Dominion Bank Block
56 Main Street South, Seaforth, Ontario
( Year built: 1960 )
Killoran and Ryan had a 1½ storey frame building on the north part of this lot by late 1863. Here they sold groceries, flour, feed and liquor. In October 1869, they moved to their new 2-storey brick store built on the south part of the lot. The Currie brothers, John and David, had a restaurant, billiards room and confectionery in the old frame building for most of the 1870s.
Advertisement Left: Appeared in the Seaforth Sun March 18, 1887.
The north building was divided in the late 1870s. For many years, F.G. Neelin had the Seaforth Sun printing office, and a Custom Office, in the north part. The south part housed a variety of businesses. Thomas D. Ryan had a liquor store and Oscar Rudolf managed a billiard room in back. James Constable’s barbershop was in part of the south section in 1879. Louis Thorne had a combined groceries and liquor store here from 1882-83, then A.M. McGregor took over for a year. Next, Isaac Dunlop had a bakery here for two years. Throughout the 1890s, Donald McIntyre had his shoe repair shop here.
In the early 1880s, the Dramatic Club met in rooms over the north stores. The Y.M.C.A. held their meetings here in the late 1880s-early 1890s.
P. Mulcahy’s barbershop was in the north store’s south part from 1897 to 1901. Thomas Quigley, shoemaker, took over from McIntyre in 1904 and Charles Consigney succeeded him in 1906. Consig-ney’s shop was burned in March of 1908 and no use was made of this part since then. W.J. Duncan started his leggings manufacturery in the south part in 1908. Mrs. H. Cammond had a fancy goods store here in 1909. The building was torn down in 1910.
After Killoran & Ryan moved out of the brick store in 1882, Louis Thorne had the groceries part of his business here for two years. George Good then opened his grocery store here and was in business here until 1895.
The Dominion Bank opened in Seaforth in May, 1893, in the Sam Stark Block. The May 12 issue of The Huron Expositor reported: “The Dominion Bank, which opened for business here last week … are having their office very neatly fixed up and show every indication of having come to stay.” In March of 1896, the Dominion Bank bought the Killoran & Ryan building and moved the bank to this location.
Above Booklet: George Good published this combination cookbook and advertising booklet in 1888. Using this booklet he promoted his grocery store as well as other local businesses. (Seaforth & Area Museum)
Right Photo: The Killoran & Ryan store built in 1869 - the building was bought by the Dominion Bank in 1896. In this photo from Souvenir of Seaforth, 1900, Dr. F.G. Belden was the dentist upstairs. H.R. Jackson & Son had a liquor store in the east part. R.S. Hays, Barrister, had offices here.
The east part of the Dominon Bank building housed businesses and offices. R.S. Hays, later Ross & Hays, had law offices here for many years. H.R. Jackson & Son had a liquor store, and later, Joseph Weber had a business here. Stewart Bros. was here for a few years starting in 1917. Sidney Pullman John Dennison and Walter Robinson had barbershop here in the 1920s and 1930s. Pullman continued at this location until the new bank building was built in 1960. George Israel also had a tailor shop here in the late 1930s. In the 1940s, E.C. Chamberlain, Dominion Clerk & Insurance, had offices here. A.W. Sillery had a law office here in the late 1950s.
Above Photo: The photograph at right shows the interior of Sydney Pullman’s and John Dennison’s barbershop c. 1926. The men, from right to left, are: Cliff Pearce, Sid Pullman, John Dennison and Walter Robinson. The boy in Pullman’s chair is Frank Sills. Pullman had a barbershop at the back of the Dominion Bank Block from 1926 until the building was demolished in 1959. (Photograph: Seaforth & Area Museum S998.1.2007) Advertisements Below Left: The Seaforth Sun, June 8, 1883; Below Right: The Huron Expositor, December 9, 1898.
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