Grant Block
401 - 415 Turnberry Street, Brussels, Ont.
( Built: 1891 )
In 1859, William Grant purchased Lot 98 on Turnberry Street. He took out a substantial mortgage of $2,000 in 1866 and had a store block built. Grant was the first postmaster of the Dingle Post Office, serving the village of Ainleyville for 14 years, between 1856 and 1870. John R. Grant took over as postmaster in 1870 and the property was sold to him in 1872.
In January 1873, after the village of Ainleyville was incorporated as a town and its name changed to Brussels, the Post Office name was also changed. “At the Council meeting on Monday evening, it was resolved to petition the Postmaster General to change the name of Dingle Post Office to Brussels.” (Huron Expositor Jan. 31, 1873) Ainleyville and Dingle were the past, Brussels the future.
An addition was made to the existing Post Office building in 1875. The Huron Expositor reported: “Owing to the increase in business in the drug line and Post Office department, the ever-obliging Post Master at Brussels has found his present building too small for the accommodation of his customers. He has therefore enlarged his quarters, turning the old log building next door to the drug store into the Post office. The building, which has been highly finished with undressed, lumber presents quite a grinding appearance. Strangers passing through will have no difficulty in finding the office if they enter the most dilapidated looking building in Brussels.” (Jan. 26, 1875) In February the Montreal Telegraph Co. office was moved from John R Grant’s drug store to the Post Office adjoining.
When the block was burned in June of 1878, The Huron Expositor reported that fire “was discovered in the rear of JR Grant’s block in which there are six places of business, four being unoccupied. The others were occupied by D Scott & Son as general store, and by Grant as post office and telegraph office. The fire was first seen in rear of the shop lately used as a drug store. The buildings being old and inflammable, were unfortunately in best burning condition. The fire spread very rapidly to Scott’s on one side, and the post office on the other.” (Huron Expositor June 21, 1878)
A new Post Office building was built in 1879-80. The Brussels Post of March 5, 1880 reported on the new Post Office: “It is a quarter of a century since the old log house that stood on the site of the present Post Office Block was put up. At that time this section of country was a howling wilderness. After serving as a store for a score of years, and later still as a post office, it succumbed to the flames in 1878, with some other old buildings adjoining. / On the 23rd of May, 1879, Mr. JR Grant, postmaster, owner of the property, turned the first sod for the foundation of the stately buildings which were to succeed those destroyed by fire, and on the 24th of December the post office was removed to its present handsome quarters.”
Photo Below: Part of a larger photograph taken of the east side of Turnberry Street, this picture shows the Grant and Blashill Blocks, with the lone frame building, the Gerry Building, to the south.
The splendid building was white brick ornamented with coloured brick arches. It had a frontage of 70 feet on Turnberry Street and some 60 feet on Mill Street. “On the ground floor are Harrison’s Bank, 19x40; Drewe & Sons store, 21x60; and the Post Office, 22x40. The ceiling is 14 feet high and looks
exceedingly well in imitation of walnut and ash.” The Post Office itself was described as “the most comfortable in the district, being large and well lighted. The space above the letter boxes has been utilized by Mr. Grant as an advertising medium, and, indeed, every available foot of wall where the ‘crowd’ waits is at the service of advertisers. There is a cheerful look about the office, and Mr. Grant declares that he actually hates to leave the place at
nights, so snug and cheery does he find it.” The upper rooms, not yet finished, were to be fit up for use as offices and dwelling space. There were three stairs leading up, one at the front and two at the rear. D Prior did the brickwork, Lawson & Ainley the carpentry, and EB Sutherland the shop work. The architect was Mr. JG Proctor of Wingham.
Advertisements Above: On the Left: from the Brussels Post April 16, 1880 and on the Right: appearing in the Brussels Post 1885.
Drewe & Co. was a “splendidly furnished and commodious grocery store” that also sold liquor. (Huron Expositor July 2, 1880) It seems that Drewe & Co. had replaced John Welsh, butcher, who advertised in the January 30, 1880 issue of The Post as having a “commodious shop adjoining the Post Office.” Drewe & Co. sold their business to Thomson & Black in October 1883, but they removed to the stand adjoining the Graham block in November. William Blashill moved into the shop recently left by Thomson & Black. (Huron Expositor, Nov. 16, 1883)
In May 1883, AR Morris, a tailor, occupied the shop over Harrison’s Bank. CH Maddaugh took over the business from WH Morris in April 1885. HL Jackson, a jeweller and watchmaker, occupied the south store in January 1885. In 1886, he hung out a sign in the shape of a horse with a bronze watch.
