Residents & their stories

The stories submitted by or about the following people are posted below:

 

 

 

George Ironside - First reeve (mayor) of the Village of New Toronto.  Mr. Ironside was a millwright and superintendent at the Ramsey & Ritchie Company.  He owned at least 6 houses on Fifth Street, most of which no longer exist (replaced by a parking lot).   George was also a School Board Chairman at one time.  He was instrumental in obtaining William Mole as principal for Fifth Street Public School.  Mr. Mole, with his education, was considered an extravagance for a rural community such as New Toronto. 

Wendy Gamble, our society’s president; her cousin, Joan, was married to Norm Ironside, George’s son.  Mike Haslett, George’s grandson, has a number of family photos on his webpage:  http://home.golden.net/~mikespg/oldfamilyphotos.html.  One of George Ironside’s hobbies “was photography, when he wasn't busy fathering children, of course” says Mike.  I have found the birth announcement of one of George’s children, Olive, at a genealogy website:

055821-08 (York Co)  IRONSIDE, Olive Isabelle, f,  b. March 20 1908, father- George IRONSIDE, millwright, mother - Ethelinde Alberta HOWARD, infm - George Ironside, Etobicoke

The picture to the right was contributed by Mike:  “This was taken by my mother Ethel in our backyard at 134-5th St., New Toronto.  Over top of the fences you can see some of the houses on 6th St.  The photo was probably taken in 1945.  Pictured in the photo are L-R:  Paul Parkes, Bryan Farrell, Winston Jones and Mike Haslett. We are playing the musical instruments of the day - rolled up paper”.

 

 

Don Russell

Donald R. Russell – Don Russell served one term as councilor before contesting the mayor’s position, which he won and held from 1955 to 1967.  When New Toronto was amalgamated with Etobicoke Township, Russell topped the polls for the board of control in Etobicoke.  Don was a member of the Board of Education in New Toronto for eight years (see picture in the Education section) and the first chairman of the Lakeshore Board of Education.  In the 1930’s Don opened a drug store at what is now 2891 Lakeshore Blvd West, which still retains his name (Don Russell Pharmacy can be seen in the picture of the Highway from 1939 - look on the right).  One newspaper article I’ve read stated that he also owned another drug store at the corner of Burnamthorpe and Martingrove Roads in the 1940’s. Don was a member of the Lakeshore Lions Club, the Kingsway Shriners branch, Lakeshore paraplegic Society, the Red Cross, the new Toronto Library Board, and was a member of the Pharmacists’ Association.  As mayor of New Toronto he served on Metro Council for a number of years.  Donald R. Russell Memorial Park was named after him.  Situated on Elder Street, the park is a symbol of the respect he engendered in all community-minded residents. 

 

Irene Hooey

 

 

Irene Hooey Leslie lived at 142 Fifth Street as well as other parts of New Toronto.  (Her house would have been where the parking lot is today between Fifth and Sixth Streets, and very close to the Ironside’s – George Ironside being the town’s first reeve).  Irene’s family moved here from Bowmanville in 1919 because her father worked at the Goodyear plant.  She was the oldest of 10 children and went to Fifth Street Public School.  She tells me that there used to be a great gully between Fifth and Fourth streets where the kids used to go sledding.  The gully disappeared when the liquor store was built on the north side of Lakeshore. 

 

Irene recollects the following sad incident at Ironside's house:  "Mrs. Ironside was pregnant and died in the 1918 flu epidemic. A maiden aunt, Miss Olive Howard, came from Swansea to look after the children.  Ethel was Irene’s friend, they were about 2 years apart in age.  Irene remembers sitting in Mr. Ironside's "office" listening to "Santa Claus" on his radio". 

 

[Editor’s note:  Ethelinde Ironside’s grandson tells me that his grandmother actually passed away on February 24^th, 1920 during childbirth – his comments are:  “My mother had told me that story.  The nurse summoned George into the room where Ethelinde lay and told him that she had died.  George came out of the room and said to those present, (including my mother), "She's gone."  Aside from that, all my mother remembers of the incident was "all the blood."  Ethelinde's sister, Olive Howard, took over the raising of the six children for George, a very difficult task, to be sure].

