"Then. Queen and Augusta, SE corner. c1920. Another wwwebster sourced picture."
QUOTE: Mustapha.
"You guys" as opposed to "Y'all" must again suffer my gratitude re the above Dominion Bank pic, although not only
have I seen it before, but did print three copies:
1) One for my father and one for his brother before they died, 95 & 97 years respectively.
2) One for my own records.
This branch, oft refered to as the First Branch of the Dominion Bank and also that of the first branch of any chartered bank in
Canada is true only in the second "fact". The actual First Bank Branch was indeed of The Dominion Bank, but was farther to the
east, close to but easterly from Peter Street, south side, Queen Street. (c 1873)
Another "problem" now rears it's head in that this above branch was not built at Queen & Augusta at all, it being constructed at
Queen & North Market Streets, s/e! (c 1877)
Ha!
I don't know when the name change came about, but North Market Street began at Richmond Street and ended at Queen, only
then did Esther Street begin to it's north from Queen Street, later both to be known as Augusta Avenue, but not before Market Street
having become named Esther. - Clear as mud!
The question of "Why does he know all of this" becomes quite clear when I now mention that my grandfather not only worked at
the above branch (and another at the Western Cattle Market - 144 Niagara Street.) but for a time did inhabit that very building.
Now, things go from bad to worse, to "worser", to the worst.
His name was TEX. He may have arrived fron Texas, I don't really remember, but he did roll his own cigs - one handed. This pinch
of info was relayed to me by my father when he & I ventured to meet Sam Sherman (Sherman Hardware - s/w corner) and relive
a bit of the past. Everything else aside, Mr Sherman was quite a man in his own right, having reached past the age of 100, outliving
not only his brothers, but wife and all? of his children!
Back to TEX.
Behind, south of the bank, was The Dominion Bank's Head Office Garage where the bank's drivers were stationed; this is where my
father had first met with TEX. Just to solidify my father's memory, and having as a client the former and last Chair of the Executive
Committee of The Dominion Bank, Mr J Allen Ross, I put the question to him - Do you remember TEX, and did he . . . ?
Y'all know what his answer was.
Regards,
J T
Sorry JT... what
did Mr Sherman say in answer?
