I was 15 when we moved to Bradford. We had sold our farm on the 5th Concession to the Allen Orr family and I was a bit of a fish out of water.
It wasn’t long until I started to cut lawns in the area, thanks to Gary Vasey.
I was downtown one morning checking out a customer to look after their lawn care. Heading up Holland Street from the east of the four corners was an imposing lady, well dressed, hair high on her head and made up with lots of red lipstick and heavy jewelry. Her glasses were the fashion of the day. I believe the frames were commonly known as cat eyes.
Who was this lady walking with two dogs, Dalmatians, small whip in hand, and looking like she had been out all night? I asked around and was told it was Gertrude Thornton, a retired opera singer. She had moved to Bradford with her husband, William Howard Thornton, and they lived at 45 Holland St. E. in a house that was built in the Classical Revival style in the 1880s (after the fire of 1871 that destroyed much of Bradford’s downtown). Her husband owned Bradford Lumber and Crate. Howard died Aug. 19, 1956, at their home.
Shortly after receiving a little history of the stately woman, I received a call from her, asking if I would take on the job of keeping her grounds around the home in order. I went to the house and talked over what was expected of me and accepted the job.
I looked after her grounds for five years before going to work on my upholstery apprenticeship.
During that time, I met Scott Duncan from Sarnia. He is the grandson of the late Mr. And Mrs. George Green of Bradford. In the late 1970s, we went to visit Gertrude. Arthritis and age has left this once-vibrant lady unable to lift her arms high enough to put her long hair up in the style she loved, so the best option was to have wigs made, which were much easier for her to maintain. There were a few sitting on stands in the drawing room where we had a lovely visit. Her beautiful Dalmatians were gone and she was confined to her home, but she still enjoyed the visit and talking over past history.
Being best friends, Gertrude Thornton and Jessie Green talked nearly every day, until one day, in their elder years, they had a bad disagreement about, of all people, Elizabeth Taylor. And we think we are obsessed with movie stars today. These two lifelong friends never spoke to each other again.
In 1974, when she closed up and sold the house, which became the Bradford police station, she went to live with her friend, Heintje (Hennie) Verhoek. She lived in the double house at 72 John St. She lived on one side and the Verhoek family lived on the other. Gertrude didn’t want to go to a home, so Hennie looked after her cooking, cleaning and personal care. This was Harry Baron’s former home. I believe he was also a good singer and many duets were sung by Gertrude and Harry at churches around Bradford. In later years, they would travel to Toronto by bus once a week to take in the opera.
Gertrude left this world Feb. 23, 1983, in York County Hospital after a fall at home.
