Postcard Memories is a series of historic views, stories and photos of Bradford West Gwillimbury, a trip down memory lane on a Saturday morning.
Newton Robinson was once a thriving community, with numerous stores, blacksmith shops, hotels, a school, and manufactories producing everything from window sashes to cheese.
Located on the stagecoach route that became Hwy. 27, at the10th Line of West Gwillimbury and Tecumseth Townships, the community was originally known as Latimer’s Corners – after John Latimer, who purchased a property in 1836, and opened a small store.
In 1842, William N. Chantler purchased part of the original Latimer property, and built a frame store and log house.
Chantler had emigrated to Canada in 1839 from Manchester England, to manage the Bigelow Store in Tecumseth Twp. His own store soon became a flourishing business, according to all accounts, and Chantler himself became the village’s first postmaster, in 1850.
In 1865, William Chantler sold the store to his son-in-law, Joseph R. Hipwell, who managed the business until 1874 – then sold it to James G. Chantler, William’s oldest son.
It remained in the Chantler family until 1923. James operated the store until 1896; it then was run by Milton G. Chantler, publisher of The Newton Robinson Hustler, passing to Joseph Chantler in 1905; and Marshall Chantler from 1912 to 1923.
It was a post office, a general store, a meeting place on a Saturday night. The room above the store was used for meetings, and even a pool hall in later years.
The building now houses El Lugar con Pottery, selling chimineas, Mexican pottery and crafts.
Details from the Governor Simcoe Slept Here: The legacy of West Gwillimbury.
