KAWARTHA LAKES-Herb Townley’s grandfather, John James (J.J.) moved to Fenelon Falls in 1894 to work as a cutter for Robert Taggart’s tailoring business, and soon went into the business on his own. The business became “one of the largest tailoring businesses in the district.” In 1907, J.J. died suddenly at the age of 48, passing the business to his sons Herbert John (H.J.) and Arthur Leonard (A.L.) who operated it as Townley Brothers. H.J. was the cutter and fitter, while Art was the salesman. The business sold suits as far away as Sault Ste. Marie, and Art would visit mines and lumber camps to solicit business. Occupying all three stories of the building at 13 Colborne Street (The Palm Pilates and Wellness), it was very active, with over 30 employees at one point. “If you don’t own a Townley suit and a GBD pipe, then you aren’t anybody.” But the Great Depression brought hard times for this fashionable business, and after Art passed away in 1938, H.J. burst an ulcer and then he surrendered Townley Brothers. H.J. moved on to serve as clerk of the Village of Fenelon Falls, until he passed away in 1949.
Herbert A. Townley was attending Fenelon Falls Continuation School during the Dirty Thirties, while playing with his friends on Fenelon Falls’ OHA team in 1932-33. At that time, Fenelon Falls’ largest business was the Standard Pattern and Handle Company, that made wooden goods like tool handles or teapot handles for export. Herb also took an interest in wooden manufacturing and would go into business after serving in the military during the Second World War. By the 1950s Herb had a woodworking shop located at the south end of Lyon’s Garage (formerly Sandford Carriage Works).
Herb’s business, Sturgeon Wood Products primarily manufactured furniture. For local customers, he would produce custom furniture to their specifications, including some pieces for the Sturgeon Point Union Church. His best-selling item was shelves to fit a set of Encyclopedia Britannica. At the time, many families bought an encyclopedia set, because it contained information on ‘every topic.’ “If you bought the whole set, you actually received a custom made bookcase, manufactured right here in Fenelon Falls,” his daughter-in-law Donna explains.
His former neighbour on the island, John Lyon, remembers, “He made a set of furniture for my bedroom that was in the apartment over the garage—a bed, bookcase and bureau for me out of pine. In the 1950s, he made a desk for me that was appropriate for a teenager, with drawers on one side and a longer drawer on the top and splayed legs. My mother had one of his tea wagons, it was never used as it was designed and made, but it was a showpiece. It was certainly pleasurable to look at.”
Herb also made the card table that resided at Lyon’s Garage, where Aubrey Lyon and his friends would gather to enjoy spending time together. “It would accommodate 6-8 guys,” John continues. Descended from a family of tailors, “he was a very smart dresser and he always carried himself well.” Donna adds that when she knew him later in life he was “very tall, erect and handsome, a truly sincere gentleman with a short white ‘brush cut.’ He was a dapper dresser, with a wonderful smile and a deep laugh.” Throughout his life it showed that he had been raised in a family that concerned themselves with fashion.
He was an avid curler, who had fundraised to put artificial ice in the curling rink in 1952. Herb and his best friend Aub travelled to Scotland together to attend championships. From the day that Fred and June Raby bought their restaurant (now the Cow & Sow), Herb and his friends gathered there every day, a group called the Senate: Elly Thompson, Burnie Bell, Aub Lyon, Herb Townley, Ken MacArthur and Jerry Palmer. Herb was a car enthusiast, remembered for his Jaguar and Audi.
In 1961, Parks Canada gave the occupants of the Fenelon’s Island west of the main street notice to vacate their premises. Their buildings had been constructed on the basis of 99-year leases and no one had imagined that they would not be renewed, until it happened. It was a life changing event for everyone caught up in the upheaval, as they lost their businesses and/or homes. While Aub Lyon was able to borrow money from B/A to build a new garage south of the bridge in 1964, Herb Townley would have a shop on Ellice Street, and ended up working out of a cement block shop located beside the home of his friend Bill Weaver, just down the street from Aub. The building was close to Allen Wood Products (formerly the Standard Pattern and Handle Company), which manufactured many toys, including the Tinkertoy. There was plenty of room in Fenelon Falls for multiple wooden manufacturers. Herb was a friend of Jim Allen’s—the last owner of Allen Wood Products. His employees included Art Luff (from Coboconk), Don White and Helen Sargent.
Herb’s first wife, Marge Townley, taught music lessons out of a second storey studio, in or near the building that had once been Townley Brothers’ tailoring business. They had two children, Pam and Tom. In addition to woodworking, Herb built many houses over the years, in a style that was all his own. In the time that Donna knew Herb he built five houses. The first was on Highway 35A (CKL Road 8) between Byrnell Golf Course and Hart’s Well Drilling. “One interesting feature I remember about this one was a room between the house and the garage, like a breezeway, that was mostly glass. It was just big enough for a piano and lots of shelving for music books. It was well insulated and Marge taught music lessons in there.” His second house started as a cottage on Diehl’s Point (Cameron Lake, north of Fenelon Falls off the railway). This cottage grew into a year-round residence, which eventually included a guest house, and later had a separate building with a full-sized swimming pool and sauna.”
The third was ‘the house on the hill’ which was just south of Fenelon Falls. “This house was built after Herb married Thelma Philips, and one of the main features was a ‘Salon,’ located at a side entrance, so Thelma could continue her hairdressing business. It also included a full-sized swimming pool in the basement. The next house he built was on Hickory Beach Road, which also included a hairdressing salon, and I think a swimming pool too. The fifth house was back in Fenelon Falls, at the top of Clifton Street, next to the Warren homestead. It also had a small salon for Thelma’s business, but instead of having a swimming pool in the basement, that’s where the car was parked! That’s about the time that ‘retirement’ was calling. I’m thinking that Herb was in his early eighties.” Herb was someone who sincerely enjoyed the work he did, whether it was woodworking or designing and building houses.
This story is a memory and nobody’s memory is perfect. Sometimes details get a little mixed up, things get forgotten or overlooked, and the perspective is inevitably subjective. If you notice something that not right, have something you would like to tell us, or a memory to share the museum would be happy to hear from you: [email protected]
This story is part of our partnership with Maryboro Lodge, The Fenelon Falls Museum and was written by Glenn Walker.
If you want to make a donation to the museum, you can e-transfer to: [email protected] or mail a cheque to :
Maryboro Lodge Museum
Box 179
50 Oak Street
Fenelon Falls, ON
K0M 1N0
