Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Traynor]

^^ That's great news for Toronto and its demisemiseptcentennial or is it quartoseptcentennial? (Wikipedia can't even decide.)

I was always jealous of American cities that light up so many of their buildings... But the environmentalist in me was glad we never wasted all that energy on incandescent lighting. Now thanks to LED I suppose a whole skyscraper may be lit up for the cost of an electric heater.

Are these displays in the Market area permanent or temporary? The website almost implies that you should bring your camera because it won't last.

 

[AGTO]

Now thanks to LED I suppose a whole skyscraper may be lit up for the cost of an electric heater.

only if you believe the marketing.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Dating those "undated" pics...

Traynor: Good point about using autos to date pics here-the only given is that if an certain auto is in a pic it will be at least that year.

Sometimes prices posted can determine a time period also. The "Mr. Frankfurt" pic with a "San Diego Chicken"-type mascot(For a Hot Dog place?)
looked 80s to me(Thanks,Skeezix)-remembering 1978 was the year when the Disco craze peaked. Was that neighborhood an ethnic immigrant enclave?
The people look Latino to me for some reason. Note the little girl pulling the mascot's tail-she was not fooled!
The street out front is actually cleaner today also.

Thoughts from LI MIKE

 

[Traynor]

Fashion for Dating Pictures

As with autos... Period fashions can be deceiving depending on which decade we are talking about.

Before the mid sixties, ladies fashions were very specific to the year. (Ladies were very aware of what was "IN" for that year, i.e. Hair style, Hat design, glove length and hemlines and that may be used to estimate the year fairly accurately.

However, after this time "High Fashion" trickled down to less affluent peoples and stayed in style longer. For example the mini skirt was High Fashion mid to late 60's but wasn't on the average women in pictures of the day. Yet the mini skirt stayed on the average women on the street into the mid 70's long after Paris runways had passed on the fashion.

That's what I think about the c1978 of the above photo. Although the style indicates late 70's... It is more likely early 80's up to 1983 or 84. Those fashions on children lasted well beyond the late 70's when one shopped at a store like Zellers or K-mart.

 

[Goldie]

fashion in photos

Speaking of fashion in pictures - How about all those hats and jackets at the CNE in 1920?

 

[Traynor]

Speaking of fashion in pictures - How about all those hats and jackets at the CNE in 1920?

Wow! Love the density of the crowd. Think of all the haberdashers and milliners that must have been in business in those days to keep all those people in coats and hats!

 

[thecharioteer]

As with autos... Period fashions can be deceiving depending on which decade we are talking about.

Before the mid sixties, ladies fashions were very specific to the year. (Ladies were very aware of what was "IN" for that year, i.e. Hair style, Hat design, glove length and hemlines and that may be used to estimate the year fairly accurately.

However, after this time "High Fashion" trickled down to less affluent peoples and stayed in style longer. For example the mini skirt was High Fashion mid to late 60's but wasn't on the average women in pictures of the day. Yet the mini skirt stayed on the average women on the street into the mid 70's long after Paris runways had passed on the fashion.

That's what I think about the c1978 of the above photo. Although the style indicates late 70's... It is more likely early 80's up to 1983 or 84. Those fashions on children lasted well beyond the late 70's when one shopped at a store like Zellers or K-mart.

Yet forensic fashion dating is very tricky, given cyclical revivals ("Bonnie & Clyde" look in the late 60's; "Mad Men" look today).

This shot is definitely 30's (1937 in fact) and appears to be a publicity stunt in front of Simpson's:

The next two are more ambiguous, and represent looks that would not be totally out of place today:

"Women walking on Eglinton near Bathurst" (1912):

Fashion model, Toronto, early 60's:

Men in suits also help in dating, particularly when men wanted to dress like Cary Grant or Humphrey Bogart:

Mary Pickford meeting Mayor Day at City Hall, late 1930's:

Conn Smythe enlisting 1939:

Even more problematic is the labelling at the Toronto Archives. The following picture is dated 1911, and says the lady on the right may be Lady Pellatt, ignoring the fact that to modern eyes they are either drag queens or actors trying out for the role of Lady Bracknell:

 

[Goldie]

Colonial Theatre

A photo caption reveals that the Colonial Theatre was constructed with some of the remnants of the Old Custons House (Front & Yonge).
They will be evident in these photos.
This theatre was immediately across Queen St. from the old City Hall - replaced by Simpsons Department Store.

 

[condovo]

Here's some news that may interest Toronto photographers:

Friday, November 6, 6 p.m.
Witness the lighting of some of Toronto's oldest, beautiful and most photographed buildings, as they are lit for the first time at night. The City of Toronto is launching the Heritage Lighting Project in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood. A demonstration and permanent lighting installation that will see the Flat Iron Building, St. Lawrence Hall and the St. Lawrence Market lit at night for the first time in the City's history. Join us for the kick off event and ceremonial lighting of St. Lawrence Market, Friday, November 6, 6 p.m. at Market Lane Park (Jarvis and Front Streets - west of the North Market Building on Front Street).

You won't believe your eyes: St. Lawrence Market, the Flat Iron building the facades south of Berczy Park along Front Street, St. James Cathedral and St. Lawrence Hall will be highlighted with facade lighting, theatrical lighting and a general wash. Be part of Toronto's history. See it only the evenings of Friday November 6 and Saturday November 7; capture it for a lifetime.

The Heritage Lighting Project is presented by sponsors: St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood BIA and Toronto Hydro; in partnership with: the City of Toronto, St. Lawrence Market and Old Town Toronto 1793; with special thanks to: Woodciffe Development Corporation, York Heritage Properties and Allied Properties REIT.

The lighting event is a demonstration/showcase of what this program will grow to be. For a complete list of St. Lawrence Market's 205th anniversary celebrations, visit: www.toronto.ca//175/stlawrence_market.htm

Finally, some decent architectural lighting in this city (hopefully)! This is a major sticking point for me. Now onto Queen`s Park, Old City Hall, Union Station, The Dominion Building, etc. Thanks for the info.

 

[Conrad Black]

Can't wait to see what the St Lawrence Market area will look like afterwards.

 

[Tewder]

This is fantastic, but is it only for a few nights?

 

[DSC]

This is fantastic, but is it only for a few nights?

Some is 'permanent" - St Lawrence Hall and the Market for example. Some is tempororary , I think the private buildings.

 

[benii]

wow, the hairstyles in the 30s is pretty interesting to see.

 

[Mustapha]

Lil' Miss Blue Shorts is no fan of chickens.

Or yellow tights.

I think it dates to July 1984.

Mystery solved, thanks Skeezix.




October 31 addition.



Then: Queen at Munro Park, looking SE. October 5, 1936 11:10am.

A quiet corner then, unchanged in appearance and still a quiet corner of Toronto. Queen street seems to be less frenetic here at the 'end of the line', as if the old girl is pausing to catch her breath after a long, long journey across the middle of our City.

Now: October 2009.

 

[Long Island Mike]

New Toronto Street signs...a bit much?

Mustapha: That pic at Queen Street East and Munro Park Ave. showing finally
a posted new Toronto street sign-compared with the older "acorn" signs used
the toppers look like overkill on them but adding the block/house number below is a good idea. Thoughts from LI MIKE