WATFORD, ONTARIO

'Watford' is located in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada.

Contents

History

History

Watford was first settled in 1851 at what was known as Brown's Corners, a stagecoach stop between the village of Warwick and Brooke township. The Great Western Railway was built in 1856 and caused the settlement to be relocated near the tracks, in its present location. It was incorporated as the Village of Watford in 1873. Watford was either named for the Watford in England, or by Col. Brown for his home town of Watford, Ireland.
Many of current residents believe that one of the first settlors, Col. Jeffrey Neal Brown, named the village. On a journey from London to Sarnia, Brown stopped half way on his journey and said to his wife, "We should settle here and raise our family". Brown's wife repsonded "What for?" and Brown replied no "Watford". Still to this day this story is told around coffee shops in this quiet little rural village in Ontario.
There was a great fire in the 1880s on November 5th that destroyed much of the town during a Guy Fawkes night (Bonfire Night) celebration.