History of homes: Water Street
191-201 Water Street
210 Water Street
191 -201 Water Street
191-201 Water Street 1913 Photo: Vince Gratton
This photo of 191-201 Water Street on the south side just west of the corner of Trow Avenue was taken in 1913 and is part of the Vince Gratton collection. The houses remain today with only cosmetic changes almost directly across from the present mansion at 210 Water Street, built by George McLagan .
These three houses among many others north of Ontario Street between Front and Queen Streets were built in the early years of the twentieth century on the western side of a 100-acre estate originally owned by William F. McCulloch, (see Hamilton William and Water Streets). His home known as “The Grange” was built on property now known as 210 Water Street. (see below).
In 1908, the first house of the three at 191 Water Street was built that year and became home to John McCutcheon (1874-1950), his wife, and their young son. McCutcheon was an English Master until 1914 at the Normal School also built in 1908. (see Water Street). Later William B. Rothwell (1891-1980), Director of Music (1923-1950) at the Normal School, would also reside there.
Rothwell was also one of three Stratford people that also included Margaret (Stevenson) Grant and Cora B. Ahrens (see Hibernia Street) who began the Perth-County Music Teachers Festival in 1926. In 1952, he persuaded the Kiwanis Club to take over its running.
The second house at 195 Water Street was built in the same year of 1908 and was first home to J. W Neab in 1909 and by 1910 to George E. Neeb, engineer. Shortly after William J. Hayes, who worked for the GTR, purchased the property. After WW2, Audrey Conroy (see Water Street), also a music teacher and friend of Bill Rothwell, moved in, with her son Gordon, who has been involved with this Streets of Stratford project as a gift back to his home town. The upper and lower porches seen at 191 Water Street were featured at the back of 195 Water.
In 1953, Bruce Swerdfager, (1928-2007) (see Elizabeth Street), one of the original actors in the Stratford Festival, stayed with the Conroy family. Bruce formed a life-long friendship with the family, made Stratford his home, and held a number of key Festival positions over the years. . He married Mary Robertson, a widow with three children, founder of Mary Swerdfager Real Estate, and in 2023, their daughter, Ann Swerdfager, still heads up publicity for the theatre.
The third house at 201 Water Street is the largest and most impressive of the three. It was built in 1912 by Francis “Frank” Edward Colwell Mason, involved like McLagan, in the furniture business. Frank Mason was newly married at the time but had lived earlier with his parents at 157 Water Street. Frank, like his father James, was also involved with Globe-Wernicke Company. Frank and his wife, Georgia May Lindsay, and their family lived at 201 Water until shortly before his death in 1955.
By that time, Sam Douglas and his family lived there. Douglas had purchased Farquharson-Gifford Furniture in 1951. However, in the summer of 1954, they graciously moved out temporarily from 201 Water for the summer to allow James Mason, the noted British actor and film star, to move in with his wife and daughter so that Mason could be close to the tent theatre for the summer. James Mason starred as Angelo in Measure for Measure and played the lead in Oedipus Rex.
These are just three of the many houses on Water Street built on the early 1900s which retain their historic character to this day. Sources: Stratford-Perth Archives, Stratford Vernon Directories; Dean Robinson, Hardly Normal: The Stratford Normal School and Stratford Teachers' College 1908-1973.
210 Water Street
210 Water Street 2014 Photo: Vince Gratton
210 Water Street.
Did you know this is the second magnificent mansion built on the same foundation on this property?
In the 1840s, William. F. McCullough (see Hamilton, William and Water Streets) built his home known as “The Grange" on the site of the property known now as 210 Water Street. McCullouch was an astute businessman and the richest man in town. At the time he built his magnificent mansion, it housed his wife and five children (eventually the total reached 11)
The house was situated on 100 acres of property McCulloch owned that stretched from Ontario Street to the river and across to Delamere Avenue and from Romeo Street in the east to Front Street in the west. The eastern end of his property eventually became Queen’s Park; the western end from Front to Queen that was unoccupied was divided into building lots in 1906-1907 by James Trow, the son of politician and Stratford businessman, Col. James Trow, (1826-1892). The sons in 1907 ran James and Thomas Trow Real Estate .
The Grange house was situated on the present site of 210 Water Street at the head of what is now known as Trow Avenue. The entrance driveway to the estate ran from Ontario Street to The Grange house itself. The house was described this way by Adelaide Leitch in Floodtides of Fortune: "The estate had impressive ornamental gates guarding the two entrances. An oval driveway led to the house, surrounded by neat paths, formal gardens and a fine stand of pine and spruce."
The property came into the hands of Col. James Trow, businessman and politician, (see Trow Avenue) in about 1880. After his death in 1892, his sons Thomas and James sold The Grange in 1907 to George McLagan (see McLagan Drive), furniture craftsman and business owner, who demolished the original house and built his own handcrafted mansion apparently on the original foundation. McLagan owned McLagan Furniture.
McLagan died in 1918, but his wife Winnifred retained ownership until her death in 1948. It then became the home of The Perth Mutual Fire Insurance Company (see Waterloo and Water Streets) who doubled the size by duplicating the original house design as an extension at the back of the house. The property was later the headquarters for The Perth County Board of Education, and, is now a private residence once again, Stratford’s one remaining mansion. Sources: Stratford-Perth Archives, Vernon Stratford Directories, Adelaide Leitch, Floodtides of Fortune. Stratford-Perth County Branch ACO (Architectural Conservancy of Ontario) | Historical Plaque Properties
