The Unsworth family were proud British subjects who came to Canada for new opportunities. Their loyalty to the Crown translated to Canadian pride when the family chose to settle in Canada after deeming the climate of opinion toward Britain in the United States unsatisfactory.
The Unsworth’s youngest son Albert was the proprietor of a ‘fancy goods store’ – a store selling gifts and clothing accessories – on King Street in Hamilton. He purchased property on the north and south sides of Plains Road in 1882. In addition to the home, Albert purchased a tavern that at the corner of Plains Road and Unsworth Avenue and relocated it to his back yard to function as workspace. Once in his backyard, the tavern housed hand-operated knitting machines for women and girls to produce stockings and other similar commodities to sell at his store.
Unsworth cold frame construction with windows from Hamilton’s Crystal PalaceWhen, Albert Unsworth moved back to Hamilton his son George decided to remain at the home on Plains Road. By 1897, George had acquired 13 additional acres of land to his holdings. On his land, George Unsworth planted vegetables to be sold at local markets. In an attempt to lengthen his growing season, George decided to construct cold frames and germinate the plants prior to the growing season in southern Ontario. His first cold frames were made using windows from the Crystal Palace in Hamilton. These small scale greenhouses were the predecessor to his first full sized greenhouse, constructed in 1900. The greenhouse allowed for his vegetable growing enterprise to expand at such a rate that he eventually held a small cluster of greenhouses. Unsworth’s specialty was vegetables, particularly tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce, the former of which were enjoyed by the King and Queen of England during a visit in 1939.
Designated in 2006 for its association with the Unsworth family, 313 Plains Road West is also a fine example of a one-and-a-half storey vernacular farmhouse. It is the last remaining landmark on the property of the Unsworth family as the greenhouses no longer exist.