 

Above is a painting of "The Assembly Hall" done by Adrian DeRooy, also a resident of New Toronto.  Mrs. Leslie is the lady in the pink slacks.  Adrian tells me that Cliff Lumsdon and Gus Ryder are also in the painting.  Irene lived in New Toronto for 80 years, moving to Victoria, B.C in 1999.  Irene’s daughter tells me that Irene felt like she never left New Toronto – the town and the people were close to her heart always.  Sadly, Irene passed away on April 15^th, 2008.  

 

 

The Boyles

The Boyles lived at 146 Fifth Street.  Mrs. Boyle's daughter, Jean, started the Fish & Chip shop.  (See the page on New Toronto Fish & Chips)  Below is a picture from 1926 of Mrs. Boyle with Roy Hooey, the neighbour's son (Roy is the brother of Irene Hooey, mentioned above). 

 

The picture is taken with Mrs. Boyle and Roy facing the house at 142 Fifth Street, so in the background is the east side of Fifth, which at the time was an empty field looking right through to Fourth Street.  The house in the background was William Hennessy's home.  His brother, Michael, ran Mike's Smoke Shop, which was on the north side of "the highway", 2nd storefront east of Sixth Street.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.W. Wylie

 

 

 

WYLIE, Cecil Walter - Known as C.W. or Cy, C. W. Wylie was born on July 30, 1914 in South Porcupine, Ontario. He passed away peacefully in the morning of January 4th, 2006 with his wife, Catherine by his side. The Wylie Family moved to New Toronto from South Porcupine in 1917. C. W. saw New Toronto grow from a small rural-like community to an industrial urban one. He served in the RCNVR from 1942 to 1945. In 1947, he founded Wylie Press which had its home on Sixth Street, Seventh Street and lastly on Kipling Avenue. He began his new career as a farmer on his beloved Ortonwood farm in the Fergus area in 1971.  C.W. married Catherine in 1983 at the Farm and in 1988 they moved to Ennisclare, Oakville. C.W. is predeceased by his parents, Jack and Etta Wylie, his sister, Elfreda (Mrs. W. D. LaFrance), his brothers Lloyd and Glenn and his son, John. He will be sadly missed by his wife Catherine, his daughter-in-law, Christie and grandchildren Bianca and Geoffrey, his sisters, Lucille (Mrs. J. R. Gamble) and Gwen (Mrs. K.W. Ingram) plus his nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service was held on Friday, January 13, 2006, at the Oakview Funeral Home, 56 Lakeshore Rd. W., Oakville.

 

House of Ill-Repute - It is rumoured that Fifth Street had its own bordello.  There was a furniture store on Lakeshore many years ago, where the gentlemen requesting the company of a lady of the evening would traverse down a tunnel in the back of store. The tunnel passed north under the alleyway behind the store to one of the houses on Fifth Street.  Apparently, the entranceway into the house is still present today in the basement of the house, sealed, of course. However, this is all speculation - I have no confirmation of this rumour.

 

Richard Baxter was born on May 20, 1915 in the east end of Toronto and moved to New Toronto when he was four, to a house at the bottom of Fifth Street.  Dick writes about a time when a neighbour asked his mother where they were moving to and the neighbour's reply was that it was a dreadful place - "nothing but mud and bootleggers".  In fact, Dick related a story to me about a new pastor in town (this would be in the 1920's or 30's), who was coming up Fifth Street to meet some of the members of his new congregation.  The new pastor smoked a pipe and decided to stop at a store on Fifth Street, just around the corner of Lakeshore.  He assumed that his collar caused quite a kafuffle, because when he walked in, there was an awful lot of scurrying going on.  Later he discovered from his parish members, that this store was reputed to be a front for gambling and bookie operations.  Apparently they all had quite a chuckle with the pastor over his experience. 

