Robert L. Baird (March 12, 1927 - January 16, 2022)

Robert has contributed greatly to the Beaurepaire-Beaconsfield Historical Society as he was the first Treasurer, Vice-President in 1995 and gave a lecture in 2015. He co-authoured the book "Beaconsfield and Beaurepaire: A chronicle of the development of the City of Beaconsfield and the District of Beaurepaire", the second edition published in 1998.  Robert's wife, Shirley Anne Conrad, was in charge of this society's publicity for 3 years.

James Barrie (1895-1964)

A CNR employee, James Barrie built a summer residence in 1923 (293 Westcroft), but it was soon winterized. His daughters still lived in the family home in 2011.

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John Baxter (1890-1962)

Born in Scotland, he became an architect and a general contractor. He arrived to Montreal in 1912 and to Beaconsfield in 1923. He was a soldier in the First World War. In 1924 he started his own company. He built the Beaurepaire Protestant school in 1924, the Beaconsfield Golf Club clubhouse in 1929 and the Christ Church (Anglican) in 1932. He lived on Kirkwood Avenue.

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Edward A. Bedbrook (1890-1940)

As an engineer, Edward A. Bedbrook worked for CNR and Dominion Engineering. He is the architect and builder of his residence in 1927, at 78 Woodland Avenue. He was first to have a flush toilet on Woodland.  He built and renovated a few houses, among other things, whatever one had to do to survive the Great Depression.

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Douglas Bremner, C.M. (1893-1980)

A civil engineer, and philanthropist, Douglas Bremner was named Member of the Order of Canada for his 50 years of charitable services. Among many projects, he helped found and support the Mackay Centre for deaf and crippled children.  He moved to Beaurepaire in the 1956 and lived at 430 Lakeshore.

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A journalist with “The Standard”, “Lakeshore Review” and many other newspapers, Kenneth Crone was a warden at Christ Church from 1925 to 1927, one of the founders of the old Beaconsfield Citizens’ Association in 1923, a spokesman for St. Louis residents requesting sidewalks, road, street lights and other improvements when everything had to be put in place for permanent residents. He was also Commissioner on the Protestant School Board.

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Robert A. Dade (     -1961)

Robert A. Dade built his house in 1917 and worked as a clerk. He made his mark, when in 1925 he caught the largest bass (3-1/4lbs).  The same year, he is the winner of the single tennis tournament. A very good lacrosse player also.

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Léo Dandurand (1889 Bourbonnais, Illinois - 1964 Montréal)

Léo Dandurand, a successful athlete himself, was the flamboyant co-owner of the Montréal Canadiens Hockey Club (1921-1935) and of the downtown Drury’s Restaurant and English Inn (1938-1959). He was a very active participant in Montreal sporting circles: hockey, football, baseball, boxing/wrestling and horse racing.

Léo Dandurand and his wife Emilia Laplante bought, in 1940, 6 acres of Farm 18 from the estate of Joseph Léonide Perron, first Mayor of Beaconsfield. The portion of the property included the waterfront house of the mayor which was badly damaged by fire a few weeks after the transaction. Dandurand had a near replica of J. L. Perron’s original design built on the original site. In 1953, Dandurand sold the property to the Sisters of The Good Shepherd, who established a Youth Protection School for young English Catholic girls, named Marian Hall. The property was sold to the city of Beaconsfield in 1965. The building served as City Hall until 1968 when it became Centennial Hall.

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Christopher William Dickens (1882-1945)

Born in Wembley, England, Christopher William Dickens came to Canada in 1907 and, around 1922, built his summer residence in Beaurepaire, “Wembley Cottage”, named after his childhood home in Wembley, England. This house will become his permanent residence after a few years and will be home for three generations of the family until 1985. Mr. Dickens worked as a railway conductor for the CNR on three different runs: Montréal/Lakeshore, Montréal/Ottawa and Montréal/Toronto. In 1909 with his wife Phoebe Lacey, having no children of their own, they adopted William Lawrence, 2 years old. Christopher died in 1945 and Phoebe in 1950.

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Adélard Frigon (    -1949)

David Valois’ farm #8 was subdivided and Frigon bought one of the first lots in 1912.  His house was built in 1915. He worked in Montreal and successfully petitioned to have the train stopped in Beaurepaire.

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