One Archives | Sweat Equity – The Grimsby Homebuilding Co-operative 1953

Harry Day – Knowing Bob Walsh of the Grimsby Co-op

Harry Day of the Sherbrien Co-op in Greensville knew Bob Walsh as “Mr. Co-op.” Sixty years after their build, contact was made with the Greensville co-op through Grimsby […]

Avryle Wilson – Co-op Kids

Avryle Wilson remembers winter traditions with the kids. Avryle Wilson sits in side a house in front of a sideboard with candles on it. Her hands are folded […]

Bishop Francis Marrocco

The son of Italian immigrants who settled in Peterborough in 1909, Father Francis Marrocco became involved in assisting displaced persons and immigrants and working with government. As Director […]

Co-op daughter celebrates the 25th anniversary

Carolin celebrates as her Dad, Walter, happily burns his paid-up 25-year mortgage. Hurray!

Sofia on the shoreline

Twenty years later, Walter’s granddaughter Sofia Mucci was able to enjoy the waterfront at Murray Street Park. Walter’s own children had known the spot as a great place […]

Father Marrocco at the ground- breaking ceremony in Hull (Gatineau), Quebec.

This was the first of many ground-breaking ceremonies Father Marrocco would attend throughout Ontario. This one in Deschênes, near Hull (Gatineau), Quebec, would have been particularly meaningful to […]

Father Francis Marrocco

Father Marrocco would be a key figure in the ISA in 1949, inspiring and challenging his students. He had travelled to Antigonish, to study co-operative methods being taught […]

John Blake on the building site

John Blake recorded it all, beginning with their study groups through to the final days of the build. His footage of the co-operative build is seen throughout these […]

Walter Muise, burns the mortgages

Once the speeches were given, Rev. Derwyn Hill, an original builder who was later ordained, led the “Benediction and Burning” of the mortgages. Could the co-operators have imagined […]

Jim Denvir, Citizen of the year, 1986

Jim Denvir was among a group of St. Joseph’s parishioners who helped in the community, both in and outside of the congregation. At first, they collected food, storing […]

Expert shingler John Colleary

Although John was a plasterer by trade, he was very good at shingling during the build. And so he was honoured as the King of the Shingleers.

Wilf Worley wrote a song for John Colleary

Sixty years later, John Blake would sing the song at a “Co-op at 60” information event hosted by the Grimsby Archives. It speaks to the fun-loving guy that […]