Clippings of the Winslow-Spragge Name and the Local Garage

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!

Photo thanks to the Almonte Public Library reference– The Curly Cone!!!!!! Jayne Munro-Ouimet said this morning. “Linda, my mother wants you to know that the house in the photo was moved along Highway 29 towards Pakenham. It now is located roadside near the entrance to KF New and Used Auto Parts located at 4081 County Road 29 north. Jayne”

Marty TaylorI’m pretty sure we rented that house when we first moved to Almonte. I think my dad helped pump gas and my mom may have helped out in the store.

Anne-Marie FordSince this pic is from 1970, wouldn’t it mean 2020 is the 200th anniversary