Leamington's random addresses would have given Santa trouble prior to 1948

By C. Scott Holland

The jolly old fellow in the red and white suit having problems? Not a chance, you say?

Well, he may have encountered some difficulties finding certain residences around Leamington prior to 1948.

The systematic order of houses was not in place like it is today. Houses and businesses could have whatever number they wanted, as long as it wasn’t a duplicate of another number on the same street.

The numbers could jump or decrease — they were not in numerical order or even odds and evens on different sides of the street.

Poor Rudolph must have been dizzy and the rest of Santa’s reindeer extremely tired after visiting Leamington and the former Mersea Township.

In 1996, Mersea Township installed new reflective house number signage to aid mail delivery, police, ambulance and fire services.

Leamington Town council and Canada Post rectified the problem in September of 1948, when they assigned numerically ordered numbers on all town streets and businesses, as well as putting the odd and even numbers on opposite sides.

All houses in Mersea Township were given proper numbers in 1974, with the same system applied.

These days, Santa has no problems finding the correct houses - and the correct presents get to their proper destinations.

The current 9-1-1 style signs were installed in 1996 in municipalities across Ontario.