Do you know a Whitby Story?
Some interesting facts?
Would you like to contribute information for the web site?
Whitby History is all about it's People
~below are some interesting people in our history.
Peter Perry, one of Whitby’s founders who built this town and area, including Port Perry, built the log road, Hwy 12, and developed the harbour. He was a member of the Reform Party of the day. An outstanding Whitby Citizen.
His son John Ham Perry, pictured with his family to the right, became the County Registrar, who drafted the Registry Act in 1865 and produced the blueprint for all Registry offices in Ontario County.
Jabez Lynde:The Lynde House was built in 1812-1814 by
Jabez Lynde, one of Whitby's earliest settlers. It was considered the finest house between Toronto and Kingston.
John Dryden, was the first agricultural minister at Queen’s Park and was known as the farmer’s friend.
William Dryden started the Royal Winter Fair and had the first buildings built there.
Anne Ottenbrite-Muylaert (b at Whitby, Ont 12 May 1966, is a former breaststroke swimmer from Canada, who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There she won three medals: gold (200m Breaststroke), silver (100m Breaststroke), and bronze (4x100 m medley relay). Her 1984 gold-medal win marked the first gold-medal performance by a Canadian female swimmer. She has been a Member of the Order of Canada since 1984 and in 1985 was inducted into the Canadian Amateur Sports Hall of Fame<
Sandy Hawley, one of he greatest jockeys – 31455 mounts And 6499 wins – he grew up living on Thickson Road in Whitby and went to school at Dr. Robert Thornton Public School and also attended Anderson High School.
Born on April 16, 1949, Hawley was born in Oshawa, Ontario, and became an Avelino Gomez Memorial (Outstanding Canadian rider), and a Lou Marsh Award winner. He also received the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. Inducted into the National Racing Hall of Fame in 1992, and the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame in 1986, he is truly one of North America's most outstanding athletes. When Canterbury Downs opened in 1985, Hawley was already an award-winning rider, and he immediately made a lifetime impression on Canterbury fans. He rode his 5,000th winner aboard Mighty Massa at Canterbury on June 27, 1986, and was Canterbury's leading rider in 1985.
Leslie McFarlane famous writer, read by children world wide! He was known under the pseudonyms Carolyn Keene, Roy Rockwood and most famously Franklin W. Dixon author of The Hardy Boys series. Author Leslie McFarlane, who passed away on September 6, 1977, was one of the most successful Canadian writers of all time. Working for the Stratemeyer Syndicate, he penned 21 volumes of The Hardy Boys, initiated The Dana Girls series and wrote seven Dave Fearless novels. In this interview with CBC Radio's Peter Gzowski, he discusses his career as Canada's best-selling author.
Whitby Dunlops and Hockey players,
J. Neiwendyk; K. Primeau; W. Primeau; A. Foote; G. Roberts; and J. Allison; all N.H.L. Players and more.
Whitby’s Hon. Jim Flaherty MP, presently, Canadian Minister of Finance, in Ottawa and formerly Attorney General, MPP at Queen’s Park.
Christine Elliott, a Lawyer and MPP for Whitby/Ajax
Camp X was located in Whitby and played an integral part in WWII –made famous by Sir William Stephenson also known as the ‘Quiet Canadian’. In 1976, author Mr. William Stevenson published a hagiography of Sir William Stephenson, The Man Called Intrepid.
Gerdie Drew, hockey player, wearing her 'Sons of England' hockey uniform, in 1925. Gerdie was later one of Whitby Historical Society's first members and worked hard to help preserve history.
