10340 Highway 1: The Joseph Worthylake House

Architecture Style: Modified Greek Revival

Built: 1909

Ebenezer Worthylake was one of the New England Planters who settled in Granville before 1764. His small family prospered.  They were still in the Annapolis area in the 1790s, and about 100 years after that, we find Joseph Worthylake, “farmer”,  living in Paradise.  The enterprising Joseph worked his way toward building this fine home.  He and Agnes [Durling] owned the “Gillis House” near the Roxbury road from 1889-1895. But in 1890, the year their only son, Fred, was born, he also bought the Elias Morse house and mill. He moved to Paradise village in 1896, and in 1909, he bought a small piece of land from Charles Banks,  right next to Brooks’ store. At the age of 42, Joseph built his pleasing and substantial home there, perhaps with lumber he milled himself. Fred worked at Brooks’ store, so this was just the right place for the family.  Joseph died in 1924 and  Fred in 1937; Agnes lived here until her own death in 1941.

Wilfrid and Thelma [Kinsman] Bishop moved here from Clarence, and in a sense, they “came home”; Wilfrid’s grandfather had grown up on the Bishop family farm in Paradise. Wilfrid built a brand new service station, just as people were realizing that cars would be vital to the future.  The Monitor, on February 21, 1919, reported that “Wilfrid Bishop purchased a Ford car.” Cars were up and coming, and Wilfrid knew it! His clean, neat service station was soon part of village commerce.  As Municipal Clerk, he also brought the County offices to Paradise.  Thelma taught at the Paradise School and was a role model of great dignity and grace for her students. She also opened her home in the summer to guests. Their son Allan later took over Wilfrid’s service station. Their daughter Oriel ran a beauty shop in the house for a time. She married John Fox.

After artist Janice Leonard Ruggles, Mike and Louise Stewart, and their children, Lindsay, Craig, and Kyle lived here. Mike taught math at Bridgetown Regional High School, and Louise taught at Annapolis Royal Regional Academy. Kyle became a high school teacher, Craig went to university, and Lindsay was an award-winning student and young citizen. Under the Stewarts’ care,  this home grew ever more beautiful, its well-designed and lush gardens a gift for neighbours to enjoy as they passed by.