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.
Bryson Bros. — 14 High St. (then) and 10 Checkley St. (now)
High Street has a complicated past, at times running as far north as Wellington Street (1852) and almost to the bay at its southern point.
By the 1870s, the northern section of High Street through Sophia Street to Wellington Street was closed and Queen’s Park was taking shape. High Street would start at Park Street, cross first Elizabeth Street, and then Bradford Street and end about one block west of the bottom of Toronto Street, until as late as 1953.
It’s uncertain how High Street came to be named, except the term ‘high street’ was generally used for main streets. The section of High Street between Dunlop Street West and Park Street was once an area of large estate lots, and some of Barrie’s finest homes are still located there.
By the early 1900s, High Street south of Bradford Street was becoming more commercial, with only a few homes still standing among the tannery yards, ice house and the nearby coal company and stockyards on Simcoe Street.
In 1899, John Bryson purchased the property at 14 High St. John, born about 1855 in King Township, married Agnes Rennie, of Bradford, a descendant on her mother’s side of one of West Gwillimbury’s first settlers. When the couple moved to Barrie, John and his brothers established their bakery, Bryson Bros.
The Brysons, John and Agnes, their daughter, Jessie, and four sons, Albert, Harry, William and Edward, lived right around the corner at 27 Bradford St. John died at the family’s Bradford Street home in 1919. Daughter Jessie taught piano, theory and singing from the family home for many years.
The bakery did well, providing work for several employees. When Brown’s Bakery at the corner of Small (Parkside Drive) and Elizabeth (Dunlop Street West) streets was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1910, the Brysons offered the use of their plant temporarily while Charles Brown rebuilt his factory.
The Brysons also had a tea room and an ice cream parlour, first at 22 Elizabeth St. (Dunlop Street West), and later at 32-38 Elizabeth St., obviously supplied by their bakery. The day before Christmas 1914 was bustling: Christmas cakes at 25 cents per pound, whipped cream cakes for 30 cents, old-fashioned doughnuts at 10 cents a dozen, and party ice cream bricks for 20 cents.
“If you’re cold. If you are tired. Our luncheon service will warm and refresh you. Tea, Coffee, Hot Specials, Sandwiches, Soups etc.,” their ad invited.
John’s son, Albert, a baker as well, lived at 40 Bradford St., close to the family business. In 1926, Albert was among a group of businessmen responsible for resurrecting the Barrie Board of Trade in an effort to attract industry to the town. Bryson was in charge of the membership drive campaign and was subsequently elected president of the new board of trade.
At their opening banquet held at the American Hotel, the approximately 150 members in attendance were encouraged by the keynote speaker to “get a vision of Barrie,” with a plan that would address the tourist trade, building community spirit, creating a favourable economic environment for new industry including United States companies with no Canadian factory, as well as nurturing ‘buy local’ relationships.
Supporting Canadianism by holding Dominion Day events was critical, and understanding the agricultural community, its challenges and how the board of trade could help. Albert Bryson was the energetic leader of this newly reorganized and retooled board of trade.
The bakery on High Street had various titles between 1930 and 1945 — Purity Baking Company, Weston Canada Flour Mill Company, Bryson Bread Ltd., George Weston Bread and Cakes Ltd. — but it would always be remembered as Bryson Bros. The property belonged to the Bryson family until about 1980.