 

Dick's father was Herbert Baxter, a contractor in New Toronto who built several of the houses in the area as well as installation of many of the sidewalks.  Herbert Baxter Contracting was located in a building on the corner of 8th Street and Lakeshore. The building burned down in 1923 and then the Public Utilities building was erected. The site is now the Liaison College of Culinary Arts. (See the section on Public Works for more information). 

 

Dick's career started as an office boy for the Town of New Toronto in the 1930's. In 1954, he became Supervisor of Assessment for Metro. When the Province took over assessment in 1971, Dick became the Assessment Commissioner for Etobicoke and York. At the time of his retirement, he was the Vice-Chairman of the Assessment Review Board.

Dick married Villa Bayes on December 31, 1938 and they had 3 children.  After having lived and worked in New Toronto for 40 years, Dick moved to Central Etobicoke, first on Blaketon Road, and then to Burnamthorpe Road, where he lived for rest of his days.

Dick was 89 years old when he passed away in early 2005.  He was a noted citizen of New Toronto for much of his life. I personally met Dick in 2004, and spent a few lunch hours with him talking about what New Toronto was like in days gone by. The hours I spent with Dick were enlightening, informative, and fun. He always had a funny story to tell me. I only wish I could have documented everything in his words.

 

Jack Evans was one of our founding members.  His obituary, as follows, was posted in the Toronto Star in January 2006:

 

EVANS, Jack ''Smokey'' Ellis - Passed away peacefully on January 4, 2006 at the McCall Centre, in his 95th year. Long time faithful member of St. Margaret's, New Toronto. Beloved husband of the late Charlotte ''Lottie'' Evans (2004). Loving father of Art (Gayle), Dean (Carol) and Charlene. Grandfather to Jennifer, Dean, Lindsay, Blake and great-grandchild Nathanael. Survived by his brother Richard Evans.  Smokey is predeceased by his parents Ellis and Naomi Evans, sisters Doris, Gladys, Jean, brother Reg and his granddaughter Kristy. Friends will be received at the Ridley Funeral Home, 3080 Lake Shore Blvd. W. (between Islington and Kipling Aves., at 14th St., 416-259-3705) on Friday from 2 - 4 and 7 - 9 p.m. Funeral service on Saturday at St. Margaret's Anglican Church New Toronto at 11 a.m. Cremation to follow. 

 

Jack’s wife passed away a couple years before.  Her obituary posted in the Toronto Star on October 9^th, 2004:

 

EVANS, Charlotte May "Lottie" (née HUNTINGFORD) Passed away peacefully on October 7, 2004 at the McCall Centre, in her 89th year. Long time faithful member of St. Margaret's New Toronto and founding member of the Kumeetus Club. Beloved wife of Jack EVANS for 65 years. Dear mother of Art (Gayle) EVANS, Dean (Carol) EVANS and Charlene EVANS. Survived by sisters Ivy HUNTINGFORD, Gert BODMAN and brother Mickey HUNTINGFORD.  Grandmother to Dean, Jennifer, Lindsay, Blake and great-grandchild Nathanael. Predeceased by parents Arthur and Susannah HUNTINGFORD, sisters Violet, Grace and Ada and brothers Bill and Jack and granddaughter Kristy.  Sadly missed by nieces and nephews. Friends will be received at the Ridley Funeral Home, 3080 Lakeshore Blvd. W. (between Islington and Kipling Aves., at 14th St., 416-259-3705) on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and on Tuesday at St. Margaret's Anglican Church New Toronto from 10 a.m. until time of service at 11 a.m. Cremation to follow.

 

If anyone would like to contribute a story about Jack Evans life, feel free to e-mail our secretary at lcaron0822@rogers.com

 

Della Fisher is the first child born in New Toronto after it had been incorporated as a village.  She was the sister of Bill Fisher, a previous member of the New Toronto Hydro Board.  Della's family were obviously friends of the Ironsides.  The book, New Toronto and Toronto Hydro: Celebrating our Golden Jubilee 1913-1963 has a few pictures of her on Fifth Street.  (I couldn't find a copyright on this book, so if I have posted any of these pictures in error, please let me know).  The row houses in the picture on the right have since been torn down.  A city parking lot now stands in their place. 

