THEN AND NOW: Chula Vista all abuzz one century ago

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.

Chula Vista — 390 Essa Rd.

Robert Hammond King was a beekeeper all his life.

He was born in in 1877 in Erindale, which is now a historical neighbourhood of Mississauga, to Edward Peter King and Mary Hammond.

In 1903, Robert married Violet Beamish, a local Erindale girl. They lived on the King homestead on Dundas Street until 1912 before moving to Victoria, B.C., where King built a house and they stayed one year. From Victoria, the family moved south to Los Angeles, finally settling in Chula Vista, Calif., where they built another home.

By 1916, the Kings were back in Ontario, living in Toronto briefly before purchasing a farm near Churchill, where they farmed and kept bees.

Mr. King must have had the urge to build again. In 1920, he built a new home atop Little’s Hill in Holly, on Highway 27 at the 5th Sideroad of Innisfil (now Veteran’s Drive) and moved his apiary. He called his beautifully crafted home, which highlighted his passion for fine woodworking, Chula Vista.

As early as Sept. 1, 1921, newspaper advertisements called out, “Don’t get stung. Buy your winter supply of honey from the Honey King." No. 1 clear, light, amber, dark and buckwheat honeys (bring your own pail if possible) were available at King’s home apiary on Essa Road.

The following summer, Robert King was promoting his Fruit Bloom, Clear White Clover, Basswood and Comb honeys – priced reasonably and samples offered at his apiary.

The Kings had a full and busy life in Holly: beekeeping was Robert’s life’s work along with a deep interest in landscaping and flowers, as well as his love of woodworking. Violet King was an exceptionally busy woman about town herself. Mrs. King at various times had been president of the Painswick Women’s Institute, district president of the South Simcoe Women’s Institute, secretary-treasurer and president of the Simcoe County Institute, president of the Simcoe County Trustees’ and Ratepayers Association, and an active member of the Simcoe County W.I. museum committee.

Violet King had also been on the Royal Victoria Hospital committee during one of its expansions. It’s hard to imagine where she found the time to do all this community work and raise four daughters and one son (another son died as a toddler), but she did.

Chula Vista was the setting for the pretty June 1934 wedding of the Kings' eldest daughter, Elsie Victoria. Elsie was a nursing graduate of Women’s College Hospital, marrying Dr. Arthur Watts, a physician at Toronto General Hospital. Following a ceremony performed by the groom’s father, Rev. W.J. Watt, guests enjoyed a lovely wedding breakfast at the charming Chula Vista.

Chula Vista is also where the quiet, much-admired and friendly beekeeper, Robert King, died in 1946. His industrious wife Violet passed away at their daughter Bessie’s home on Penetang Street in December 1956.

The funerals for both Mr. and Mrs. King were held at St. George’s Anglican Church in Allandale and they were both laid to rest in St. Paul’s Anglican Church cemetery.

The recollection of King’s honey and Chula Vista’s eye-catching stonework on Essa Road make for sweet Barrie memories.