One more shout-out to Sue and David on their 33rd anniversary. But, poor timing to have it ahead of the holiday weekend. He was out on the truck when Mardi and I did our 2 hours today, but we said our congratulations to Sue.
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At the Citizen of the Year event on Thursday, a discussion about the Power House Restaurant in Stoney Creek led to questions about the old Hamilton, Grimsby and Beamsville Electric Railway.
The radial line got its power from a Stoney Creek coal fired, steam-electric DC generator, now the site of the Power House Restaurant. It ran from Hamilton to Beamsville (also had a five mile extension to Vineland that only lasted one year - couldn't figure out how to get across Thirty Mile Creek). Along with the Grand Trunk Railway and the T.H.&B. it serviced the canning industries along the peninsula. Streetcar service was a sideline.
The line existed from 1894 to 1931. By the time we moved to Fruitland in 1943 all that remained of it in front of our house was a wide gravel path.
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In those days shopping was very different. We had regular visits from Penelagon the butcher, the Canada Bread man, the dairy which still used horse and wagon, the ice man, the Watkins man and the Fuller Brush man. The knife sharpener made regular passes on his bicycle with hand operated grinding wheel, and the "sheeny man" (a derogatory name for Jewish people at the time) came by calling out for "Rags, bones and bottles".
The grocery store next door was operated by Frank and Violet Hilts (my buddy Wayne's mom and dad). They also had gas pumps out front, a forerunner to today's gas/convenience store outlets. The store was the front part of their home and was tiny, but it was our Costco of the day.
Fond memories!
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And, tonight we headed for the Lighthouse Theatre in Port Dover and the Norm Foster play "Come Down From Up River".
An old guy who lives in the New Brunswick woods came to see his estranged niece and meets her wife. A comedy with a message. A great night and classic Norm Foster.
The show continues in Port Dover until June 3 and it then moves to Port Colborne. Well worth seeing.
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Stay well.
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