 

 

Wendy Gamble, president of the New Toronto Historical Society, is a resident of Seventh Street.  Her grandfather was a carpenter who moved to New Toronto in 1917 to work on the construction of the Goodyear plant.  Her mother, Lucille, was born on Seventh Street and still lives there.  Lucille was one of Gus Ryder's first swimming champions, and is an inductee of the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame.  She started her swimming career in 1930 and was one of Gus Ryder's first swimming champions.  Lucille spoke about the lack of facilities when they started; so swimming practices took place in the lake. 

 

This picture was taken on January 26, 1953 where Lou (Lucille) Gamble in her role as a Red Cross swimming instructor, presents the Junior Swim Pin to one of the women swim graduates as Gus Ryder looks on. The picture was taken at the town’s 14^th Annual Public Meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gus Ryder started his career in 1930 as a lifeguard on one of the beaches in New Toronto and soon started up the New Toronto Swim Club.  He trained several champion swimmers including Lucille Gamble, Cliff Lumsdon, and Marilyn Bell.  There is an excellent write-up of his career on the Swim Ontario website.  I've been told that Gus also owned a customs brokerage firm (which I personally find interesting since I've been in the customs brokerage business for 23 years).  My understanding is that he left the firm to one of his key employees, a man named Phil (last name unknown).  The firm was eventually bought out by J.D. O'Hearn Customs Brokers, which is today a member broker of the Federated Group. 

 

Cliff Lumsdon - see section above on Cliff Lumsdon Park

Dick Northcott – Born Richard William Northcott on August 31, 1933 to Richard William and Aileen Marion Northcott, Dick has been a consistent contributor of pictures and information to our society.  The hottest heat wave on record in Saskatchewan in 1936 drove Dick’s parents eastward where they ended up settling in New Toronto.  Dick attended St. Margaret’s Church, went to Seventh Street and then New Toronto Secondary School.  Dick lives in Markham today, but fondly remembers the people and places of New Toronto.

While Jerome Drayton grew up in neighbouring Mimico, being a personal acquaintance of mine, I couldn't help mentioning his achievements in sports.  He does have a connection to New Toronto in that in his early days, he had to travel to 2nd Street Public School for woodworking shop since the facilities weren't available in the Mimico schools within his jurisdiction.  In later years, Jerome was very successful in his sports career.  He placed 6th in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal for marathon running.  In 1977, Jerome set the Canadian marathon record and won the Boston Marathon.  David Blaikie includes an in depth biography of Jerome in his book, Boston: The Canadian Story.  The biography can be found on David Blakie's website.  Jerome was also inducted into the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame and another short biography can be found on the Hall of Fame's website.

Some stories from Donald Grant:

 

In the 1950 Board of Education composite photo, Don Russell, pharmacist and later mayor, lived on the east side of 11th street, north of Morrison. [Gus Ryder lived across the road]. W.T. Bill Shaw was the secretary of the board and lived on the west side of 9th street above Morrison. Rev Dwelly was the Anglican priest. W.C. Clare Farrow also lived across from Don Russell, and I believe was employed at Anaconda. E.J. Ernie McGirr was the first principal of the NTSS, hired by the board from Niagara Falls, where he had been principal of a similar school. He was hired at least a year in advance of construction to provide advice on design. He lived in Mimico on the north side of Lakeshore just east of Church Street, in a [then] modern bungalow. The new school opened in the fall of 1951.

Angus Morrison lived on 10th street and owned the New Toronto Dairy, located at 923 Lakeshore Road, across the highway from Goodyear (before Lakeshore was renumbered). The dairy operated for 32 years (1943-1965).  Pat McDevitt comments:  “Great Ice Cream Cones  1 scoop - 5 cents -- 2 scoops - 10 cents”.  To the right is a picture of a milk bottle from the dairy. 

