at Cochran’s corner!!
My step Grandfather was Jim Macdonald, who had the store before my uncle John Cochran (who I was partly named after). Distant memories for me, but remember the pop shoppe bottles & soft ice cream
CLIPPED FROMThe Ottawa CitizenOttawa, Ontario, Canada24 Dec 1979, Mon • Page 35
Clippings of the Winslow-Spragge Name and the Local Garage
lindaseccaspina 