The Grant Block was sold to Samuel G McCaughey in December 1884. It continued to be referred to as Grant’s Block or the Post Office block. McCaughey mortgaged the property for $3,100 in 1886, it seems to finance improvements made to the Post Office in 1887. “Postmaster Grant is making a number of improvements in the post office conspicuous among them will be 20 additional lock drawers for the accommodation of the public. This will make 60 drawers in the office.” (Brussels Post Apr. 29, 1887)
In November 1886, Joseph Laird moved his barbershop to the “Oriental” in Grant’s Block. Lawyer WB Dickson was also a tenant in one of the offices above. (Brussels Post Nov. 3, 1886, Jan. 7, 1887) Another tenant of the Grant Block in 1887 was the Egg Emporium run by John Roddick. Mrs. William Ballantyne & Son, Roddick’s daughter, took over the business in April 1888. In March of 1889 Mrs. William Ballantyne and Son purchased SW Laird’s brick store at the corner of Turnberry and Thomas Streets and moved their egg business there.
Grant & Co. operated The Golden Padlock, a hardware store in part of Grant’s Block by 1886. On May 7, 1886 The Post reported that: “Grant & Co. have improved the appearance of their store by having all the sample boxes and shelves painted over, etc. A new sign bearing the words Grant & Co. ornaments the front.”
Grant & Co. disposed of their hardware business to Adam M McKay & Co. in April 1887. “Mr. Grant left for Toronto last Tuesday and Mr. Fear will remove as soon as he winds up outstanding accounts. The retiring firm state that they have done a very satisfactory trade during past year. The gentlemen who now take the helm are well known to the people of this locality and as they both are steady going and level headed we expect they will keep the ship off the rocks. We wish them success.” (Brussels Post Apr. 22, 1887) AM McKay & Co. called their hardware store The Padlock Hardware Store. McKay appears to have moved his hardware store not long after buying out Grant & Co. Later references to McKay & Co. indicate that his business was further south at what was once called the Yeo Block.
In January 1887, GA Beer had a custom tailoring shop in the Post Office block over Laird’s Butcher shop. Dr. Hutchinson had an office over the Post Office. He was only here a few short months, moving to his former office at J. Hargreave’s drug store.
Advertisement Below: In 1887 Adam McKay & Co.'s "The Padlock" succeeded Grant & Co.'s Golden Padlock Store. The advertisement is dated 1885.
James Caton ran the Red Flag store next to the Post Office in April 1888. In March of 1889, Scarff & Ferguson, dry goods merchants of Stratford, opened a branch store in the Post Office block. “It is expected that a plate glass front will be put in the store and other improvements will be made. Mr. Ferguson is well known to a great many people in this locality having lived here a number of years. He has had a thorough business training and understands the dry goods trade thoroughly. The Brussels branch will be under management of John Ferguson and George Halliday, young men well and favourably known to all.” (Brussels Post Mar. 29, 1889) Scarff & Ferguson were here until 1891 when they discontinued their Brussels branch. Ferguson and Halliday formed their own firm.
In May 1889, Mrs. Alexander moved her millinery rooms and residence into the rooms above the Post Office. Changes were in store for the Post Office as well. At the end of the month, postmaster John R Grant resigned his position of 20 years. Thomas Farrow took over as postmaster.
The Post Office itself was moved in August 1891 to a store recently purchased by the new postmaster Farrow, on the west side of Turnberry Street south of WH McCracken’s grocery. (Brussels Post Apr. 7, 1891)
The rooms above the former Post Office were let in September 1891 for use as an art studio. “The ladies interested in art have rented the large room over the former post office for a studio and will be doing the artistic and beautiful there.” (Brussels Post Sept. 25, 1891)
Jacob Eamer leased the grocery in what was now called the McCaughey Block in January 1894. He had the store renovated for his use. Eamer sold his business only two months later to Taylor & Smillie. Mr. Eamer was said to be in poor health and planned a vacation in hopes that it would help him recuperate. Taylor & Smillie planned to sell boots and shoes as well as groceries. Taylor & Smillie did not stay at this location much longer than Eamer had; they moved to a store in the Graham Block in June 1894.
Miss Stewart opened a dressmaking shop over Taylor & Smillie’s grocery at the end of March 1894. She had both town and city experience to recommend her.