 

There was a bowling alley on the south side of the highway near 1st street owned by Bev Lewis, father of Beryl, one of the champion swimmers mentioned under the Lakeshore Swim Club. He lived in Humber Bay and was the reeve of Etobicoke Twp and a founding member of the Metropolitan Toronto council.

 

Harry Kerrison track coach at Lakeshore YMCA in 1949 went on to become executive director of the Canadian Track and Field Association. Other athletes were Rick Potter who quarterbacked the first team at NTSS later played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and John Fedosoff a NT resident who went from high school football at Mimico directly to the Argonauts. John had set a record in the broad jump at the Junior Olympics, making 21 feet when he was 15.

 

W.G. Bill Jackson mentioned as a donor of land for the library property lived on 13th Street, and was mayor for many years. His family farm had covered much of that part of town.

 

My father was the E.W. Sandy Grant mentioned under the Brown Building, and in the 1951 souvenir booklet. He ran for mayor in 1952 when Mayor Jackson retired, defeating Don Russell for the job. He was also a founding member of the Metropolitan Toronto council. He decided not to run again as Metro Council took too much time away from his law practice. My parents moved to Port Credit in 1955. In 1961 my father was appointed judge of the Peel County Court, and sold his practice at the Brown building to Gord Rush.

 

 

From Pat McDevitt:

 

My maternal Grandfather was Martin J Sanford who sold a piece of his farm to build Sir Adam Beck School.

 

 

 

From Daniel Christie

 

 

I grew up in New Toronto, foot of Ninth Street, 79 Emerald Crescent. Born in 1950, I saw my home town as a real hometown.  Always did, always will. Bake's on Second for ice cream. The 'Y' at the top of Tenth. Goodyear looming over everything.  [Where I live now] it somehow reminds me in so many ways of New Toronto in the 1950's. It has a mix of industrial and residential, it's on the lake, it has a feel to it. People say 'hi' to each other every chance they get. Geez, the [local newspaper] even reminds me of The Advertiser. I spent ten years of my working life driving GO Trains as an engineer with CN. Your representations of the early GO years are splendid!

 

 

From Paul Dobbs

 

I've been looking through an old scrap book of my mother's youth. She (Catherine Devere Hamilton) group in the Mimco area. She attended Mimico High School, competed in the Miss Canada Pageant in 1951 (receiving a great deal of newspaper coverage as the little brown-eyed girl from New Toronto), and was an aspiring singer. I have a number of original newspaper clippings in this scrap book of her progress towards this goal.

 

She lived at 56 Emerald Crescent, and performed in the New Toronto Girl Choristers (I have some programs for places they performed). I was curious if your members and society had any further material that mentions my mother? High school photos, newspaper clippings, and so on. I'd be happy to trade! Copies of my mother's originals for anything you have!  (Please e-mail our secretary at newtorontohistorical@rogers.com to be able to connect).

 

 

 

From Bruce Treble

 

My grandparents were one of the first settlers to arrive and farm on the property were Goodyear Tire was built.  They sold and moved to 143 Sixth Street and lived there until my grandmother Kate Treble died.  My grandfather, Bill Treble, was the head janitor for the schools in New Toronto.  I also went to 5th Street Public School and was one of the first to start at 2nd Street Public School.  My father, Fred Treble, worked for Anaconda for 37 years.

