This ongoing series from Barrie Historical Archive curator Deb Exel shows old photos from the collection and one from the present day, as well as the story behind them.
1 Berczy St.
There’s been speculation the enormous home at 1 Berczy St. is actually two houses.
The smaller wing at the rear of the house is believed to have been built first, in the mid-1850s, and the larger, impressive section that appears to face both Berczy and Dunlop streets (once called Louisa Street) overlooking the bay, built about 1885, for John and Mary Forsyth.
John Forsyth was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1836, arriving in Canada at 16 and settling in Toronto.
He married Mary Sharp in 1862 in York and joined the post office in 1866, according to a civil servants list. Working his way up through the organization until he was a first-class clerk earning a salary of $1,200 in 1885, Forsyth became one of the head officials in the Barrie Postal Division — his boss was Insp. Daniel Spry, whose estate, Claireaux, was across town on High Street.
Forsyth retired in 1890.
During his time in Barrie, Forsyth was active in the community. He was a charter member of Barrie Lodge No. 70, and secretary at St. Andrew’s Church for many years. He had a great love for his gardens and horticulture. In his retirement, he was elected a director of the Barrie Horticultural Society, along with two Barrie mayors, J.M. Bothwell as president and J.H. Bennet as vice-president, and other prominent citizens such as J.R. Cotter.
Mary, besides running a household and raising their five children, had a talent for fancy needlework, which earned her awards in the early years of their marriage.
When the Forsyth children left home, they lived far and wide: Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Alberta. Only daughter Isa remained in Barrie.
In 1898, Isa married David Henry MacLaren. The MacLarens would also live at 1 Berczy St. They had three children: Donald, Allistair and Tanis.
David MacLaren was said to enjoy hunting, fishing and golf, and the household attended St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. He was known to be an art connoisseur, later becoming a member of the Art Gallery of Toronto. He had a fine collection of paintings himself.
MacLaren was born in Wakefield, Que. After studying medicine for a year or so at McGill University in Montreal, he went into the drug business in Hamilton.
In 1890, he purchased Kidd’s pharmacy, adding his services as an optometrist to the chemist and druggist business.
MacLaren’s keenness in military activities led him to training at Stanley Barracks, Fort York, in 1898, followed by interest in the Simcoe Foresters Regiment.
At the time of the First World War, he was a senior major in the regiment, but took the initiative to organize the 157th Battalion, which he led overseas in 1916, but by that time as a lieutenant-colonel.
Before MacLaren left for Europe, he sold his drugstore to Harry Austin Smith, son of G.G. Smith, undertaker and fire chief.
Many readers would recognize G.G. Smith’s building as Steele’s China and Gift Shop.
The need for reinforcements forced a breakup of the 157th Battalion. MacLaren returned to his previous rank and went on to serve in France, where he was wounded by shrapnel. He was transferred to England, where he served in Windsor Forest until he returned to Canada in 1918.
He resumed his affiliation with the Simcoe Foresters after the war.
MacLaren was appointed sheriff of Simcoe County in 1919, a position he held until 1933, and was sworn in by John Forsyth’s fellow gardening enthusiast, J.R. Cotter. MacLaren had a busy life in the community: trustee of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, alderman, member of the Parks Commission, and quite active in local lodges. He somehow found time to manage the 1905-06 Barrie Hockey Team as well.
Both Forsyth and his son-in-law, MacLaren, were 75 years old when they died. Both had small, private funerals at their home at 1 Berczy St.
Isa Forsyth MacLaren lived another nine years before her death at the age of 83. In the early 1950s, when her estate was settled, the majestic Gothic Revival property, 1 Berczy St., transferred to the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada.
