221 - 1st Street - T.A. Bulloch House

221 First Street - Bulloch House - written by Fletch Manning in 2002

This big house on 1st Street was built for Thomas A. Bulloch.  Mr. Bulloch (T.A.) and his wife Ellen (nee Guthrie) raised their family here; Muriel, Doris, Rae, Eileen and Avis. Mrs. T.A. was the author of the history book entitled “Pioneers of the Pipestone”. (link takes you to the book online - S.S.) The house is built of cement blocks, a first for this area. A builder cannot be verified, though a Mr. James Stallwood was a builder/contractor who also worked with stone, lived in Reston in the early part of 1900. Mr. Rainnie tells me that each brick weighs 96 pounds and that the stones were made locally.

When Mr. Bulloch died, Mrs. Bulloch lived alone for a brief time. Her daughter Doris Robinson and son Larry, moved from Neepawa in 1949 to live with Mrs. T.A.   Mrs. Bulloch died in 1964 at which time then, Doris sold the house to Mr. Rainnie.  John Rainnie and his wife Jean moved with their family from Broomhill to make Reston their home.  Today Mr. Rainnie lives alone in this house.

April 2020 update by Sharon - 

Guthrie and Bulloch on the right - photo from McKee Archives

Thomas Albert Bulloch farmed in the Lanark district, northeast of Reston on the north half of 27-7-27.  He continued farming after moving to this house in 1911.  In 1919, he along with his brother-in-law James Guthrie started an insurance and real estate business that he continued until his illness and death in 1951. Daughter Doris' son Larry Robinson continued on the business in Reston until 1986.  Ellen Bulloch passed away in 1967. Two great grandsons of Thomas and Ellen, Wilfred and Brett, continue to make their home in Reston. 

Jean and John Rainnie had a family of six - Donald, Peggy, Marlene, Larry, Garry and Ian.  Jean passed away in 1996 and John on the morning of his 94th birthday in 2009.  After farming at Broomhill from 1946 to 1961 he had operated lumber businesses including Rainnie's Lumber and Supplies until 1974 where the Drop In stands now. He became custodian at Reston Collegiate until he retired in 1981 and renovated their home on First Street.  John and Jean were big assets to the community being involved in church, legion and Memorial Park activities.
  

 

Keith Moore and family were the next owners and his son David lives there today. David has been told the house was built in 1908.  
Concrete block construction was not ever common in this area but the Kilkenny General Store at Broomhill (built in 1908 as well) is one surviving example. The Crerar Building in Melita - the Meighen Haddad Lawyers office - is another local concrete block building.  This one was built in 1904.

As always, please let me know if you have any further memories or pictures of this historic Reston house.  ssimms@escape.ca