When my mother left Barrie I purchased several history books of Barrie and Simcoe Co. for her. "Beautiful Barrie The City and Its People," is a beautiful pictorial history of Barrie. I purchased it at the Museum. "The Underhill Shoe Company was in the process of relocating from Aurora to Barrie , bringing with it 75 to 125 jobs, much to the chagrin of Aurora.(the year was 1913).... "The decade saw the establishment of two durable industrial enterprises in Barrie: Underhill Shoes and the Fisher Mill. On October 21, 1912, work began to transform the Spencer Industrials building on Dunlop Street into a modern shoe factory. Underhills Limited purchased the property for $1500 or $150 a year for 10 years, interest free. Under the agreement with the town, the company was expected to employ 75, be manufacturing by February 1, 1913, and continue in business in Barrie until November 1, 1921, by which time it was to have invested at least $7,000 in the plant. From January 1, 1914, the firm was to employ at least 75 workers for 300 days of 10 hours each a year and pay at least $30, 000 in wages. In july 17, the company closed its Aurora factory, doubling its staff and payroll in Barrie. Underhills would manufacture shoes in the same plant in Barrie until the late 1950s. On page 195 of the book there is a picture of the factory. Ron Wingrove -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kevin & Nancy Caldwell Sent: August-28-09 10:01 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [CAN-ONT-SIMCOE] Cotty's/Lakeview Dairy/Shoe Factory The old shoe factory housed commercial businesses later, including a furniture restoration(1950-1970) and most recent Canadiana Curtains in the 1980's, but the building was always referred to as the shoe factory. I remember as a kid, sitting on the rocks below it, watching the fireworks, finding a perfectly round 1" stone, wedged between the rocks. Might have been used in the factory. What totally amazes me still, is that the original water's edge, around the bay followed the traintracks, and that most of the parkland along the waterfront from Heritage park to Centennial Beach was created by trucking in fill/rocks, etc. This is what I was told as a kid. Can anyone verify this? What a huge undertaking, especially for back then. Nancy ***************** Ten People All Genealogists Should Follow On Twitter: http://tr.im/hBAy Simcoe Co. GenWeb at http://www.waynecook.com/simcoe.shtml ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

AH !!!!!! I LOVE THESE EXCHANGES ......... It gives me a chance to look-back, and reminisce !!!! In 1950, when I began work in the Bank of Toronto, in Barrie, UNDERHILL'S was (still) a major account, but, I gather from what I learned, was in trouble ...... Particularly in the Management. WITH THAT, AND NEW COMPETITORS, I suspect that they were in their early death throes. Manufacturers of (primarily) work shoes, I imagine that the New Boys, in the Market, BATA among them, were creating agony. Blake Underhill was (I believe) the C.E.O. I remember him , in and out, of the Managers Office, on a regular basis. I remember, also, overhearing the Bank Manager, Russ Nettleton, dictating a letter to Head Office ... " Well, the Underhill Boys are at it again !!!! " Russ Nettleton's Home, on the South-West Corner of Wellington and Bayfield, is now the parking lot for Bell Telephone !!! One hot August AFTERNOON, back in 1949, or so, Underhill's left the outside door, on the main floor, off Dunlop East, open, to create an air flow, thru' the factory. Several kids went in and had a lot of fun, playing with the time card punch-clock , and the time cards. EVERYBODY drew a full week's pay, that week !!!!!!! Just to the East, almost beside Cotty's, was a vacant lot, and the remnants of a foundation. The lot was on, I believe, Kempenfeldt Drive. It remained vacant until fairly recent times. The lot was said to be contaminated, having been the site of the old Barrie Gas Light Company . I am assuming ACETYLENE . The lot was eventually excavated, cleaned up, and now is home to a Zillion Dollar Home, overlooking Kempenfeldt Bay. As to the fill, in what is now Lakeshore Drive, a contract was let for back-fill, between the C.N.R. Railway tracks, and the water's edge. It was possible to drive, over a truck path, from Bayfield to Victoria, as early as 1958 .... I once beat my boss, back to work, using this route, while he went thru' town. We were going to the Clarke and Clarke Tannery, which was opposite Centennial Park, now the site of two Apartment/condo buildings. It is said that one of the original contractors, on the fill, went broke, for the want of another FIVE CENTS A TON ! What does five cents buy today :-) Thanks for the chance to reminisce ! Paul Robins -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ron Wingrove Sent: August-28-09 2:38 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [CAN-ONT-SIMCOE] Cotty's/Lakeview Dairy/Shoe Factory When my mother left Barrie I purchased several history books of Barrie and Simcoe Co. for her. "Beautiful Barrie The City and Its People," is a beautiful pictorial history of Barrie. I purchased it at the Museum. "The Underhill Shoe Company was in the process of relocating from Aurora to Barrie , bringing with it 75 to 125 jobs, much to the chagrin of Aurora.(the year was 1913).... "The decade saw the establishment of two durable industrial enterprises in Barrie: Underhill Shoes and the Fisher Mill. On October 21, 1912, work began to transform the Spencer Industrials building on Dunlop Street into a modern shoe factory. Underhills Limited purchased the property for $1500 or $150 a year for 10 years, interest free. Under the agreement with the town, the company was expected to employ 75, be manufacturing by February 1, 1913, and continue in business in Barrie until November 1, 1921, by which time it was to have invested at least $7,000 in the plant. From January 1, 1914, the firm was to employ at least 75 workers for 300 days of 10 hours each a year and pay at least $30, 000 in wages. In july 17, the company closed its Aurora factory, doubling its staff and payroll in Barrie. Underhills would manufacture shoes in the same plant in Barrie until the late 1950s. On page 195 of the book there is a picture of the factory. Ron Wingrove