Person Record
Metadata
Name |
Legate, William |
Othernames |
Wm. Legate |
Places of residence |
Owen Sound, Grey County |
Notes |
There was an advertisement for "Wm. Legate, General Agent, Fire, Life & Accident Insurance, Real Estate and Conveyancing, 55 Union Street, Owen Sound". In 1909, Union Street became known as 8th St. East. 1975.010.134 Deed of Land document, dated Nov. 17, 1905, between McLauchlan and Wakefield, is form-printed with Wm. Legate's name. In 2015, a downtown Owen Sound store, Legate's Fine Furniture, closed in April. The store had celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2014. The store president and owner at its closing was Kevin Legate, the fourth generation of his family to run the business. It had been opened by his great-grandfather, William Legate, in 1914. The location was 790 2nd Ave. East (also fronted as well on some of 8th St. East as it was a corner location). The store building was built in 1906 by William Legate. It originally housed a Farmer's Bank, a feed and flower (flour?) store, and a grocery store. In 1914, Mr. Legate converted the main floor into a furniture store, at the suggestion of William Goldblatt. There were apartments above the bank and stores, that eventually were converted into use by the furniture business. Eventually all three floors of the building were furniture display areas. William Legate's son, Walter Legate (Kevin's grandfather) joined the business in 1919 after he returned to Canada from his military service overseas. Walter worked there until 1980, when his son Dave Legate took over. Kevin Legate joined the business later on in the 1980s. Walter Legate was known to extend credit to customers during the Great Depression. This gesture wasn't soon forgotten by some local families, who remembered this kindness and continued to do business with the store in later years. Grey Roots Museum has a 1930s dining room suite made by the Spiesz Furniture Co. of Hanover that was retailed at the Legate Furniture Store. QUEEN'S HOTEL AT OWEN SOUND There is an article about the Queen's Hotel present in the Owen Sound Herald's MAGAZINE OF INDUSTRY (1911) p. 38: "Queen's Hotel. William Legate, Proprietor, Corner of 3rd Ave. and 8th Street E., Telephone 5--A city is known by the character of her hotels, indeed, city and hotel are so linked together in the mind of the average traveller, that a prejudice against the latter implies an equal distaste for the city itself. Owen Sound is known for the excellence of her hostelries, a leader being the Queen's Hotel, known as the best $1.25 day house in Canada. The Queen's Hotel was established here forty years ago, the present proprietor, Mr. William Legate, coming into possession three years ago. This house is a modern three-storey brick building, containing 40 sleeping rooms, with ample bath facilities. The office, reading rooms, parlors and dining room are spacious and conveniently appointed, and the meals served are first class. The Queens is the popular commercial house of this city, and Mr. Legate is just the right man to cater to the public." It was located at 785 3rd Avenue East (front door facing 8th St. East, formerly Union Street). Ray McClarty wrote the following letter in 1965: "My father, William H. McClarty, was one of the McClarty Brothers, who operated a grocery and china hall near the corner of 8th St. and 3rd Ave. East in Owen Sound. Beebee Harness Shop occupied the premises on that corner, directly opposite the Queen's Hotel, which was operated by the William Legate family. In July, I will have owned my present home in Meaford for 19 years, having purchased the cottage from the William Gill family. This sideboard was part of the furnishings, and I can only relate the history of the sideboard as told me by Mrs. William Gill. Her husband bought the sideboard for her, as a birthday gift, from an auction sale at the old Queen's Hotel. Last fall, Mrs. Gill visited in Meaford, from her home in California, and was delighted to see her former property again. Commenting upon the sideboard, she said that it would be 135 years old now." (1830s?) Melba Croft noted in her book OWEN SOUND 1921, p. 74, that an abandoned baby was found in the waiting room of the Queen's Hotel, and since the mother could not be found, the child was brought to the Children's Aid. The Queen's Hotel used to offer special dinners when the town was a busy port. See Croft, Melba, GROWTH OF A COUNTY TOWN p. 18. An advertisement of the Queen's Hotel is present in the 1913 Malone's Directory of Owen Sound: "THE QUEEN'S HOTEL / Albert Boddy, Proprietor / First-Class Accommodations For Grip Men / Horse Fair Second Wednesday in Each Month". The rate for accommodation was 15 cents per day? Or was this a typo? This directory listed various people who resided at the hotel. Miss C. Cameron was listed as a "Domestic" at the Queen's Hotel. In 1919, Alfred Boddy took over the management of the Queen's Hotel from J. E. Marsh. There was a monthly horse fair held by the Queen's Hotel circa 1909. This attracted Grey County farmers when they were looking for horses. Allan McPhatter mentions it in his booklet MEMORIES OF KEMBLE. Cole's Directory of Owen Sound (1909) has an advertisement in it that mentions the Horse Fair feature. At some time in the 20th-century, there was an auction of Queen's Hotel items held. The hotel function ceased about 1978. It was torn down in June, 2006, to make way for a parking lot |
Occupation |
General Agent (Fire Insurance, Life Insurance, Accident Insurance, Real Estate Conveyancer Legate Furniture Co. Store Queen's Hotel Proprietor |
Publications |
"Fourth Generation The Last at Legates", SUN-TIMES (Owen Sound), Tuesday, April 7, 2015, pp. 1 and A3 |
Role |
Business person |
Spouse |
_________, m. 1___ |
Children |
Walter A. Legate (1897-1980), m. __ Butchart |
