FROM WHERE DOES SPRYFIELD COME?
There's an old saying that goes ' GOOD THINGS ONLY COME IN THREE'S '. Well, back in 1768 it only took TWO. Henry
Leiblen and Daniel Hail were the first two, and only, Land owners in what is now known as present day SPRYFIELD.
Leiblen's area covered Five hundred acres stretching from Leiblen Drive to Herring Cove Road. This whole area was known as
Leiblen Manor. Hail's land also covered Five Hundred acres.
Well , maybe there really was a third good thing to happen at this point too! Not long after Leiblen and Hail
were in the area, Captain William Spry came along and purchased the total 1000 acres. By 1769 Captain Spry was granted a second
1000 acres by the Imperial Council in the same vicinity. A short while later he purchased five hnudred more acres, giving
him 2500 acres of land.
Spry was, at this point, a captain in the Military Armament of Halifax and he had some of his soldiers come out
to his land to help. He had them clear a space covering Two Hundred acres, which is where he lived. This clearing became known
as Spry's Field. Spry also had another clearing which he called after his wife Harriet, then came the name Harrietsfield.
Through common usage and a bit of slang, Spry's Field was shortened by not bothering with the 's' adn by 1775 SPRYFIELD had
it's name.
* Olie Subdivision was begun in the 1940's. One of the instigator was Bill Olie. A start was also made on Thornhill
Park and then Leiblen Park once Olie Subdivision was on its way.
*The Fire Departmentwas begun in 1946 by Dan MacNeil. They were members of the wartime A.R.P. Dan MacNeil was
the second Fire Chief.
*The main road in Spryfield- Herring Cove Road- was paved in 1950.
* Pine Grove Hotel was demolished in 1959.
* Seven digit telephone numbers were used since the Fall of 1960.
*There was a plumbing Station on Long Lake in 1967.
* Spryfield was amalgamated with Halifax in 1969.
* The first store in Spryfield was operated by William Topple. It was close to the Pine Grove Hotel.
*The first Gas Stations in Spryfield were operated by Foster Bezanson and Russell Hamm.
* Annie Dart operated the first Post Office in her own home. Later on it was operated in the old Crowell's Drug
Store. The second Post Mistress was Mrs. Dan MacNeil.
*There was piggery at the bottom of Pine grove Drive operated by a Mr. Mitchell.
*Charles Blades ran a Saw Mill where the Legion stands today on Sussex Street. The logs went through the Macintosh
Runs up to the Mill.
*The first Milk Delivery was conducted by the Roche's WHO had a Dairy farm.
* The first Factory in Spryfield was on the Dart Farm. George Dart built and operated it. All the merchandise
was hand made. They manufactured sleds, toys, wheelbarrows and much more.
* Electricity first came to Spryfield in 1928, even then only certain areas were covered.
* Roads in the winter months were almost impassable until 1928 when Ed Oakley plowed them using Horse and Plow.
* The first Transportaion service was provided by George Bryden in the early 1930's. This ran into Halifax and
back.
* An explosion in Spryfield occured in the early 1930's when they were widening Herring Cove Road and Dentith
Road. In the accident one man was killed and one woman was injured.
As one would imagine, sports, of many kinds, have been around for a good number of years and as in other similar
cases Spryfield became very much involved. By 1930, she had competitors in most every field.
By 1931, hockey was going strong where Spryfield Juniors played teams such as St. John The Baptist and Kline
Heights. Of course at this time there were no such things as Indoor Rinks, so game schelduling depened greatly on the cooperation
of the weather. In the 1930-31 tournament Spryfield Juniors won against St. John The Baptist. However, the following season
did not yeild the same results as Spryfield and Kline Heights were tied for the Championship due to the lack of Ice-No
game was played.
Baseball was another fun sport enjoyed by the residents of Spryfield. One league was the single men versus the
Married Men's League. Well you could certainly depend on a few laughs there. In 1931 the Married Men won 18 to 15. However
in 1932, the Single Men came back strong when they took the Championship by a 17 to 3 score.
Spryfield was involved in softball as well as baseball, in factthe Spryfield Juniors joined the North West Arm
Association Soft Ball League in 1932. In this year, Spryfield started their first Girl's League.
Spryfield was also involved in Boxing where She competed in Local, Provincial and Maritime wide championships.
They were involved in Flyweight, Bantam Weight, Welter Weight, Light Weight, Middle Weight, etc. Track and Field was another
avid sport with many participants in either Running, Jumping, ShotPut or Walking.
Spryfield did not stop there. They were also involved in Fiddling. In 1930 the Maritime Fiddling Championship
was won by Frank Bishop- a local Spryfielder.
