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  • Waumsley Store

If a picture is worth a thousand words then Thomas (Tom) Waumsley’s photography has written volumes about Burlington’s Heritage.

Thomas Mears Waumsley was born on July 2, 1896 in the little English town of Grimsby. After his service in WWI, Tom worked in a bookstore on Brant Street called Tom Joceyln’s Stationary & Variety Store. Eventually, he took ownership of the store. In addition to running this popular Downtown Burlington business, Tom continued to serve in the reserves, from 1920-1926 was the Burlington President of Branch 60 of the Great War Veteran Association, began a drill band in Burlington, served as a volunteer fire fighter, and was a member of the Fire Brigade band.

To top off this impressive list, Thomas Waumsley was an avid photographer. It is thanks to his dedication that the Museums of Burlington has such a diverse collection of negatives and postcards. Tom’s photographs depict his family’s everyday life—from familiar Burlington scenes to trips overseas since they were avid travelers.

Artifacts

  • 2012.32.373

    2012.32.373 | ca. 1920-1940

    The Waumsley storefront on Brant Street.

  • 2012_32_1861

    2012.32.1861 | ca. 1920-1940

    In 1913, Thomas, his mother, and five siblings, all immigrated to Canada, eventually settling in Burlington and opening Waumsley’s Bakery.

  • 2012.32.552

    2012.32.552 | ca. 1920-1940

    Maybe the photography hobby came with owning a store that developed film, but thanks to the Waumsley family, we have a vast photography collection of everyday Burlington scenes. For instance, this photo shows the devastating aftermath of the Brant Inn fire in 1925.

  • 2012_32_482d

    2012.32.482 | ca. 1920-1940

    A scant three years after arriving in Canada, Thomas enlisted in the army. In the First World War, Thomas went overseas and served as a telegraph operator in the 164th Battalion. The “BFD” likely stood for the “Burlington Fire Department,” which Tom volunteered at.

  • 2012_32_66a

    2012.32.66a | ca. 1920-1940

    Tom Waumsley was also the fire chief at one time when the entire fire department was comprised of volunteers. When the alarm sounded, he closed his shop and Tom made his way to the fire hall located on Elizabeth Street. This photo depicts downtown Burlington, looking towards the Fire Hall.

  • 20123266b-1

    2012.32.66b | ca. 1920-1940

    A panoramic shot from the bottom of Brant Street.