 

 

From Richard Goodfellow

 

NEW TORONTO TAILOR

 

Ashley E Goodfellow

 

 

Mary and Ashley Goodfellow moved to New Toronto from Winchester Ontario in 1947. They purchased a home at 52 Lakeshore Drive, at the foot of 5th Street, from Marjorie and Kathleen Robinson. This brick house was situated on the lakeshore, with a view of the city center across the water. Across the street a city park was created along Lakeshore Drive at the foot of 5th Street.  Ashley was a tailor who learned his trade in stores in Winchester and Thornbury, Ontario. They lived in this house for many years.  Mary tended to her house and gardens while Ashley worked at the Bond Tailor shop on Lakeshore Road in New Toronto. It was a short walk to the clothing store and Ashley could be seen on his regular walk up 5th Street to work. Their son, Laughlin, and family lived in Lakeview and the Goodfellow’s were regular visitors to that home.  Mary passed away in September 1950 and was buried in the family plot in Thornbury. After Mary’s death Ashley lived in the house on Lakeshore drive until his passing in June 1971 and he was also buried in the family plot at the cemetery in Thornbury, Ontario. 

 

 

From Sylvia Prevost

 

I came across this website while browsing and was amazed to find New Toronto had a historical website.  It's been many years since I was in New Toronto.  It was great to see the schools I attended.  I was in grade 4 when Fifth Street had the fire.  Therefore I attended all three grade schools.  I have two photos of my class for that year, one of the whole class and another of the girls alone.  Our teacher that year was a Mr. Kirk who was the person who took the photos.

 

New Toronto was the best place to grow up in.  We were small but we had everything going for us.  Our shopping district was tops, we had three movie theatres , the Capital was the first, and then there was the Palace between 6th and 5th, the Biltmore came much later and only when that block was developed - I believe it was between  1st and 2nd Streets on the north side of the street car tracks.   The people who ran the Palace theatre were a husband and wife I believe their last name was Applebaum.  I should remember this as I was at that theatre every movie change which in those days was twice a week...The Capital theatre had the newer releases and the Palace and Biltmore had the B types.

 

Did you know that the Post Office had stairs on the right side of the building leading to the second story and a family  lived there?  Also on Seventh Street, right behind the post office, next door to a family named Ponicks, was a Chinese Laundry where most gentlemen had their best shirts starched and laundered.  On the south side of Lakeshore Blvd, on the corner of 7th street going east, there was a drug store, and next to that a small shoe repair, and next door to that was our candy store called Ritchie’s.  They made their own chocolates and Easter was a feast for all the kids’ eyes; the assortment and variety of different bunnies, baskets, and chickens was something I looked forward to each year.  Silverwood's Dairy was between 10th and 11th streets you could get the biggest and best milkshakes and a variety of good old fashion ice cream.  I have so many good memories of New Toronto and growing up there.  Also the first principal for the new Second Street School was a Mr. Smith.

 

 

 

A man with a dream – Bob Clarke

 

I have had the recent pleasure of meeting Bob Clarke, a resident of New Toronto, and a man with a dream.  Bob has always had it in his mind to restore a vintage house.  In 2001, Bob found the house that fit his vision.  He must have insight, because not many people would have seen the potential in the house he chose. 

 

Bob purchased the circa 1931 house from the estate of a woman who had left the house abandoned for at least fourteen years.  As far as Bob has heard, she and her husband had bought the house many, many years before, with dreams of moving in, but her husband passed away shortly after.  He figures that she must have had a hard time giving up on their dream and couldn’t bear to part with the house, but neither could she maintain it.  It was known as the ‘Haunted House’ on Eleventh Street – dilapidated, and the yard so overgrown that all you could see from the street was a corner of the porch.  The inside was rotting away, the bathtub had sunk through the floorboards, vandalism had wreaked havoc in all areas of the house, but Bob saw beyond that.  He saw the hardwood floors sanded, refinished and gleaming.  He saw the beautiful gumwood mantle and faux marble fireplace beneath the peeling coats of paint. He saw the lead glass panes in the front bay window intact and refurbished.

 

Slowly but surely, Bob started chipping away at the work that needed to be done, to the interest of his neighbours - and with their unfailing support.  The first big job was clearing the yard of the overgrowth.

