Take a walk into the past along Brock Street
History was made on this central city street
Peterborough’s Brock Street from the river to Reid Street was unusually diverse in a comparatively short distance. Even by 1850, the street went from the institutional uses at the Court House and St. John’s Church. There was a small business section close to George Street, and then through a residential stretch, often with home-based activities. Around Aylmer Street, at the creek crossing, there was the tannery and other signs of Peterborough’s industrial purpose. The suburbs began as the street rose up the hill to the Presbyterian Church on Reid Street. Quaker Oats now anchors one end of a roller coaster street, and St. Andrew’s Church the other. Brock Street jogs a few times and continues west a few blocks to Park Street, largely as a residential area.
The street continued to attract diverse uses over the years. By 1875, as captured in the early Romaine map, the street was more industrial, the Court House Park had some potential, the Cox business empire was centered at George Street, the doctor’s row was well-established, and the industries around the creek were more diverse.
By 1910, Quaker Oats had replaced the industries along the Dickson Race, and the railway track at Bethune had changed that section of the street also. Those industries were replaced by rather grand Italianate houses that contrasted with the modest early brick architecture on the south side of the street. At the western end, the earlier stone Presbyterian Church was supplanted by the impressive 1888 St. Andrew’s Church, one of the early beneficiaries of the Charlotte Nicholls largesse. Near George Street, the Brock Street Arena had emerged as one of the town’s main athletic and entertainment facilities.
The Dickson Race had its roots in the Government Mill of 1827, but its development as an industrial park only began in the 1860s and was implemented by the 1880s. In 1882, the Examiner reported that it had a pulp paper mill, a saw mill and a circular mill, Forsyth’s pump factory, Brodie’s Otonabee Woolen Mills, and planned upgrades for A. Clegg’s grist mill. In 1885, the Lindsay-Seldon furniture company had expanded to a second factory. The 1895 Bird’s Eye view map provides a good representation of the Dickson Race at its peak; the complex was destroyed by fire in October 1896.
At the foot of Brock Street, there were woolen mills. Daniel Brook had a woolen mill by 1861 and in 1866 was employing 20 workers, who converted 30,000 pounds of wool into 800 yards of fulled cloth, “flannel and tweed.” Samuel Dickson built a mill which Brook leased, perhaps closer to the foot of Murray Street. It was about 100’ x 60’; the lower storey was stone and the upper level wood.
In 1872, Robert Brodie continued Brook’s tenure on the Dickson Race “near the New Bridge.” Brodie was making blankets, flannels, fulled cloths and tweeds. Brodie also offered a service to card and full wool for farmers, but suggested coming to the mill early in the day if they expected same-day delivery. When the mill burned down in 1875, it was called Brodie Paisley and Company. When Brodie came to Peterborough he worked at the Auburn Woolen Mills, and the Paisley suggests a connection to the early roots of those extensive mills north of Parkhill.
Brodie’s Woolen Mills were rebuilt and the company, reorganized in 1882 as Brodie’s Otonabee Woollen Mills, was still operating in 1888, perhaps with 30 workers working 200 days a year. A solid brick dye house, added in 1882, was 40 feet x 60 feet and 2½ storeys tall. The main mill building had a 60 foot high tower to provide local water pressure for the water pump.
The Dickson Raceway was destroyed by fire in 1896 and Quaker Oats acquired this prop- erty by 1900. The huge cereal works were built over the former Race Street and the CPR siding.
The Court House Hill dominated the north side of Brock Street between Quaker Oats and Water Street. The Peterborough County Court House was built between 1838 and 1842. The second gaol was built in 1864, and other additions such as the Registry Office were added over the years. In the 1960s, a sympathetic addition in a modern style replaced the former registry and utilities buildings.
The appearance of the court house was altered twice by 1920. The first change was made after an 1882 wind storm and it was decided to make the court room more functional at the same time. The second change was a response to the Quaker Oats fire in December 1916 which damaged the roof.
Between Sheridan and Water Street, Brock is defined by the Court House Park, known as Victoria Park since the 1887 golden jubilee, and by St. John’s Anglican Church. The park was established in 1838 as one of the final acts of the former District of Colborne. The site was eyed for projects over the years, most notably what became Central School, but the formality of the District action saved the park. The park has had several interesting features nonetheless. It was the home of the first county exhibitions beginning in 1843. When the local horticultural society, first in 1861, undertook the landscaping of the park it was deemed unsuitable for the horses and cows of the annual fair. The park had a pool and sculpture donated by James Stevenson, and also a bandstand that was demolished in the 1940s as part of a demonstration of tanks. In 1887, the Jubilee Tower was erected in the south-east corner to allow a display of incandescent lights, the gift of a local power company, an arrangement that only took a few weeks to develop.
The east side of Sheridan between Brock and Hunter was owned by Walter Sheridan, the long-time county treasurer. The house at 51 Brock Street was probably the site of the Peterborough Chronicle newspaper published by James McCarroll until a destructive fire in 1846.
After 1860, it was the home of the F.W. Haultain family. His father and his brother were Major Generals in the British artillery, and his brother’s family came to Peterborough, too. Lt. Col. Frederick W. Haultain was elected as MPP for Peterborough in 1861 and 1864, and was one of those who spoke in the 1865 Confederation debates; he felt that the new country should build up a “nationality independent of the United States, though not in hostility to it.” Haultain on the highway to Apsley was named for him.
Although the Haultains only arrived in Peterborough from India in 1860 they were immediate community leaders. The Haultains were active at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, and also in the wider work of the church. Helen Haultain was one of the founders of the Peterborough Relief Society in 1862, and remained a leader in the Peterborough Protestant Home (later known as Anson House). Frederick Haultain was appointed assistant registrar to Captain Charles Rubidge, a position he held until his sudden death in 1882.
Historian C.P. Mulvany commented, “But he was not only a zealous worker within the pale of his church, but his was a philanthropy, whose aims, wishes and labour extended to wherever there was good to do, evil to combat, and suffering and sorrow to ameliorate or assuage.” Col Frederick Haultain was a generous man with a polished sense of duty. He was survived by his wife, four sons, three daughters and a grieving Peterborough.
The Haultains were one of the three founding families of golf in Peterborough. His eldest son, also named Frederick William, founded the Regina Golf Club. More significantly he brought Alberta and Saskatchewan into Confederation when he was premier of the North West Territory. Later he was Chief Justice of Saskatchewan and Chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan for its first thirty years.
Another son, Wilmot Gordon Haultain, became a land registrar, Master of Land Titles, for Saskatchewan. Each emphasized a significant part of Frederick Haultain’s own career and defined his legacy.
The house formerly at 51 Brock Street was damaged in the 1916 Quaker fire and sometime after 1925 was purchased by Quaker and demolished.
The house on the corner of Sheridan and Brock was the home of the Sheridans. Walter Sheridan (1796-1875), a native of County Carlaw, Ireland, was the first county clerk, 1850-1867 and treasurer until 1870. He was also credited as the architect for the first town market hall, on Water Street. He was the first recorder and secretary of the Methodist Cemetery Board of Trustees, which lasted from 1850 to the 1880s. He also served on Town School Board for several years. F.H. Dobbin commented that he was respected for his large knowledge of town and county affairs.
Brock Street was a reservoir of town history.