Advertisement Right: Appeared in the issue of the Brussels Post 1894. As noted, Ferguson & Halliday replaced Scarff & Ferguson in the dry goods business in one of the McCaughey Block stores in 1891. In their profile on local businesses published in 1893, The Post described Ferguson & Halliday’s dry goods business as “one of the popular and flourishing Dry Goods establishments…. It is now about 5 years since Messrs. Ferguson & Halliday commenced business here [as Scarff & Ferguson]…. The firm purchase their stock from the best markets and the store is always filled with a large and superior line of Dry Goods, mantles, clothing, &c.” (Oct. 20, 1893).
Advertisement Below: From the Brussels Post February 10, 1893.
Ferguson & Halliday were in business here until 1894 when their store was taken over by David Hogg, furniture dealer. “An arch was cut between the store and the former post office so as to increase the accommodation for the new tenant, (Brussels Post Feb. 23, 1894) In the spring of 1896, DG Hogg, furniture dealer and undertaker, found it necessary to make an assignment. John Walker leased the premises and opened a new furniture store in November. He also purchased the hearse and undertaking supplies from Hogg and planned to carry on that branch of the business. The firm was known as Cardiff & Walker in 1897.
Walker was in business here until 1900. In October 1900, Walker moved his furniture and undertaking business down the street into the new store built by John Leckie.
In March 1905, William Henry Kerr, publisher of The Brussels Post, bought the McCaughey Block. In July the newspaper business was moved into the north part of the block. “To move a newspaper plant from one office to another, including power press and engine, and issue the usual weekly edition is not an easy task and yet that is what The Post did and in genuine hot weather too. D McNaughton bossed the removal of the heavy machinery and by rollers and planks and Councillor Thomson’s ‘trolly’ saved…. This was our second move in 25 years and we hope it will be another quarter a century before we are asked to try it again.” (Brussels Post July 20, 1905)
Advertisement Right: Seen in the Brussels Post newspaper 1897. WH Kerr assumed ownership of The Post in 1880. The business stayed in the Kerr family until 1932 when Kerr’s son, John Leslie, died. Roy Kennedy, son of AR Kennedy, the former editor of the Stratford Beacon, purchased The Brussels Post in 1933. For the next forty years the Kennedy family published the newspaper. Roy Kennedy’s brother, Hugh, worked at The Post for a time as did his wife, Evelyn. She continued as the Brussels correspondent after the newspaper was purchased by McLean Bros. Publishing Ltd. of Seaforth, and absorbed by The Huron Expositor, in 1973.
Advertisements: From the following issues of the Brussels Post Above Left: 1890, Above Right: July 1, 1942, Below Left: April 15, 1880, and finally Below Right: July 1, 1942.
Some of the tenants of the stores in later years were Fletcher Sparling, a farm implements dealer and machine agent, who had a business here from 1925 to 1931; John Rowland, a baker, from 1935-36; and Coleman’s Restaurant, from 1940-42. The town clerk’s office was located in the Grant Block in the late 1940s. There was a harness and shoe repair shop in one of the stores for several years, starting with Nathan Chapman and Oliver Doll in 1945. Arnold Stephens was the saddler in 1947-49. Jacobs Saddlery & Shoe Repair, with Clarence Pegelow as harness maker, was in business for almost 30 years from 1950 to 1979. Edward Rutledge had a grocery store in one of the store spaces in 1953 to 1956. McCutcheon Groceries was here from the 1960s to the early 1980s. The Independent Order of Odd fellows & Rebekahs had lodge rooms above The Post offices from 1977 to 1985.The Block now houses Cinnamon Jim’s Café and the Big Suds Laundry.
We hope the proper authorities will look after a crowd of young boys who, almost every night, make the night air ring with their yells in returning from the Salvation Army meetings. This ‘cowboy’ style of running the town should be sat down on, with a good deal of emphasis too. We hope our constable will keep their weather eye open and nab some of them. Do the leaders of the Army meetings ever try to curb this style of proceeding on the street? (Brussels Post Feb. 27, 1885)
Conundrum – A Brussels lady asked The Post what was the difference between a Yankee, a rooster, and an old maid? We gave it up, and she volunteered the following information which the public will kindly distribute: - A Yankee sings “Yankee-doodle-do”; a rooster says “Cock-a-doodle-do”; and an old maid whispers “Any dude will do.” (Brussels Post July 13, 1898)
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