 

    

 

Inside, Bob chose to truly restore the house instead of renovating.  In the living room, he salvaged some of the remaining plaster ceiling molding, copied the pattern, and made his own.  He took up the floorboards, and although many were too rotten to refinish, he had enough to be able to replace the floor in an upstairs bedroom.  In the meantime, he could see the name “Satin Finish” on some of the floorboards, did some research and found that the company was still in business and had a supply of new old-stock flooring in their warehouse.  Bob snatched it up.  He created a walnut inlay pattern around his fireplace and inlayed squares in the center of the room which, coincidentally, matched the leaded glass.

 

Bob has enough rolls of authentic circa 1920’s Reg. N. Boxer wallpaper to finish his dining room.  One of his best ‘garbage’ finds was a large quantity of original oak wainscoting, originally from the Birk’s jewelry store downtown, which perfectly suited his staircase and front hall.  Bob watches everywhere to find the antique things that suit the restoration of his house, including furniture and accessories.  He has a working 1930’s telephone, a vintage ‘tombstone’ radio, vintage (donated) in-wall cabinets, and a multitude of historical relics, many from right here in New Toronto.  He even salvaged four hundred authentic 1930’s bricks from the demolition of the Eastwood Park Hotel to rebuild the crumbling front porch.  He continues today to work on his dream.  Piece by piece it is all coming together and is a showcase of what New Toronto once was. 

 

 

 

 

 

Submitted by Anne Hennessey

 

        

 

 

M.J. Hennessey was Anne’s grandfather.  Michael lived on Sixth Street, and ran Hennessey’s Smoke Shop (or Mike’s) on the north side of the highway.  Isobel Ironside eventually bought the store and changed it to “Isobel’s Smoke Shop.  Michael served as town councillor for New Toronto for several years (see the list of politicians).   Michael’s son, Bob, attended Fifth Street Public School as can be seen in the above school photo from 1926.  In the picture on the left, I’m not sure who all the children are, but the photo was taken in front of the house that Michael built at 149 Sixth Street.

 

   

         

 

 

 

 

Submitted by Sandy Ross

 

My siblings and I grew up in New Toronto in the 2 homes my father, George Ross, built, 67A-16th Street & 36-22nd Street. I attended 20^th Street Public School and New Toronto Secondary School. We attended Century United Church. I was a member of the 1st New Toronto / 1st Lakeshore Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and Rovers. Although I no longer live in the area, the Lakeshore and the people are my roots.

 

Mervin Graydon was my Grandfather.  Mervin Graydon 1896–1962, eldest son of John Charles Graydon and Gertrude (McCaul) Graydon of Mimico, was a resident of the Lakeshore since 1912.  He and his wife Elizabeth (Ham) 1895-1945 were active with the 1st Mimico Boy Scouts and were members of Wesley United Church. Mervin was a WW1 veteran who saw action overseas.  He was a steady employee of the T. Eaton Co., starting to work with the firm in 1916 and returning after the war. He retired in 1957 after 40 years with the company and at the time was in the Mail Order Adjusting Department.

 

Mervin, his sons Leonard, Norman, Vernon and son-in-law, George Ross built the house on 22nd Street in 1950 and he lived there until his death in 1962.  The home remained the family residence of his eldest daughter, Marjorie (Ross) and family, until 1999.

 

 

 

 

 

Hart Hospital

 

 

In the late 1920’s, early 1930’s, we have discovered some birth registrations naming “Hart Hospital” as the place of birth.  While there was never an actual hospital by that name in New Toronto, we did learn that a nurse by the name of Mrs. Hart, ran some type of patient care from her home at 59 Ninth Street.  The births are signed by Dr. H. MacLellan, physician.  A look at the Canadian census records and Ontario marriage records tells us that Alice Winnifrith, dauther of Harold Winnifrith and Eliza Cuff married Bruce Hart, son of Alexander Hart and Florence Sherwood, on May 20, 1907.  Bruce worked at the Bell Telephone Company at the time of their marriage, so I can see how New Toronto would be a good location for choosing a place to live.  In 1911, they are living in Etobicoke District 136, subdistrict 1, which is the New Toronto area.  We know that they were still living here in the 1930’s, but I haven’t yet found any record as to what happened to them since.