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PAGE 14, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28,1977, WHITBY FREE PRESS Last commercialfishing boat at Whitby yera1fineI95 a Mrgtvn'fteas By BRIAN WINTER Staff Writer The last existing link with a once-flourishing industry at Whitby Harbor is about to disappear. E I.-. ____ M w w Joe Stevens, of 1801 Dufferin Street, the last commercial fisherman at the harbor, is breaking up his boat, the "Shirley S.", which he and his father built 30 years ago, at the foot of Brock Street. The "Shirley S." has not been on the water for 12 y ears, and since 1965, has been sitting in Mr. Stevens' back yard. Finally, regret- fully, he is breaking up the old boat, which was con- structed of white pine, white oak and B.C. fir. The Stevens family was in the commercial fishing business for nearly 50 years. This was the "Shirley S." prior to its launching at Port Whitby 30 years ago in the summer of 1947. It was built by Joe Stevens Sr. and his son oe Ir. who still lives at Port Whitby. The "Shirley S." was one of the last commercial fishing boats on Lake Ontario. Photo by oe Stevens. Mr. Stevens' father, also named Joe Stevens, started fishing out of Toronto Harbor in 1915. Two years later he moved to Whitby harbor because the production of whitefish from Whitby was better than at Toronto. Mr. Stevens Sr., who was joined by his son in 193.7, fished out of Whitby harbor until he retired in 1961. Until 1950, when pollution literally killed the commercial fishing industry, trout, herring and whitefish were major catches in Lake Ontario. Commercial fishermen operated out of Bronte, Port Credit, Port Whitby, Bowmanville, Frenchman's Bay and Port Hope, in the heyday of the commercial fishing industry. in the 1920s, a man named Hugh Campbell -fished out of Whitby Harbor but left for Port Hope. His son Erskine, who fished at Port Hope until five years ago, now lives at Port Whitby. In the 1930s and 1940s, another fisherman at Port Whitby was -Len Cox. After the Second World War, in 1945-46, four boats from Brionte, owned by Bill Sargeant and Bill Bray Joe Stevens Jr. stands beside what is left of his fishing boat, the Shirley S, which he and his father built at Whitby 4arbor 30 years ago. In front of M. Stevens is a 1952 straight 8 Buick engine used to power the boat. Mr. Stevens is the last of the commercial fishermen who operated out of Whitby harbor from the 1920s to the 1960s. Free Press Photo DINNER FOR ONE FOR JUST $1 ONE.DAY ONLY WEDNESDAY OCT 5 Ktfic eky A N AN COMPANI Colonel Sanders' boys and girls make it "finger lickin good.'é REG. $2.20 Each dinner contains 3 pieces of finger lickin' good Kentucky Fried Chicken, Golden Brown French Fries, Creamy Cole Slaw and a slice of r Grecian - bread. tottec1icken¶2 . MeSnA1~OMoenom aofbt M-~ b ab òeesn oeiatit "a ELDORADO CHEESE & DAIRY BAR 102 COLBORNE ST. E. Whitby - 668-1621 Iocated behind Bowman and Gibson Cheeses direct from the Eldorado Cheese Factory Hours: Mon. 10:30-6, Tuesy Wed. & Thurs. 9-6 Fri. 9-9 Sot 9-6