Clarence Curley had purchased the community store from John P. (larragher, and on his appointment as Postmaster, November 14th., 1956, he moved the office to the store. This was a convenience to the people since they could call for their mail and also pick up their groceries and other needs.

When Clarence sold the store to Joseph Matters, August 8th., 1960, he resigned as Postmaster, and was succeeded by Mr. Matters. Joe car- ried on a general store business for two years, and then sold out to his sister Mary and her husband Cecil Molyneaux. Mary was then appointed I’ostmistress on July 6th., 1962.

During all these years the post office at Kelly’s Cross received its mail from North \Viltshire, along rural route 2. No one who understands the conditions in general, and especially in the winter and spring, could find fault with the service provided by those men and women, who so faithfully and well, carried the mail back and forth. Many a hardship they had to face; many a storm caught them on the road; many a favor they did for people along the route; many a message they carried to a neighbor. The contract was low, horses and carriages expensive, and when the cars arrived they made the route quicker, but, so often, more expensive. The people understood and appreciated the devoted service of those who carried the mail. We hav only the official record of five of the many couriers:

John T. Kelly 1935-1943 Earl V. Kelly 1943-1949 Tommy P. McQuaid 1949-1963 B. Boswell 1963- Orville MacLeod 1963-

In 1969, the Post Office Department in Ottawa, when there was a need to economize, decided to close out all the small offices throughout the country. They set a basic minimum revenue needed to qualify to remain open. The Kelly’s Cross office did not reach that minimum, and since there was no way in which it could be reached and maintained, the Postmistress was notified that the office would be closed April 30, 1969.

Thus ended a service to the community, a service that was over one hundred years in operation. It was with sadness the people saw the last stamp sold; the last money order written; the last piece of mail received and given out. It’s too bad we have to surrender to progress.

BLACKSMITHS AND CARRIAGE MAKERS

It is easy to understand the need for blacksmiths and carriage makers in the second half of the nineteenth century since the only means of transportation was by horse and carriage in summer, and horse and sleigh in winter. So in the 1880’s there were three blacksmiths and car- riage shops doing business in Kelly’s Cross.

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