March 2012 - Visit to Flesherton

Our March meeting was held in Flesherton. Our first stop was the Munshaw Inn where we met in the real estate office. Glenn Boynton shared some of the story of the building in which we were meeting. In 1994, he rented space for the real estate but since 2001, he has been the owner.


Aaron Munshaw, Jr., the original owner of this building was a businessman. When this area opened up, in 1849, he built an inn across from the current high school. It burnt down. The current building, located at the crossroad of Highway 10 and County Road 4, was built by Munshaw about 1868. The property remained in the Munshaw family until the 1960s. By the 1980s, the building was deteriorating. At a cost of over one million dollars, some Chinese businessmen had the building renovated. The building had several owners before the purchase by the Boyntons. When the building was renovated, little of the original internal features were maintained. The outside renovations are in keeping with the original building.

Mary Jane Clapperton (descendant of original owner, Aaron Munshaw)

 and Glenn Boynton, guest speaker and current owner of the building.

After the tour of the upstairs of the building where the current Munshaw Village Inn is located, we headed over to the South Grey Museum to view some of their artifacts as shown below. The Curator, Jennifer Stenberg was pleased to show us the recent acquisition of posters from the time of prohibition, as well as making note of the book recently released by Larry Cotton (Whiskey and Wickedness in Grey &Wellington Counties). This publication gives a very interesting look at the availability of alcohol, the problems arising therefrom, etc.