Person Record

Metadata

Name

Doran, Morice

Other Names

Morice Seaman Doran

Born

April 2, 1914

Birthplace

St. Vincent Township

Deceased

June 1, 2003

Deceased

Southampton

Father

Nathan Doran

Mother

Nettie Allingham

Spouse

Madeline Bettridge

Children

Wayne Doran
Marvin Doran
Dale Doran

Relationships

5 siblings - Ruth (Salmon) and Ralph (twins), Dorothy, Hartley, and Eloise (Matheson).

Occupation

Morice enlisted for service during the Second World War at London, ON on October 13, 1942 with the Royal Canadian Air Force and was discharged in 1945. He was stationed in Queen Charlotte Islands of BC in Bomber Reconaissance. He achived the rank of Corporal and was Radar Technician.

Morice and his brother Ralph bought the store on 161 High Street Southampton from Josh Burns in December 1945 after the war. At that time, the Burns store was being operated as a grocery store and bakeshop business. This initiative began when Morice was looking for a place to start a radio shop, as something to fill the winter months when he was not engaged in commercial fishing with his father Nathan Doran. Due to the radio correspondence course he took in the mid-1930s, and his radio & electronics training related to his role as a RCAF radar technician, he was qualified to start such a business. The Dorans continued to operate the business as a grocery store for the first year, introducing hardware items in addition to groceries during the last three months of 1946. They were also selling baked goods produced by Archie Perkins in the brick oven that was at the back of the Doran's store (originally part of the Burns' Bakery). They sold the grocery business to Frank Paddon and converted the store into a general hardware & electrical contracting business know as "Doran Bros. Hardware." Morice also had a radio repair shop at the back of the store (later know was Radio & TV repairs).

Doran Bros. Hardware offered a thriving electrical contracting business, and became known as the main electrical contractor in the area, wiring newly constructed homes, cottages, and the occasional commercial building. Lorne Walmsley was the lead electrician. As hydro became more commonplace in rural areas after the Second World War, Doran Bros. helped many local farms get wired for hydro, and then selling appliances to the same homes. The hardware store also sold paint by the quart and gallon to home decorators and contractors. The arrival of a TV station in Wingham (CKNX Chanel 8) in 1955 created another business opportunity for Doran Bros to sell and repair TV sets and install outdoor TV owners and antennas. They had the second TV set in town (after Matheson's hardware across the street). One of the successes of the hardware store was the fact that the Doran Bros could fix what they sold.

Doran Bros. was part of the Crest Hardware chain from 1962 until 1972.

In 1971, Ralph and Morice separated their businesses (Southampton hardware Store and Doran's Boat Livery & Sauble Clipper tourist boat business on Sauble River). Ralph continued to operate the hardware store and Morice carried on with the Sauble business. In spring 1974, Morice sold the Sauble business to Werner Kilsch and retired.

Places

Resided on Grosvenor St. North, Southampton

Sources

Sources:
Doran, Wayne M. "Doran Bros. Hardware, Southampton, 1945-1976" in Historical Notes 2023 Yearbook Edition, Bruce County Historical Society, pages 19-31.
Doran, Wayne M. Doran family history : David Doran Branch; the ancestors and family of Nathan (Nate) Doran, 2022. Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre collection, A2023.071.001.