Workmen's Cottages, Duncan Chisholm (Shipbuilder, 1853), 18-26 Thomas Street, Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District, Oakville, ON
Excerpt from oakvillehistory.org:
The Workmen’s Cottages at 18-26 Thomas Street: While these homes were built in about 1852 as workmen’s homes for his shipyard workers, Duncan Chisholm did not himself live in them. Duncan was a son of George Chisholm, William Chisholm’s brother. Born at Burlington Bay in 1824, he came to Oakville in the year 1848 and opened an iron and tin business.
He first lived at Colborne and Dunn Street, sharing half a frame building with Mrs. Mary Wilson, who operated a bakery in her half to the east. In about the year 1853 Duncan Chisholm built a new brick residence and shop at the southwest corner of Dun and Colborne, and lived there until his retirement.
It was in the late 1850s that Duncan Chisholm established a shipyard on the Sixteen at William Street. He built there the “Victoria”, the “Monarch and the last boat to come from his yard in 1867, the “White Oak”. Launched on July 1, 1867, it was expected that she would be named the “New Dominion”, but niece Kate christened her the “White Oak”.
Duncan Chisholm was also ship owner and a master mariner, serving as captain on the “Oddfellow”, the “Royal Oak”, and “Three Bells”, among others. He was the instigator of Captain Maurice Felan’s epic Christmas voyage of the “Victoria” – they shared her ownership – to Oswego and back.
Workmen's Cottages, Duncan Chisholm (Shipbuilder, 1853), 18-26 Thomas Street, Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District, Oakville, ON
Excerpt from oakvillehistory.org:
The Workmen’s Cottages at 18-26 Thomas Street: While these homes were built in about 1852 as workmen’s homes for his shipyard workers, Duncan Chisholm did not himself live in them. Duncan was a son of George Chisholm, William Chisholm’s brother. Born at Burlington Bay in 1824, he came to Oakville in the year 1848 and opened an iron and tin business.
He first lived at Colborne and Dunn Street, sharing half a frame building with Mrs. Mary Wilson, who operated a bakery in her half to the east. In about the year 1853 Duncan Chisholm built a new brick residence and shop at the southwest corner of Dun and Colborne, and lived there until his retirement.
It was in the late 1850s that Duncan Chisholm established a shipyard on the Sixteen at William Street. He built there the “Victoria”, the “Monarch and the last boat to come from his yard in 1867, the “White Oak”. Launched on July 1, 1867, it was expected that she would be named the “New Dominion”, but niece Kate christened her the “White Oak”.
Duncan Chisholm was also ship owner and a master mariner, serving as captain on the “Oddfellow”, the “Royal Oak”, and “Three Bells”, among others. He was the instigator of Captain Maurice Felan’s epic Christmas voyage of the “Victoria” – they shared her ownership – to Oswego and back.