Primrose Hill Manor: My First Order Of Business Today
Well, my friends, it’s been three weeks since I’ve become the new owner of Primrose Hill Manor, and what a ride it has been so far.
I have no functioning toilets, I’ve seen more garter snakes than I can count (ghosts, no problem; snakes, worst thing ever), and I’ve been sleeping on an air mattress that deflates before morning arrives.
All good. I signed up for this! (And more to come!)
With a historic home comes great responsibility.
Knowing Primrose Hill’s history and documenting it is one of the most important pieces of work I want to undertake as her new owner. In many ways, I feel like it’s the first order of business on this blog.
I want to mention that since my Toronto Life article was posted on May 22, 2021, several kind people have reached out to share their connection with the home. I am so touched! Over time, I hope to learn as much as I can and share it with all of you.
A short backstory about Janetville, my “new old” hometown.
The first settlers of Janetville were Captain John Burn and Henry Irwin, who built a sawmill in the area in the early 1800s.
Shortly after, settlers arrived from Ireland, most arriving by way of Port Hope on a trail through Hope and Cavan townships. Among them was Neil McDermid, who also built a sawmill that he named McDermid Saw Mills.
When the post office opened in 1862, his daughter, Janet, was the first postmaster. The postal station was named after her and, thus, Janetville was born.
Back in the day, Janetville apparently had two hotels, two saw mills, and a grist mill. I don’t know about you, but it sounds like the town was a hive of activity!
A statement home to reflect the spirit of the times.
It is said that there were high hopes for the town of Janetville in its early days.
Because a proposed railway through the area was planned, many had imagined that it would become a bit of a cosmopolitan hub. For this very reason, Dr. John Archie McAlpine decided to make his home here. And to match the high hopes for Janetville, he built a showpiece home along Janetville Road that was both grand and elegant.
Dr. John McAlpine
Then called The Doctor’s House for obvious reasons, this Janetville gem now has a new name. I’ve christened her “Primrose Hill Manor,” which better reflects me and my plans for this historic Victorian landmark.
From what I can determine, Dr. McAlpine, his wife Eliza (nee Hughes), and their three children (Bernard, Mabel, and Cyril) didn’t live in the house for long before moving to nearby Lindsay, Ontario.
And this is where my research and story-telling have led me (for now). I’m reaching out to you, dear readers, in the hope that you might be able to fill me in. If you have stories about this beautiful home and/or any of its occupants over the last 142 years — or any stories you have about the Janetville area — I would love to hear from you in the Comments section below. I’m all ears!
Paulette at Primrose Hill xo