REAL ESTATE TALK - THE FAIRWEATHER CONNECTION

By Jay Lough Hayes, Peterborough Realty Inc.

705-772-1025

I have worked all my life. First, as one of 5 children to a farming life in the Ottawa Valley but by 20, I married, moved to Ottawa and secured a part time job at Fairweather Department. Today, Fairweather is one of Canada’s leading women’s fashion retailers with over 100 stores from coast to coast.

But, did you know the first Canadian Fairweather Store was located here in Peterborough?

William Fairweather, (1832-1885) from the Aberdeen area of Scotland, had been in Canada about four years before coming to Peterborough. With years of ladies wear and dry goods experience from his store in Scotland, William formed a partnership with George Leslie in 1868. Through their business arrangement they operated a Dry Goods Store on Hunter Street and in 1870 moved to the new Dixon Building, a two-storey store near Simcoe Street on the east side of George Street.

In the mid 1860s, William married Agnes Home of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Early in 1871 they lived in our North Monaghan Township. The family is buried in Peterborough’s Little Lake Cemetery.

The year 1870 was momentous for 48 year old William. He began an independent business venture called Fairweather & Company. The store flourished well, located on the west side of 361 George Street between Simcoe & Hunter occupying the middle three shops on the ground floor of the now Turnbull Medical Building. This area was considered to be Peterborough’s historic department store

row, particularly between 1880’2 and 1930’s.

Later Years By 1883, The Fairweather family lived in a charming house, now 512 Gilmour Street or 48 Gilmour at that time. Unfortunately William Fairweather passed away in 1885 here in Peterborough never really having a chance to enjoy his new home.

The business was thereafter carried on by William’s son, James. In 1891, James’ occupation is given as furrier.

Downtown Business Location Store Employs Many Workers In 1894, Fairweather’s had a number of employees on its payroll. A number of fur finishers and cutters with his son, Robert H. Fairweather as the bookkeeper.

The company continued to have a presence in

the town of Peterborough until 1901 before it closed as a local business.

This department store row was anchored at Simcoe Street by Fairweather’s and Turnbull’s, and which continued as the location of Zeller’s from the 1930s to the 1990s. At the Hunter Street end, the row was anchored by the majestic Cluxton Building, erected in 1881. Near the Hunter Street end, the block was dominated by Robert Fair’s and Cressman’s Department Stores.

In 1881, the Fairweather store was selling the bankrupt stock of James Delaney at deep discounts. The advertisements were large and bold, and Fairweather’s clearly believed in the value of advertising. However, Giroux and Sullivan’s, a competing dry goods department store, retaliated with large ads proclaiming they did not sell bankrupt stock and old stuff. They had just moved into the grandest building on George Street, the new Cluxton building at the other end of the block.

This was a prime location for a department store, and over the years, this was the site for Fairweather’s (1870s-1908), Barrie’s (1900- 1913), Turnbull’s (1888-1927), Eaton’s (1927- 1932) and Zeller’s (1934-2004).

Some buildings are steeped in history. The Turnbull Building at the northwest corner of Simcoe and George is one of the best-built buildings in the downtown, now the splendidly renovated Turnbull Medical Building and seems to suit that purpose equally as well, the front door now on Simcoe St.

There was a major building on that corner from the 1850s and it served as the home for three successive department stores: Fairweather, Barrie and Turnbull. After a major rebuilding in 1914, the building again served as the home for department stores: Turnbull, Eatons and Zellers. The building was a scene for a fire in 1893 and in 1921, but in 1913 it was the scene of the worst disaster in George Street history. The building collapsed.

August 28, 1913 As soon as walls began to shake, most of the 60 people in the store escaped “before the floors went through and the walls crumpled.” Johnston ran out, “the debris rolling out behind him.” By 9:40 a.m. store clerks had area responsibilities. Shoppers made day trips to Turnbull’s from as far away as Norwood. Construction workers plied ancient trades. Henry Manley who was laying carpet on the second floor, considered himself “one of the luckiest men living,” as he only broke two legs. George Curtis, laying bricks above the door, jumped from his temporary scaffolding. A small boy crawled out a basement window. Olga Mulligan, a second-floor cashier, was trapped in the debris but inspired by a little gleam of light, dug her way out. There were 6 unfortunate deaths.

The 1893 2:30am, the first noteworthy fire. This fire did not reach the first floor, but quite a bit of inventory in the basement was damaged. According to the Examiner, “A great quantity of laces, gloves, hosiery, ribbons, underclothing and cloths are badly ruined and rendered almost worthless.” Turnbull’s designed quite a few of the fashion items that it sold. There was a large stock of cotton goods in the basement because Turnbull’s had already brought in stock for the spring and summer.

The building at that point was owned by the Toronto Trust and Loan Company, one of the several companies owned or dominated by George A. Cox. (Cox Terrace) The stores on either side of Turnbull’s were J. W. T. Fairweather’s and Thomas Kelly. Kelly’s moved to 365 George and continued in business. All the stores had fire sales. According to the Examiner, “A great quantity of laces, gloves, hosiery, ribbons, underclothing and cloths are badly ruined and rendered

almost worthless.” As with many downtown stores, Turnbull’s designed many of the fashion items that it sold.

Barrie’s built a splendid new building in 1911 south of Charlotte Street (still standing as the Peterborough Inn) and moved out of the building at George & Simcoe where it had been since about 1900. Fairweather’s had been here until at least 1908. Turnbull’s was now in a position to expand to occupy the entire building.

This was a major calamity, and it marked the end of several careers, and the start of more rigid guidelines and enforcement. Some of the new enforcements, such as fire safety regulations, had impact on all the stores between Turnbulls building and Grafton’s.

The major consequence of the collapse on the appearance of George Street was the new Turnbull Building, now the most solid building on the street and a significant landmark. The current building, no longer a major department store, erected in 1914 in the Chicago Style, features solid, steel frame construction, large windows and terra cotta pilasters. There have been alterations to the building over the years, and a wing was added to the west in the 1950s. Other changes included a broad, chrome canopy

with neon signage over a corner entrance that gave the building an art modern appearance.

Turnbull’s Department Store remained until 1928, when Eaton’s made its entrance on the local retail scene, operating here and out of the former Cressman store for four years. The new Eaton’s store opened in a grand two-storey building built to Eaton’s specifications at the corner of George and Charlotte in 1932. Then the building’s ownership changed. Zeller’s opened here by 1934 and remained until 2004, by which time it was owned by Hudson’s Bay Company.

In 2009, Seven Hills Development Corporation completed a sensitive restoration to its original 1923 form and converting it to the Turnbull Medical Building. There were several changes, one of which was the addition of indoor basement parking in what had long been the shipping

and warehouse of the successive stores.

Thomas Barrie (1866-1942), Otonabee-born Peterborough businessman, began his business career with the J. T. Fairweather Co. Fairweather’s then at the north-west corner of George and Simcoe, and in 1900 he acquired the Fairweather building. Thomas Barrie was a life member of Peterborough Rotary and of YMCA, a former president of the chamber of commerce. He was survived by his wife and sister in 1945.

The Fairweather name is still used for a chain of mall ladies wear stores; one was in Peterborough in the 1980s. I remember it well.

Many thanks to Trent Valley Archives, The Peterborough Examiner for photos and articles needed.

Jay Lough Hayes has been a real estate sales representative for 36 years and services the Peterborough, Victoria, Durham, Northumberland Counties and all points in between.

705-745-4704 www.homesinpeterborough.com