Stapleford

(from newspaper articles)

Richard Homer (Dick) Stapleford was well-known as a collector and writer of local history, writing many articles for the London Free Press. Many of his articles are in the Warwick Township archives. He and his wife Lily Mae Williamson had five children: R. Harvey (Red), Reginae, Marjory, Robert L., and Arthur C.

Dick Stapleford wanted the children to learn all aspects of running a business, so he purchased the Lovell Bakery in Watford from a friend in danger of bankruptcy. The sons baked bread and ran the store; Reginae remembered working in the store after school and long hours on Saturdays.

In a letter written by Reginae (Stapleford) Tait in February, 2006, she mentioned that her great-great-grandmother Mary Jane Land Nelson Stapleford (“Old Grannie”) celebrated her 100^th birthday in July, 1925. Reginae said that Watford stores had a holiday in celebration!

R. Harvey “Red” Stapleford (1912–1983), the eldest son of Dick and Lily Stapleford, spent most of his life outside of Watford. He died in London, England. Red Stapleford enlisted with the Perth Regiment in Stratford as the outbreak of World War II. Major Stapleford served as a staff officer with the Canadian Armored Corps during the invasion of Europe and later with the headquarters staff of the British Army in Africa.

Red began his hockey career with the Stratford Midgets (Junior A) and later played for the Windsor Mic-Macs (Senior). In 1933 he was instrumental in introducing ice hockey in England where he was associated as a player and coach with Stratford and Wembley of the British Ice Hockey Association. For a number of years prior to World War II he recruited hockey players from across Canada for teams in England and Europe. In 1986 he was inducted into the British Hockey Hall of Fame.

Charlie Stapleford (relationship unclear) was also in Europe as a hockey coach. In a letter to the Watford Guide-Advocate of May 28, 1937 he wrote about coaching the Hungarian National team in the World Championship game in 1937, bringing them from ninth to fifth place. He also wrote about playing hockey in Germany on May 24 that year, at the German Exposition.

In this same letter Charlie wrote in detail about the preparations for and the actual coronation of King George VI, since he presumed he and Harvey were the only two representatives present from Watford. They sat on Whitehall St., not far from the cenotaph, for the procession, and were especially impressed by Queen Mary, “a most charming dignified woman” who “is and looks like the perfect queen.”

Following World War II Harvey Stapleford served as Trade Commissioner with the Ontario government’s Department of Trade and Industry in London, New York and Germany. In 1962 he was appointed Ontario’s special representative to Common Market countries in Europe.

Reginae married George Edward Tait, who was raised in Watford. They met when George’s family moved across the street from the Staplefords, in their Grade Five year. After high school, Reginae took teacher training in London, then taught elementary and junior high school.

Chapter 24 of 25 - Stapleford Family

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