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The En KetwicVOnt Jib II objective or an antique clock in every THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT SIMPSON BUILT Robert Simpson the man who one day was to give his name to one of the nations mightiest merchandising empires built this SI house years ago when he was Main St merchant in Newmarket Architect Don and his family the present oc cupants have restored the house The present verandah says Mr Ritchie war added in the and probably replaced a tent roof verandah which would have graced Merchant Robert Simpson built this house for his bride 1 years ago actually restored Newmarket has grown quickly and much of the towns history has been obliterated by the wreckers bulldozer and he developers industry Don Ritchie and his wife Christie both have a long standing fascination with the historical and so nine years ago were very pleased to learn that their newlyacquired homo came complete porta bit of Robert Simpson history attached department slot Scotland but moved to Upper a young king Now house has a front porch added in the 1920s but Don suspects originally a tent roof verandah would have graced two sides of the house Verandahs became popular architectural features during the Colonial period and were viewed as a neutral territory between house and surrounding fields a transitional zone between the two It was on the long verandah that crinolined ladies could lake their exercise during bad weather Eight foot shutters found in the garage and the brick work under one window suggests that shuttered i doors opened from the front room towards doors do not Is verandah theoi I roof style would logical choice for a house with recurring arch motifs Restoring the verandah and doors is project the Ritcbies hope Christie has boards inches three inches thick Don has worked a modem as th Terminal II Yet he something you dont find often today living in a two- storey house is so different from the subdivision at the end of the day you can go upstairs and close the door and get away from everything Antiques purchased locally Newmarket restored by Ihe of honey j Aurora the nine years they have His bride young Simpson decided should have a me in the suburbs a short carriage ride from his of business Accordingly he engaged one Robert to build the Simpson residence on Botsford Street the mud trail named after his fatherinlaw The year was 1861 and there were at the lime a total of two other houses on Street it hat he not only paid that and the rewiring our attention has been con centrated on stripping off old paint and wall paper and refinishing in keeping with the period When moved in Christie says all the wood was painted dark brown The walls were thick with old wallpaper Just getting that off look about three Evident everywhere in the house is massive board a curly maple rope bed a heavy Willi spool legs a solid mahogany wardrobe feet a chestnut bed Complementary to the restored furniture is pewter ware his growing collection of more I antique Christies doll collection hand si itched muslin and lace In the family room a lithograph of Miss Canada Ritchies ampler embroidered wool hooks and does batik v painter George Wood for a job well done by giving him a free suit of the best fabric in the store Robert Simpsons stay in Newmarket was brief as after a few years be moved to York Toronto to start a department store on Queen Street The Botsford Street house was purchased by the i family who retained ownership until 1920 when Don and Christie Ritchie and their family of three a foot wide li with pine panelling and the summer kitchen panelled Were just now tearing out a plastered wall it summer kitchen Don Says and the wood in lathes is thicker than the wood used for trim in ma houses And boards The back porch Since moving I have been many discouraged by the Robert Simpson become of time and work it takes to restore a one ana fourteen year old house Christie still doesnt have a proper kitchen Don says and the bedrooms still lack closets Since moving here weve gone to look at new houses But a look is enough always come back completely satisfied and in love again with this house showed us the exact opposite says C just about given up We were so houses Then Robei said theyd heard v had just the place Don thought hed just look and that was it We didnl know until after we had bought the house that it was the Robert Simpson home That didnt mean much to us well we didnt have any proof then it was just that It was the ideal house We had collected so many antiques Don recalls thai we needed a bigger place and a place that would suit them where the antiques would seem at home We were looking for a big old place Prices were zooming then and we got here just a little too late We thought the house had a nice layout with the ideal room arrangement for living in Don is an architect a career which puts him in a unique position to appreciate some of the structural features of the Street house Downstairs the house has 10foot ceilings the height emphasized by a picture rail A bay window surmounted with a massive carved wooden valance adds to the grand scale of the parlor while an original fireplace and stamped tinplate doors cupboard with family the large windows add elegance to what is The curved line of the sweeping bannister I of life Christie