We are very proud of the many significant buildings that still exist in Brockville. However, there are a number that are no longer with us. The five photographs below may remind some of our readers of buildings that have disappeared from view, or introduce to others, one or more they have not been aware of.
Horton Public School
9 James St. E., Brockville
photo taken around 1905
The Horton School was opened in 1899 to accommodate elementary students from the central and eastern part of town. It was a four-room brick school that took over the site of the old Grammar School (later the Brockville High School) and was named after Dr. R. Nelson Horton whose efforts on the School Board were appreciated. After closing in 1950, the former school served for a time as the home of the Royal Canadian Legion, Brockville Branch.
Anne & William Fitzsimmons House
24 Home St., Brockville
photo taken in 1973
The Fitzsimmons House was built in the 1840s for a growing family of 10 Fitzsimmons children. William Fitzsimmons (1819-1894) was a builder and politician who served his community from 1847 to 1882. This house was torn down in 1974 to make way for the Buell-Fitzsimmons Manor for Seniors.
The Comstock Building
11-17 Court House Ave., Brockville
photo taken around 1960
The Comstock Building was erected by William H, Comstock in 1886-87. It housed the head office and Canadian factory of the W.H. Comstock Co. Ltd.. Also in this building was D.A. Cummings Co., Beale & Summerby, lawyers, Edgar, Willows & Locke, insurance, and Prus & Martin, architects. The building was demolished in 1966.
![1 Thomas St., Brockville, ON [now demolished] Electric Power Plant - taken about 1905](https://brockvillehistoryalbum.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/1-thomas-st-brockville-on-now-demolished-electric-power-plant-ca1905.jpg)
Electrical Power House
1 Thomas St.
photo taken about 1905
Thomas Street is a short dead-end street in the west end, south of Hartley St., and was named after Thomas Wilkinson (1832-1912), who for a long time was manager of the Brockville Gas Co. and the Central Canada Coal Co. When electricity was introduced to Brockville in 1887, Wilkinson and the Gas Co. built this generating plant to produce power. The electricity created from coal-powered steam engines was used to power some early arc lamps in the downtown area. In 1893 their new company was known as the Brockville Light & Power Co.
“Waterniche,” The Woodcock – Delahaye House
101 Hartley St., Brockville
Brockville landscape and portrait artist Percy F. Woodcock (1855-1936) and his wife Aloysia (Pratt) were the earliest known residents of Waterniche. It was, however, after 1909 for many years connected with the family of Thomas Delahaye, who was the managing director of the National Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (earlier the Cossitt Co. Ltd.) for many years. A disastrous early-morning fire on June 2, 1951 destroyed this house, while owned by Dr. Thomas J. Goodison.
Sources: Two of these photos were published in the 1906 Brockville Old Boy’s Re-union special magazine. The photo of the Comstock Building was shot by an unknown staff member of the Recorder &Times. I took the one of the Fitzsimmons House during the time of the 1973 Summer Museum held there by the Brockville & District Historical Society. The various details about each building were extracted from many different sources, as usual.
![King St W & Court House Ave [Brockville, ON] - Fulford Block (1974)](https://live.staticflickr.com/3066/2296519214_6d81b8c494_s.jpg "King St W & Court House Ave [Brockville, ON] - Fulford Block (1974)")
![245a King St E (at Riverview Dr) [Brockville, ON] - Rockford, Sidney Jones House (1974)](https://live.staticflickr.com/3066/2296516588_696c8bb19c_s.jpg "245a King St E (at Riverview Dr) [Brockville, ON] - Rockford, Sidney Jones House (1974)")
![222 King St E [ Brockville, ON] - Patrick Murray House (1973)](https://live.staticflickr.com/3166/2296515200_14e826d5e6_s.jpg "222 King St E [ Brockville, ON] - Patrick Murray House (1973)")
Brockville History Album 
Hi Doug,
Thank you for such an interesting website! Found by chance and very much appreciated.
My husband, Ian, and I just bought 12 Victoria Avenue as an investment. I understand it was owned by Dr. McGuire for many years. I don’t know anything about the history of this old Victorian. Do you have any history you could share?
Thanks again,
Mary Jean McFall
Congratulations, Mary Jean and Ian, on purchasing one of Brockville’s most important heritage properties.
This grand house is called “The Margaret & Dr. Vincent Moore House” by the heritage community. It was built in 1880 for Vincent H. Moore, M.D., as a home for his wife, Margaret and their family of 2 children, and to contain his medical office.
It is a magnificent, late-Victorian-styled brick house. The house was built to a design similar to several other large homes erected in Brockville at the same time. 12 Victoria may be the work of the
New York State architect, James P. Johnston of Ogdensburg, who is known to have designed the First Presbyterian and ‘First Baptist churches in Brockville in 1878-79. The Moore family were adherents of the Presbyterian Church.
Johnston also appears to have designed the new tower for Wall St. Wesleyan Methodist [now United] Church. A large amount of information on James P. Johnston has been collected in Ogdensburg [the Library there], and in Brockville [myself].
Two houses that closely resemble the Moore House, and are known to be designed by James Johnston, are “Idylewilde”, the Susan & Henry A. Field House at 77 Hartley St. and the “Jane & Newton Cossitt House” at 58 Wall St., cor. Pearl St.
Dr. Moore, a skilled surgeon and coroner by this time, had started practice in Brockville in 1870, and continued working here until his death in 1904.
His tombstone in Brockville’s “Oakland Cemetery” (north side of highway) is inscribed:
“V.H. Moore, M.D., L.L.D., 1848-1904
his wife, Margaret O., 1849-1926
On the back of the stone is:
“W.F. Burnham, 1844-1899”
The children in the 1881 Brockville Census were known to be:
Charles [aged 6] and Helen [aged 1].
I hope this fills in some unknowns.
Doug Grant
Is this the red Victorian two story at the corner of Victoria Ave and Pearl? If so, we lived in it for awhile as renters (1966). We rented the top floors. Large front room off balcony (bedrm)
Lg front room on other side of hall with connecting rooms (windows facing west). Lg kitchen with stairs leading to attic. Short flight of stairs down to another level containing landing of top of stairs then short hall to bathroom and another small room on south side. The best about this floor was the “secret passage” across from the bathroom. All wood, down to a back door in the alley behind house.
All windows on top floor were original with beautiful stained glass.
Never went into basement nor the first floor apt.
Have no idea who owned it then.
Hello! You’re site is just absolutely fantastic! I am doing a little bit of a family history with my grandmother and I was curious to know if you had any photos of the ol McDougall grocery and butcher shop. Later on my two great uncles Gerald and Edgar McDougall opened up a frozen food locker plant as well….Do any of those sound familiar from your archives?? Please let me know because I would REALLY be interested to see a photo of what it looked like.
I realize that I am late in commenting on this post – but just discovered this great site! I was wondering if you had any old photographs of 12 Victoria or knew anything about its inhabitants after the Moore family?
Sad to lose such beautiful architecture.