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SALE PRICES END SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 1999, WHILE QUANTITIES LAST S om e ite m s m ay have been on sa le d u rin g th e p rev io u s w eek________________ Final 4 days National Appliance & Electronic Sale Save 380 Plus everyday good values $ on team KENMORE• SUPER-CAPACITY PLUS WASHER AND DRYER Washer has a 2-speed motor and 15 automatic programs. *27822. Sears reg. 829.99. $629 12-cycle dryer features electronic moisture sensor to provide automatic drying. *66822. Sears reg. 579.99. $399 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, July 28, 1999 Breckon family tree to be on display (C o n t in u e d f ro m p a g e B 1 ) Henry's brother Joseph Breckon became known as the 'strawberry king,' and William Breckon, Joseph's first cousin, was the 'wheat king.' W. E. Breckon School in Burlington is named after him. 'The family lived in the house until the 1950s when it was sold to a land developer," explains Sandy Woodhouse, curator of Spruce Lane Farm. 'The developer sold it to the Ministry of Natural resources during the late 1960s, and in 1975, Bronte Creek Provincial Park opened." The ministry purchased 10 farms to create the 2,000-acre park, which opened in July 1975, she said. At that time, Gordon Breckon, 84, who attended the park's opening, commented that Spruce Lane Farm looked very much as he remembered it. "Well, it looks pretty much now the way it did when our fam­ ily arrived," he was quoted as say­ ing at the time. "We moved into the house, although it wasn't quite finished, on the last day of the century. That was Dec. 31, 1899.. . and the next morning we woke up in our new home in a new cen­ tury." Since the farm was sold to the ministry to be developed into a living museum at the park, the house was "completely gutted and restored to what it may have looked like in 1989," explains Woodhouse. "It had been aban­ doned for several years." The house reflects the Victorian elegance of tum-of-the- century farm life, as park visitors attended a growing number of special seasonal events at the house, ranging from traditional pumpkin carving and a Victorian Christmas, to the park's maple syrup festival. For years, the costumed inter­ preters conducted guided tours and talked about how a typical tum-of-the-century farming fami­ ly lived, how bread was baked, about the dances being held in the elegant dining hall, and of gather­ ings on the front porch. One could almost picture the Breckons in that stately home. The house has gained notoriety as the set for a new made-for-TV movie currently being filmed, What Katy D id , starring Megan Follows. This is the first movie to be filmed there. About 50 Breckon descendants living mostly in Oakville, Burlington and Milton, are expected to attend Monday's reunion, along with some special guests. These include gardener Lisa Vogt of Oakville who has restored the gardens to how they may have appeared when the Breckons lived there; and genealogists Marion Jackson (nee Alton) of Tillsonburg, a descendant, who completed the Breckon family tree to 1973; and Warren McCrea of Burlington, who is married to the former Anne Heslop, great granddaughter of Christina Breckon. McCrea explains he took over where Jackson left off, and dis­ covered some interesting facts about the Breckons. His mother-in-law, Grace Heslop of Oakville, 90, is the old­ est living descendant of the Breckons. The youngest is Marg Wallace of Burlington, 78. McCrea received a typed car­ bon copy of Jackson's research from his mother-in-law last spring, a document which piqued his interest to the point where he became the family researcher. "When I asked her about her childhood and she brought out the Breckon tree, I was smitten," said McCrea. He started by transfer­ ring the meticulously prepared research into his computer. The paper contained 880 names. 'The most revealing thing for me was to discover that 90% of the people buried at Appleby Cemetery west of Burloak Drive and south of the Queen Elizabeth Way, are relatives of the Breckons." Of the 114 grave stones, over 100 of them are Breckon descendants. McCrea, retired, is spending a lot time in the basement of Spruce Lane Farm, and at the Oakville Central Library, researching the Breckon family in preparation for its display at the reunion. Copies of Bronte Creek Provincial Park Historical Report will be available for $20 during the event. Photo by Peter C. McCusker The genealogical chart of the Henry Breckon family being prepared by Warren McCrea of Burlington stretches as long as his arms can reach. He is married to the former Anne Heslop, a Breckon descendant. Sisters recall visits to Breckon farm ) ( C o n t in u e d f r o m p a g e 1 ) "My grandmother was known throughout Bronte," continued Gilbert. "Whenever Bronte's baseball team traveled to say, Caledonia, she would make food for the whole team - includ­ ing her famous apple tarts." "And, she was only 5 ft. tall," adds Heslop. By comparison, the Breckon men were tall. Henry Breckon stood more than six feet. The Breckons were also known for their oyster suppers and lavish parties. "People would come on horse and buggy for the parties, and go home the next day," said Heslop. The sisters note few changes have been made to the farm house since their grandparents called it home. 'The rooms haven't changed," says Heslop. 'The whole house still looks about the same." She adds the small fridge in the kitchen replaced an old ice box her grandparents had, "but the stove looks about the same." The two sisters will be at Monday's Breckon Family reunion and 100th anniversary of Spruce Lane Farm, as will a third surviving granddaughter, their cousin Marg Wallace, 78, of Burlington, daughter of Gordon Breckon. The three women are the only sur­ vivors of Henry and Margaret's grand­ children. They will be sharing some of their memories of their grandparents' farm with park visitors on Monday. "And, we'll be meeting some of our relatives for the first time," says Gilbert. The Centennial Celebration of Spruce Lane Farm will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Activities will include Victorian card making, old-fashioned ice cream making, house tours every half hour, and other Victorian style amusements. The cake cutting with Henry and Margaret Breckon's descendants and friends will take place at 2 p.m. Save$350 KENMORE 18.1-CU. FT. TOP-MOUNT REFRIGERATOR Features sound insulation and 3 'spill-proof' glass shelves. *68902. Sears reg. 1299.99. $949 Black-on-Black and Almond-on-Almond also available Save $200 KENMORE EASY-CLEAN 30" ELECTRIC RANGE Flush fit styling with electronic deiay/cook/off timer. *60i90. Sears reg. 799.99. $599 Optical glass door plus self-clean extra Now$129 KENMORE UPRIGHT VACUUM 10-amp motor with 'clean-air' cleaning design. 20 ft. cord. *38010. Sears reg. 199.99. Plus, use your Sears Card and Pay no interest ' January 2001 on all major appliances Pay in 18 equal monthly payments interest free, until January 2001. On approved credit, with your Sears Card. Minimum S200 purchase. S35 deferral tee and all applicable taxes and charges are payable at time of purchase. Excludes items in our Liquidation/Outlel stores and Catalogue purchases. Otter ends Sunday. August I. 1999. Ask for details. Plus: • A ll microwaves on sale • All freezers on sale • All built-in ovens & cooktops on sale NP0741199 S E A R S ______________________________________Copyright 1999. Sears Canada Inc. Come see the many sides of Sears TM Oakville at the'Ex' "Our A U S l & f Visit Sears Oakville Place Mon.-Fri. 9:30 am -9:00 pm. Sat. 8 :00 am -6:00 pm. Sun.11 am -6 pm. SALE PRICES END SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 1999, WHILE QUANTITIES LAST Breckon family tree to be on display Save$350 Save $200 Now$129 at the'Ex' Visit Sears Oakville Place Mon.-Fri. 9:30 am-9:00 pm. Sat. 8:00 am-6:00 pm. Sun.11 am-6 pm.