Esther Heyes – Local Historian and Writer – A Gift to Caledon
A snapshot of approximately five years of her life in  Caledon

If you’re a lover of history and live in Caledon, you might have heard of “The Story of Albion” written by Esther Heyes in 1961. Esther’s book is about the history of Albion Township and some of the surrounding areas in the Town of Caledon. But it is not just facts and dates; it is a book of stories, written in the language of the time by a woman ahead of her time.

Esther’s interests led her to research and to write about local history wherever she lived. Through the 1950s in Toronto, Esther honed her writing talents, and her columns were published regularly in Etobicoke newspapers. She was a member of the Toronto Women’s Press Club from 1953 until 1961.

In the late 1950s Esther and her husband Reece moved from Toronto to Caledon where they lived on Finnerty Sideroad in Albion Township. Throughout her life, Esther had been a student and recorder of Ontario history, so once again this enthusiasm set her off on a search for the history of her new home. One of her first articles penned in Albion was for the Orangeville Banner about Frances Mowat, the wife of Farley Mowat. Soon she was writing articles for the Bolton Enterprise, run by Werden Leavens who also was interested in local history. In 1957 Esther received the annual Ontario Hydro Award of Merit for outstanding rural reporting.

These weekly columns were the beginning of her book on the history of the area and in 1961 “The Story of Albion” was published and launched by the Bolton Enterprise; it sold out and was reprinted in 1968. I am not sure what the first printing sold for but my 1968 copy, purchased from the Enterprise by Peter Elms (a Caledon East historian), has a note which says he paid $7.50 for the book on Saturday, April 27ᵗʰ that year.

The era in which Esther wrote did not include the computer. There was no internet, no ‘Ancestry’ or other historical sites – sites which now present us with genealogical history at our fingertips. Her days were full of travelling around the countryside with Reece to visit the descendants of local pioneer families. As part of her research, she wanted to hear about their experiences including the hardships of coming to a new country and facing the challenges of building a home. Esther listened and wrote, so that those who came after could read firsthand accounts of the people who settled these hills. And yes, some may contend that there are inaccuracies in her book – possibly the facts came from local folklore. But these are the stories of our Caledon ancestors, undoubtedly similar to those of pioneers everywhere in Ontario.

In 1962, Esther was named Convener of Historical Research for the Mono Road Women’s Institute. The members of the Women’s Institute produced a “Tweedsmuir History” on the Caledon area – another book valued for capturing local history and used by many historians.

In 1963 the couple moved back to Toronto, where Esther again took up her work as a local historian and wrote “From Furrow to Borough” a history of Etobicoke published in 1974.

Just five years later, in failing health, Esther died on February 23 at the age of 89. The obituary in the March 7, 1979 issue of the Enterprise was headed “Noted Author Dies.” It stated, “Mrs. Heyes’ devotion to local historical research and writing was a singular and highly commendable effort which was a permanent gift to Albion.”

Esther lived in Caledon only a few years, yet in that short time she left us with her ‘gift’ a book covering the history of our past in very human stories. “The Story of Albion” is essentially out of print, but here is the link to Esther’s book. You can read at your leisure.

The Story of Albion: Heyes, Esther: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming: Internet Archive

Donna Davies. January 2026
Credits:
“Settling the Hills”
Peel Art Gallery Museum & Archives (PAMA)