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This photo was contributed 27 Aug 2017 by Lloyd
Gurr of Brampton, Ontario, who identified those shown as Simcoe's turn
of the century Chief of Police, George Coates and his wife Ruth Shepherd.
The 1901 Census lists them with seven children, four sons and three
daughters.
From Lloyd:
George Coates was born 15 Nov 1844 in Simcoe to John and Ann Coates who,
with their daughter Maryann, migrated to Canada in 1842 from Richmond
Yorkshire , England.
George had four brothers and two sisters and they all lived and worked at
his father's Waggon Shop on Norfolk Street near the grist mill on Suttons
pond.
George Coates married Ruth Shepherd, daughter of George Shepherd and
Hannah Always, on 22 Oct 1867 in Simcoe. They had eleven children: Cora,
Ann, Arthur, Robert, William, Herbert, Frank, Ruby, Margaret, Earl and
Grace.
George worked as a carpenter and blacksmith before becoming a police
constable for the town of Simcoe. He was promoted to Chief of Police
circa 1885 but retired from this position after his wife died in 1902. In
1907 ,he was remarried to Almeda Fluelling nee Guy, who received a third
of his estate after his death.
Ruth died age 52 on 24 Dec 1907, George died aged 69, 24 Feb 1914.
They are buried together in Oakwood
Cemetery.
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