- Copeland Flour Mills of Midland is to be known as Pillsbury Canada Limited, the Copeland name has been associated with flour milling in North Simcoe for over 150 years. Copeland Flour Mills of Midland was started in 1921 by the late Albert Copeland with the backing of James Playfair, D. L. White Jr., D. S. Pratt and a number of local citizens.
- Mrs. Albert (Bert) Dubeau was honoured at a recent meeting of the Ontario Association of Motor Coach Operators, Mrs. Dubeau is the only female operator of a bus line in Ontario, a position she has held since her husband died 17 years ago. (I believe I echo the sentiments of most people in North Simcoe when I say that we were proud of PMCL and the Dubeau family, their modern buses could be seen all over North America and even on the movie screen. Many of us rode to school or work on them and they are missed.)
- The Free Press editor laments the loss of the scenic beauty of Highway 93 from Craighurst to Waverly as the old growth trees are removed to provide the broad level shoulders required on a modern highway
- The 56 Ford Meteor at Bourgeois Motors includes new safety features, padded dash and seat belts, but as extra cost options
- Aluminum Company of Canada, Ltd (ALCAN) posted an ad titled, interestingly enough, “Inside Job” stating that we are “getting a helping of aluminum as part of our daily diet. Most cities use aluminum sulphate (alum) to purify drinking water, Oshawa has done this for 35 years, we usually associate aluminum with food storage and preparation, aluminum helps to keep what we eat and drink fresh and pure and wholesome.” The safety of aluminum in our bodies is still being debated.
- “Blue Coal” is advertising, “keep your heat from escaping up the chimney, keep your chimney damper as nearly closed as possible”. I wonder if this had anything to do with the weekly chimney fires in North Simcoe during the winter months?
- In 1955 you could buy a Phillips TV in Waubaushene from Waubaushene Radio & TV, F. E. Brodeur proprietor, Pine St., Phone 2
- Congoleum flooring was available at Meads in Penetang, J. B. Roebucks and Shulman & Son in Midland
- Remember when Edwards would reupholster your old furniture for you
- Alex Docherty, director of music in Midland schools announced that a choir of grade 5 to 8 students from all Midland Public Schools has been invited to sing on a Toronto radio station by Dr. Fenwick who adjudicated their entry in the Midland Music Festival this year.
- Ernest Griesbach, a senior captain with Canadian Steamship Lines and a 44 year veteran, died suddenly aboard his ship the Georgian Bay, on Saturday. He was only 59, having worked for the CSL since he was 15
- Announcement; Earl Fisher has acquired the business formerly owned by Art Macksey and would appreciate your patronage. Dominion Ave. East, next to Wilson’s Taxi. (it was brought to my attention that the type of business is not mentioned and it was not in the original ad, it was assumed that everyone in 1955 knew it was a barber shop)
- Glenn L. Martin of Seattle, a pioneer in the aviation business, predicts that in 25 years travellers from the earth will be landing on the moon. As it turned out NASA and Neil Armstrong beat his prediction by 11 years, landing on July 20th, 1969.
- Midland Library hours in 1955 were; 2:00 to 5:30 PM and 7:00 to 9:00 PM, daily, closed Wednesdays and Sundays. Some new books on hand, Frank Yerby’s, Treasure of Old Pleasant Valley, is not quite so sexy as some of his earlier novels. Sloan Wilson’s, Man in the Grey Flannel Suit; Lake Erie Baron by Hamil, the story of Col. Thomas Talbot.
- Shipyard manager Norman Walton has been named manager of both Midland and Collingwood shipyards and will shortly move to the latter town. This was a very visible sign that our shipyard was done, only a handful of watchmen were still employed. Wages paid out to employees of both yards since 1948 totalled $16 million. That was the equivalent of $1,000.00 per annum for every family in Collingwood and $750 to $800 for every family in Midland. Ninety five percent of the $24 million worth of material used in those years was spent in Canada.
- IGA is selling side bacon, with the rind on, for .49 cents per pound
- Alvin “Cuppy” Gropp describes the trip he and his wife made from their cottage to Penetang and proclaims “never again”. After leaving Cognashene they were lost in the first snowstorm of the season and the normally 45 minute trip took over three hours.
- Midland Fall Fair midway booth operators were fined for running a marble game that offered 4 billion to 1 odds for a single 25 cent throw.
Click on photos to enlarge.
Mrs. Robert Magnus, Mrs. James Playfair and Mrs. J. Haight at the skate exchange sponsored by the Home and School Association of Midland. A total of 85 pairs of skates and overshoes were sold.
Branch 80, Royal Canadian Legion, Midland members prepare for Poppy Day, seated Gordon Burtch chairman, Len Wiles; standing, George Magloughlin, Alf Scott and Doug Blake.
Pete Pettersen marks the spot where 20 feet of dirt has to be removed to achieve the proper slope for 180 foot jumps from the new 107 foot high ski jump, the old jump is to be torn down. The Dominion Senior Jumping Championship is to be held here on February 12th, 1956.
Legion Hall in Waubaushene was the site of the investiture of three new Scouts who moved up from Cubs, Brian St. Amant, Douglas Cronin, Bobby Stewart. 1st Waubaushene Troop
IODE hall in Waubaushene, members of the East Simcoe Brownie Troop are dressed up for Halloween, Lorie Wilson and Jacqueline Sauroiol of Waubaushene; Betty Hawke, Elizabeth Hall and Barbara Hawke of Coldwater; Dawn Lackie of Jarrat.
Brownies stage a spook night at the IODE hall in Waubaushene. Barbara Kingsborough, Coldwater; Gail Cuppage, Warminster; Martine Gouett, Sylvia Duncliffe and Karen Moreau of Waubaushene.
Huronia Museum 