from E E Dodds' Directory 1880
WESLEYVILLE P O - This Post Office was established a few years ago, and is located upon Lot 30, in the 1st Concession of Hope, five miles from Port Hope, on the Lake Shore Road. Elijah Barrowclough, Postmaster.

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1878 map of Hope Township

Wesleyville aerial view

Wesleyville United Church

Brandon Manor House c1903

Wesleyville School c1921

Wesleyville School c1925

Sunday School c1954

Some Harris family names

Wesleyville School c1930

Wesleyville School 2018

 

Wesleyville recalled

from The History of Hope Township
by Harold Reeve 1967
Wesleyville is located on Lots 30 and 31 of the first Concession, on the Lake Shore Road, five miles from Port Hope. A school, a church and a post office have been the heart of the village. In the early years, around the 1860's, there was a tavern, a blacksmith shop, a machine shop, a cobbler and a carpenter. For a number of years Elijah Barrowclough operated a barrel heading manufacturing business, shipping the product to flour mills.
Wesleyville had a Methodist Church at least as early as 1845. This was a frame building situated one half mile east of the present church, where there were three or four houses, the school and a blacksmith shop. When the Church and the school had deteriorated and needed replacing, the new ones were built at Wesleyville.
The second school was built in 1866 on land purchased from Mrs. Saxby. This school burned in 1899 and was replaced the same year by the present school.
The present brick church was erected in 1860 on land donated by John Barrowclough. There were eight tenders for building the church. Bennett Janes' tender for £599 was accepted with the understanding that it was to have the look of Zion Church.
Wesleyville had a tavern from 1861-64 on Lot 30, Concession one, run by Tom Clark. It was said of Clark that he got religion and dumped his liquor on the road. A man called Young kept a tavern on Lot 34, Concession one from 1807 to 1813 or longer. There is a record of his purchase of eight barrels of whiskey during those years at five shillings a gallon from Marsh's distillery at Port Britain.

from The Evening Guide  April 1, 1940
Wesleyville
On Wednesday afternoon, March 20, one of the stormiest of the Winter, ten ladies met at the home of Mrs. W. T. Nichols for afternoon tea. While several of the ladies quilted Mrs. Beighton and Mrs. N. Pickering entertained them with splendid readings and contests.
Enthusiastic plans were made for Easter services, but the storm, wind and steady cold made them of no use except for the benefit which always comes from the extra effort put into an undertaking. Although church service was cancelled, Sunday School was held as usual.
Young people's union met on March 26th as usual and a very fine meeting was presented by Kathleen Brimacombe.
On the previous Tuesday the regular meeting was withdrawn and about 18 young people attended the special services at Morrish.
On Wednesday evening of last week a crokinole party was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Austin under the auspices of the W.A. In spite of springtime roads about fifty people were present and eleven tables of players had a happy evening. The men were playing a close game this time and Herman Peters, George Best, Ken Dinner and Sydney Lancaster tied for the first place. In an exciting playoff Mr. Lancaster won the prize and Lorraine Beighton won first place for the ladies.
On Thursday evening several young people were entertained at a euchre party at Mr. and Mrs. C. Payne's. The best players for the evening were Bernice Best and Herb Paeden, and everyone reported the evening a very happy occasion.
Ruby Thorndyke of Bury Green spent the Easter holidays with her parents.
Nola Holdaway of Toronto spent Easter Sunday with her mother.
Helene Barrowclough visited at Mr. Reg Bee's, Port Hope on Friday and Saturday.
Mrs. S. Barrowclough is spending a few days with her sister, Mrs. Mills, Port Hope.
We are very glad to say Mrs. Tutt returned home on Sunday after convalescing at Mr. W. Austin's.
Mrs. W. Bee and Ainslee motored to Roche's Point with Mr. and Mrs. Reg. Bee on Saturday afternoon.

from website Friends of Wesleyville
Once a bustling hamlet, Wesleyville, which lies within Port Hope, is today often regarded as a ghost town. In the 1970s, an oil-fired generating station was planned, but the rising price of oil killed the scheme. The site, which had been acquired for the station, was left to deteriorate. With some of the remaining structures demolished, and amidst rumours of an impending nuclear power plant, Hope Township LACAC supported by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and ACO's Port Hope Branch, undertook a study to determine the heritage value of what remained of the village: its church, a schoolhouse, two architecturally significant houses, and two barns.
It concluded that Wesleyville... is not a disjointed collection of abandoned buildings and overgrown vegetation but layered with archeological, built and natural significance... As a cultural landscape, its core heritage character is as a sanctuary of historic structures and cultural aspirations, amidst a regenerating natural landscape.
To support revitalization of this abandoned community, six heritage advocates formed the Friends of Wesleyville Village in 2008. The Friends, now a charitable organization with 150 members, began its work with the rapidly decaying church, which was owned by the United Church of Canada, represented by nearby Welcome United Church. Although Wesleyville Church had been designated in the 1990s, its condition rendered demolition its most likely fate.
Welcome United was willing to sell the building, but was prepared to consider other alternatives. Lengthy discussions resulted in a 20-year lease including explicit goals for the first five years. This precedentsetting arrangement, written up in The United Church Observer, has led other communities to approach the Friends for advice.
As volunteers worked to restore the church, they spoke of feeling AK's presence. Wesleyville's church is now largely restored, thanks to the Friends, and the community, which has been highly supportive.
Efforts continue to work with OPG-owner of the rest of the village-so that the rest of Wesleyville can bepreserved and revitalized.
For their innovative approach to working with Wesleyville's owners, and their success in rallying the community, ACO is pleased to present the Friends of Wesleyville Village with the A. K. Sculthorpe Award for Advocacy.

from website Ontario Abandoned Places
Wesleyville is a ghost hamlet snuggled between the old port hamlets of Port Britain and Port Granby. It is located today in the Town of Port Hope (formerly Hope Township) in Northumberland County. Both Port Britain and Port Granby are marked with signs, while Wesleyville is not. It is a true, sleepy ghost town.



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