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tyr Ld, ER TRACT to PRATT , TATA SH US 8 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Wednesday, April 4, 1979 Port Perry's English Tea Room Historic home transformed into quaint luncheon spot by Carlene Kirby Before the great fires of 1883 and 1884, a large hotel, built by Daniel Ireland, stood on Queen Street in Port Perry, just west of the bowling green. Within a few hours of the fire's outbreak nothing but ashes marked the spot. In 1914, the Carnegie family built their home on the same site and remained until the house was sold in 1935. At this time the home became known as the Murray House, after the John Murrays took posses- sion and lived there for over 40 years. Last August Mrs. Murray, who still resides in Port Perry, sold the house to a local girl, Carol Ann Morrow and her business associate, Peter Kyriakeas Kirk." LBW {fans 14, > « Gy ¢ ya j ' 1 / L y pr DY. Carol was raised in Port Perry but left when she was 16 as she found the town too conservatjve. After leaving Port Perry Carol was educated at Western University. Follow- ing this she taught languages at Seneca College where she Carol Ann Morrow and Peter Kyriakeas Kjrk are variety of cheeses and teas available in the renovated, Perry. -owners and operators of the Murray House in Port In addition to a Tea Room, there is a wide historic home. ATTENTION FARMERS! Custom Bulk ~ Spreading of "UREA" On Fall Wheat PHONE 985-2131 MASTER FEEDS PORT PERRY - ONTARIO Obituary JAMES SHECKLETON Death brought a sudden end to the life of one of Yelverton's eldest and most active citizens in the person of Mr. James (Jimmy) Sheckleton. A life long resident of Manvers Town- ship, Jimmy and his wife, the former May Whittaker, Whittaker, farmed 2 miles east of Yelverton on 7A Highway. Mr. and Mrs. Sheckleton were married on December 3, 1919 and had one daughter Eileen (Mrs. Howard Malcolm). Since Mrs. Sheckleton's death in 1964, Jim has lived alone in his own chasen Spartan exis- tence - his maxum - "Early to bed - Early to rise". Despite his advancing years and deminisitive stature - (he would have been 85 years young in May) he had an enviable independence of spirit. He insisted on run- ning his own household in a most capable manner and when others his age worried about getting their annual drivers license renewed, Jimmy (as he was known to all his friends young and old) last year went out and purchased himself a lovely brand new maroon Cordoba (Chrysler). . He was never happier than when he was surrounded by people, not old timers, but young people in their twen- ties and thirties. Mr. Sheckleton only associated with the Medical _ profession in dire emergen- cies like the time he broke his arms or required other physical attention never just for sickness met Peter. Carol also ran a bilingual (Spanish - English) nursery-kindergarten school in South America for a time. Peter on the other hand was born in Greece and raised in the United States. He returned to Greece for a while where he worked as a journalist. After coming to Canada, Peter attended the University of Waterloo before becoming a language teacher at Humber College in Toronto. Peter also taught English as a second language at Seneca College where he met Carol and "we've been together ever since." Peter and Carol joined forces and decided to move to Greece, open a "taverno"', and make their fortune. On the way they stopped at a little tea room in England where it occured to them that the same idea might catch on very well in Canada. The idea was not given a second thought however, as they were going to open their own business in Greece and remain forever. They are still together almost constantly as neither has an outside job interest. Once in Greece however, they learned what Peter referred to as the first rule of business, 'never go into business with your rela- tives". The adventurous couple spent six months in Greece before returning to Toronto. Peter and Carol agreed that they must both be very special people as they travel- led from London to Greece in twelve days, with no one else to talk to, crammed into their little green Volks- wagon. Carol summed it up best when she said, "it's hard to be together that much without constantly being at each others throat". One more stop at the English tea house set their future. Back in Canada, Carol and Peter started to look for locations for t ~ new business, what ever it would eventually become. At one time they had con- sidered Niagara-on-the-Lake So after 84 active years, he departed this mortal coil as he would have preferred - suddenly. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Stanley Haines of Janetville United Church Charge from Mackie Funeral Home in Lindsay on Wednesday, March 21st for temporary intombent at Riverside with spring inter- ment in Yelverton United Church cemetery. In keeping with Mr. Sheckle- ton's preference for young people, his six pall bearers were grandson, Terry, Malcom, Ray McCullough, Vaughn McGill, Trevor Nesbitt, Bryce Jemmo and Jimmy Atkinson. Left to mourn his passing are his only daughter Eileen (Mrs. Howard Malcolm), grandchildren Terry and Candy and three great- grandchildren Todd, Tara and Jeremy Malcolm, all of Yelverton. Yelverton U.C.W. pro- vided refreshments follow- ing the funeral in the Yelver- ton Church basement. but abandoned that idea because business would be too seasonal. While visiting with Carol's mother in Port Perry last year, they noticed that the Murray House was for sale. Taking a closer look they found Port Perry had change from the conservative, small town that Carol had known as a young girl. Port Perry was a real town with real people and the Murray House was an ideal tea house. Once they had acquired the house and all the legal matters were out of the way, Carol and Peter had to decide on a name. Several were considered but when Carol suggested just using the name it has always been known by The Murray House, Peter hated it. But it worked. Once the restaurant was open, they decided that an alternate business opposite the dining room could not hurt. Carol remembered her mother always talking about new and different cheeses she had tried, and with the current trend towards wine and cheese parties it just séemed natural. Most of the cheeses and teas are purchased from importers in Toronto as there is just nowhere in the area to purchase what they need. They do, however acquire many of the things they use from local merchants. For example, the pre- serves they sell are brought in-by the local ladies. Peter and Carol test the flavour and if they-like it they order more for resale. They. feel that they have made an investment in the town. When first open they found that their customers were 99 percent women. The first man to sample what the new place had to offer was Ron Compton, who brought several. of the guys he worked with. They were quite surprised to find that they could actually get a nourishing meal for a reasonable price. News of the unique dining spot spread by word of mouth and now Carol and Peter find that they get a lot of people from outside Scugog. Peter said that they had considered opening a similar spot in Oshawa but found that for many of their outside customers it was a pleasant drive and there are several other shops in town that people like to see. Peter and Carol are hoping to expand their operation onto the sun porch and intro- duce a wine and beer license. "It just seems reasonable and civilized to sip a glass of wine with your dinner," Carol said. Carol and Peter are pleased with the positive feedback they have been getting from the community. Peter said that often a woman will come in for lunch and it is not unusual for her to return half an hour later with a friend or rela- tive. "'A lot of people have adopted us," said the two young business people, "very often our customers volunteer to help." The customers admit that they know little about waiting on tables but they would just hate to see this quaint little luncheon spot disappear. wv © Ky LN ®" PN) ®