We have two Milton streets named after federal politicians from the 1800s!
Each week, we speak with Milton Historical Society (MHS) President John Challinor II to gather information and details about the namesakes of our roads. If you weren’t aware, he and the late great historian, Jim Dills, wrote the book on Milton street names, writing Milton Streets back in 2007.
Recently, we covered McPhedran Point and Suitor Court. This week, we’re focusing on Bowell Crescent and Grey Landing.
Starting alphabetically with Bowell, Challinor says the namesake was once Prime Minister of Canada.
When Bowell was serving as the country’s leader, Challinor says the man realized that he wasn’t the best fit for the role. It’s not often when a politician can recognized they’re not the right person to lead, but Bowell knew that and stepped down.
However, he still served his country and his community, holding a position as a Canadian parliamentarian for 50 straight years. He died as a senator at the age of 93.
Moving on to our other street this week, Challinor says Grey Landing shares a namesake with a certain football championship.
In case you’re wondering, Earl Grey tea was named after Albert Grey’s grandfather in the early 1800s.
Challinor says that while Grey is most likely known for the Grey Cup these days, he should also be commended for his work in prison reform, proportional representation, and helping build the Canadian Navy.
If you’re looking to understand how Milton’s streets are named, you should check out the book written by Challinor and Dills. Published by the Milton Historical Society back in 2007, it sold out in about six weeks and has since been long out of print. That said, according to Challinor, you can still find a copy at the Milton Public Library. With nearly 15-years having passed since the initial publication, and the extensive town growth in that time, an updated book is likely to come.
You can also take a walk with the late Jim Dills down Milton’s Main Street in 2002.
If you have a suggestion on what you’d like to learn about next week, let us know! We’re currently working on names that we find interesting. You can message our Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram page, or even email us at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. Otherwise, we’ll just continue asking about local street names that we find interesting.
If you have a news tip or story idea, you can now send us a heads up via email at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. If you’d like to get ahold of me personally, shoot me a message at Cameron.Wilkinson@LocalRadio.ca. We’re in the business of content creation, so no idea is a bad idea.
