Told by Dr. Hastings, MHO, in his report on slum inspection 22 People Live in cellars; water on the floors MHO would have city expropriate land around city for future city planning From the Toronto Star, July 5, 1911 Dr. Hastings, Medical Health Officer, in his report to the local Board of Health, cited three…
Category: Toronto
Need for playgrounds in ‘the Ward’ (1924)
by •
From the Toronto Star, February 21, 1924 ◊ Note: this article refers to an undated clipping from the Star and harps on the theme of the crucial need for playgrounds where the many children of the Ward can safely play. It also refers to the “old Waterworks,” but at present I don’t know much about where…
Arts & Letters Club — New & Old
by •
We visited the historic and elegant Arts & Letters Club, also known as “St. George’s Hall,” on Elm Street west of Yonge Street today. The lovely interior is filled with beautiful works of art by the Group of Seven, many of whom were its members, and by other notable members of the club. Indeed, a…
Jewish Voters Out in Force for Liberal Maguire (1911)
by •
Large Meeting Addressed by Candidate and other Speakers From the Globe and Mail, September 14, 1911 Note: Party politics evidently entered into municipal affairs in Toronto of a century ago. This article describes a rousing meeting held in support of Liberal Alderman Alfred Maguire at the Lyric Yiddish Theatre in 1911; Maguire would serve as…
Globe notices sharp increase of Jews in Toronto (1910)
by •
Photographer William James’s superb elevated view of Agnes and Teraulay (Dundas and Bay streets) from an Eaton’s building, 1910, looking northwest towards the Ontario Legislature, with the Teraulay Street Synagogue (Machzikei Hadas, built 1907) in foreground and the Lyric Yiddish Theatre in a former church at centre right. This is an excellent view of the…
Unbuilt Toronto 2: More of the City That Might Have Been
by •
Review of Unbuilt Toronto 2: More of the City That Might Have Been, by Mark Osbaldeston (Dundurn) Five years ago Toronto urban researcher Mark Osbaldeston came out with Unbuilt Toronto: A History of the City That Might Have Been, offering us a view of building projects and schemes that — in many cases thankfully —…
The Streets of Toronto — Yonge, Queen, King, College (1910)
by •
From the Toronto Star Weekly, December 24, 1910 Yonge, King, Queen, Bloor, College, and Some of Their Peculiarities The average citizen knows surprisingly little about his own city. Every working day he rises in the morning, hustles to the nearest car line, and goes to his place of business by the shortest route. Habitually he…
Site for new Women’s College Hospital (1926)
by •
From The Toronto Evening Telegram, July 6, 1926 Southeast corner of Grosvenor Street and Surrey Place, which has been purchased for $57,500. The corner property was bought from Wm. H. and Elizabeth S. Van der Smissen for $29,000 and takes in Nos. 73 and 75 Grosvenor Street and No. 15 Surrey Place. The house on…
Dancing at Jewish Wedding Violates Sunday Blue Laws (1912)
by •
From the Toronto Star, February 19, 1912 Shall Dancing Be Allowed in Civic Halls on Sunday? The Caretaker Could Not Put a Stop to It Mild weather has anticipated the action of the City Council in prohibiting Sunday tobogganing, but the Lord’s Day observance question is to the fore in another aspect. Is dancing to…
Deputy chief says police census was carefully done (1912)
by •
As nearly correct as it is humanly possible to make it From the Toronto Star, February 6, 1912 ◊ This article describes a census conducted one century ago by the police of Toronto for their own purposes only six months after the federal census of Canada. It is unknown what information was collected: did the police…
