Evidence of the Ghost

Evidence of the ghost is hard to find. Ford Moynes, a member of the church, wrote about it twice in his “On the Main Street” column for the Post.

“Historians of years chronicled the fact of the death of a workman who fell from a high scaffold when decorating the ceiling in Cambridge Street United Church, at the time known as the Methodist Church.”

(February 2, 1972)

“A tragic accident took place in the church when a workman engaged in painting the high ceiling fell from a high scaffold to his death.”

(September 12, 1974)

At the time of the construction of the church, a newspaper report of such a tragedy could not be found, and there does not appear to be an obituary for a painter, but at that time, obituaries were not printed for every death. If we are to believe Moynes and the incident has been reported by “historians of the years”, there must be some truth somewhere.

The History of the Church

The construction of the brick church is owed to devoted Methodists, Mary Wright Gregory (1849-1936), daughter of Alfred Wright, a Lindsay shoe merchant, and Edmund Gregory (1831-1892), local pharmacist. On June 3, 1867, Mary’s parents “sold” to her a block of land at the corner of “Francis and Market Streets” for the consideration of “natural love and the sum of ten shillings”. The next day, Mary married Edmund Gregory in the Wright home on June 4, 1867. Over the next few years, they would donate land for building the manse and the construction of the new brick church.

“In 1870, a manse was built on the the south part of the lot that Mary had donated to the Wesley Methodist Church. Edmund Gregory purchased the south part of lot 11 at the corner of Market and Bond Streets adjoining the manse. In 1871, a new brick church was erected for the Wesley congregation on land donated by Edmund with the aid of a mortgage raised in England by J.R. Dundas. When the church was dedicated on December 17, 1871, Edmund was superintendent of the Sunday School.”

(The Newsy Lives of the Edmund Gregory Family of Lindsay, ON 1831-1962 by Bruce Gregory).

Thomas Sadler was the builder. In the spring of 1871, the cornerstone was laid, and by December 17, 1871, the building was officially opened.

Market Street became Cambridge Street, and the church became known as Cambridge Street Methodist Church. After the merging of Protestant congregations in 1925, the church became known as Cambridge Street United Church.

Alterations and additions were made to the church in 1886, when the death of the painter also could have occurred, but again, such a tragedy could not be found in the newspapers or obituaries.