Blackburn Hamlet - History

History

The earliest settlers to the area arrived between 1803–1811, most of whom were of English or Irish descent, along with a few French and Scottish.

In the early 19th century the area was called "Green's Creek" after Robert Green who operated a sawmill on the creek. As the timber was exhausted the government lands were sold to farmers who began to settle in the area. These people had to clear their own land and build their own roads and schools.

The area was subsequently called "Daggsville" after three families that settled here in the 1850s. Richard Dagg donated the land for the first school in Blackburn.

John Kemp and his family were one of the early settlers and four generations farmed the homestead. When the first school burned down, a second school was built on the Kemp property where Blackburn Public School was located.

Agnes Purdy and her husband William settled on Lot 9 across from St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church on Navan Road. Four generations of Purdys farmed the land until the NCC expropriated the farm for the Greenbelt. Agnes was significant as a major fundraiser for the church and as school board secretary for 20 years.

Innes Road running through the Hamlet was named after Alexander Innes who owned a farm further west than Blackburn Hamlet. He also ran the toll road -Russell Rd. heading east from St.Laurent Blvd. He was survived by John Innes who was reeve of Gloucester Township.

Isaiah Scharfe settled on a lot near Emily Carr School, four generations lived in Blackburn on what is now Innes Road.

Some of the hamlet streets are named after these, and other early settlers, Kemp, Cleroux, Tauvette.

In 1858 Joshua Bradley settled in Blackburn. It was through the efforts of his son William Bradley and Robert Blackburn, ( Reeve in 1864, then MP) that a post office was secured and it was then that the area became known as "Blackburn".

The settlement during these times was divided in two, the area of "Blackburn Corners", located around the existing intersection of Navan and Innes Rds; and "Blackburn Station", the area around the existing intersection of Anderson and Innes Rds.

In 1958 the government gave authority to the NCC to establish a Greenbelt. Michael Budd and Costain Estates Ltd, were key players in the creation of the community as it is today, and it was renamed "Blackburn Hamlet". In 1967 the first residents moved in.

Budd Gardens is operated by Michael's two sons on land now rented from the NCC and both families live in Blackburn.

Notable residents of Blackburn include: Richard "Dick" Hotzfields, noted paleontologist

Robert McQuarrie was a Gloucester Councilor from 1958–1966 and was instrumental in providing to the Council and the NCC the feasibility of installing services to the Hamlet. McQuarrie served as Deputy Reeve and Reeve 1969 to 1978 and as MPP 1981–85.