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.
The Highlands (89 Berczy St.)
P.H. (Paul) Stewart, founder of the Cookstown Advocate, moved to Barrie in the 1880s, where he became the deputy treasurer of Simcoe County. He built his home, The Highlands, around 1889, where he lived with his wife, Addie, daughter of the Honourable N.P. Flewelling of New Brunswick.
The Highlands’ sturdy design was crowned with a fabulous centre turret and although the home fronted on Berczy Street, it also had a view pointed toward the bay, as the neighbour’s home would later have as well.
Addie died when she was only 28, and Paul’s sister lived with him until his death in 1901.
In 1893, Allan William Laidman was the new commercial master at Barrie Collegiate, specializing in English and commercial work. He was not part of the faculty for very long. Laidman did not return with the rest of the teaching staff when school resumed in the fall of 1895.
His next teaching gig appears to be in 1899, in charge of the Fifth Form at the Central School. In October of that year, he married Margaret Gardiner of Dufferin. The couple, who both enjoyed singing, would reside in Barrie – at least some of the time, in the case of Allan.
That summer, Laidman had applied for a Homestead Patent in Lacombe, Alta., where he listed his occupation as rancher.
At a school board meeting in the spring of 1900, Laidman tendered his resignation from the Central School to take a position as editor of the Examiner.
The Laidmans, new owners of The Highlands, were a busy couple with diverse interests. Hardly a month went by without a column or two in the local papers, ‘singing’ praises to Mrs. Laidman’s vocal talent and performances. She was an extremely accomplished soloist, entertaining listeners at church recitals, concerts, musicals, meetings and events in Barrie and the surrounding communities.
She hung out her shingle at The Highlands in the spring of 1902, offering tone production, artistic singing, as well as providing piano and singing lessons.
Margaret Laidman, in addition to her musical pursuits, was an was an avid golfer and loved her gardens. In 1922, it would be reported that their home boasted a 11.5-foot vine with 270 tomatoes on it!
That summer of 1902, Allan Laidman returned from Alberta, announcing that a carload of horses were being delivered shortly. In late August, a week after he arrived home, Laidman was advertising that saddle-bred and driving range-bred horses and ponies would be available for private sale at Mr. Mainprize’s pasture, near Vair’s greenhouse.
In 1905, Allan Laidman and Walter Sarjeant formed a partnership to sell insurance – a partnership that continued for many years from their offices on Dunlop Street.
Laidman was also involved in education again, as a trustee of the Board of Education in 1910 and as a substitute teacher at the Central high school, in January 1912, the same month he resigned from the board. Seems he had taken a three-month leave of absence the previous June, but had neither extended his leave nor returned to his position on the board.
Having missed three meetings, his seat was vacated. The secretary had sent correspondence to his address in Alberta in an attempt to clarify his situation, but Laidman never received it – no matter as his seat had since been filled.
His jobs clearly allowed much flexibility. Having arriving home from Alberta on Dec. 30, 1915, Laidman hoped to spend most of the winter in Barrie. It was his first time back in two years.
Margaret continued to delight hundreds, maybe thousands, of listeners. The brilliant, Toronto Conservatory of Music-trained soprano performed at the Barrie Opera House, in the church choir, entertained at Premier Drury’s garden party and sang at countless other events around the county for more than 25 years.
She gave abundantly and freely of her time and gift, living a beautiful life… beautifully.
Sadly, the day the music died was April 29, 1948, when Margaret Laidman peacefully passed away at her home.
A private funeral at her beloved Highlands marked the passage of an enormous talent which lived within a gentle, retiring life.
