Burnley

History

At one time it was easy to find Burnley. All you had to do was turn on to Community Hall Drive and follow the wonderfully weathered wooden sign that signalled your arrival. That sign, along with all other vestiges of Burnley, have slowly trickled away over the last 10 years, as Burnley gradually fades into memory.

Burnley was a small milling town that got its start during the 1850s following the arrival of a wealthy Englishman named Richard H. Grimshaw. With an ample supply of waterpower from the nearby Burnley Creek, Grimshaw lost no time in establishing a small milling community consisting of saw, grist and shingle mills, asheries, a store and tavern. In 1860, after another settler named R.R. Pringle subdivided his property into lots creating a town plan, the settlement acquired a name of sorts – Grimshawe Mills. The community officially became known as Burnley in 1864 after Grimshaw opened the post office.

By 1871 the mills were flourishing and Burnley was booming. Burnley saw its best days ever as the population jumped from a few dozen to around 250. Doyle & Hutchinson, Willett Plat and John Staples operated the mills. At that time, they offered more than enough work to keep five sawyers, eight carpenters and a cabinetmake busy from morning to nightfall. In the evening the workers could quench their thirst at one of the two taverns, owned by Frederick Hutchinson and Robert Hill. The village also boasted three blacksmiths, a wagon maker, and a watchmaker, Francis Pyman. In 1871 William Lawler took over the store, ashery and post office. Lawler remained a mainstay of the community for many years.

Burnley was a bit of an anomaly, being a staunchly Catholic community in the midst of a Protestant stronghold. Grimshaw, himself a Roman Catholic, had gone to considerable effort to attract other Roman Catholics, mainly Irish, to the community. James Grosjean, who owned land just east of the village on Concession 9, deeded a portion of land to the Catholic Church. They built a new brick church in 1882. They followed it with a rectory in 1887, the same year Burnley officially became a parish. James Sweeney served as the first pastor and remained there for a number of years. One important addition was the construction of a new separate school, taught by nuns.

By the 1880s the mills were still going strong, however things had cooled down considerably. Records show Burnley’s population dropped to about 83. The population wavered between 50 and 100 for the remainder of the century. George Clark, who lived on Lot 6 directly west of the village, owned a flour mill. Just south of the village on Concession 8, J. Thurston operated a steam saw. E.P. Macklin owned one of the busiest mills in the area. The Macklin sawmill was located six lots west of the village, on Burnley Creek between Concessions 8 and 9. The Deviney’s, who owned property adjacent to the Macklins, reportedly operated a mill during the latter part of the century.

The 1880s also saw the opening of Alexander McDonald’s new cheese factory. John Donohue, who arrived in Burnley around 1873, owned the hotel and tavern. Other residents included Patrick Donohue, a wagon maker, Edward Farlow, a blacksmith and a shoemaker named Peter Gerald. A stage carrying mail arrived daily at William Lawler’s store.

William Lawler’s store remained the heartbeat of the community. It was a long, narrow building with a large potbellied stove and benches for the community gabfest. The post office wicket was at the back. In addition to selling groceries and providing telephone service, Lawler also sold farm supplies and equipment. The store was much more than a place where locals could pick up their groceries and mail. As in most small towns, it was also a gathering place where people could relax on the benches near the old stove and share stories with their neighbours. William Lawler operated the store and served as postmaster until his death in 1913. Later owners and postmasters included Rose Annie Lawler (later Roddy), Patrick Smith, John Noonan and George Tucker. For a while the store sold gasoline from a large cylindrical hand pump near the northeast corner of the building.

Burnley began to decline during the early part of the 20th century, largely due to agricultural changes in the surrounding area. Around 1908, the separate school closed and amalgamated with Public School S.S. #21. The church built a new shed, using materials from the old school, in 1917. The shed was capable of holding up to 20 teams.

Although church membership was on the decline, the church nevertheless constructed a new parish hall in 1921, known as St. Peter’s Hall. They used the hall for a variety of church activities and for entertainment. Burnley also boasted a new community hall, built in 1920.

Burnley’s slow descent continued over the next few decades. Following E.P. Macklin’s death, the mill passed on his daughter Elma Slade. The mill continued to operate for many years. Elma and her husband Fred added a grist mill in 1927. It didn’t last that long. In 1940, they shut down the operation and sold it to Fred Ferguson. He rebuilt the mill and reopened it in 1951. One of the few bright spots was the ongoing success of the cheese factory. A new plant, described as one of the most modern in Ontario, replaced the old factory in 1939. It had the capability to produce an output of 23 100-pound cylinders per day. The old factory building is now a private dwelling.

Unfortunately, despite a couple of positive signs, nothing could change Burnley’s obvious signs of stagnation and abandonment. By 1940, the hamlet contained a mere nice buildings. The community hall was shut down and sold. The post office continued to operate until 1946 and the church held its last services in 1948. There was little use left for the church building and rectory, both demolished in 1953. The cemetery headstones were relocated to Warkworth.

By the 1960s, the end was clearly in sight. The store closed in the 1960s. The school lasted until 1967. Fire finally consumed the store in 1980. Burnley’s last two vestiges of existence, the wooden road sign and the old community hall, located on Community Hall Drive, barely made it to the 21st century.

Peering through the windows of the former community hall, it was easy to picture times past when a community meeting or social event might have had the hall hopping. By the late 1990s, like Burnley itself, the hall was simply a shell of what it had been. After being reclaimed by tall grasses and encroaching trees, demolition followed in 2002. it was finally put out of its misery and demolished in 2002. The lovely old wooden road sign quickly followed.

Even the name ‘Community Hall Drive’, didn’t survive the carnage. The road got a new name once the road disappeared. The demolition of the community hall put an end to all traces of the former community. The one exception is the former cheese factory, converted to a private home over 80 years ago.