Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Conrad Black]

Poor little Pearl Street. Always the back end of things.

 

[Urban Shocker]

It functions well, I don't think we need be sorry for it because it isn't King Street.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Picture feedback...

Mustapha: That picture posted on September 11th looked like early 70s(1970 to 1972) to me.
The cars pictured and realizing those lightbox street signs were placed around 1967-68 as mentioned elsewhere dated it partially for me.
I am enjoying this "Yesterday and Today" picture section...LI MIKE

 

[adma]

Really? I thought it somewhat handsome in a New York City kind of way.

It is; just that it's not especially eyecatching or "important"--though its present context (and loss or alteration of detail) of doesn't help matters. And if I were to use Urban Shockerish fastidiousness of judgment (not that we should, of course), the lack of coordination between the central bay and its flanks is a touch ungainly...

 

[Mustapha]

How did everyone's summer go? Well, I hope.



September 16 addition.



Millstone Lane. Looking E from from just E of York. May 1935.

Now. July 2009

 

[Goldie]

City Hall 1913

I was surprised upon seeing this bookmark at my local Public Library.
I've seen this photo before but without the extra area on the left side.
Has anyone seen a copy that includes more at top and/or bottom?
The reverse side of the bookmark reads:

"Among the most striking of Goss's (official City photographer from 1911 to 1940) photographs are those of housing conditions among the poor, which he shot for the Health Department's crusading public health reformer, Dr. Charles Hastings. This photograph shows Old City Hall in the background and is shot from the future site of today's City Hall."
"21 Elizabeth Street, rear
Photographer: Arthur S. Goss
May 15, 1913, Series 372, Subseries 32, Item 187"
"The City's commemorative book, Toronto's Visual Legacy: Official City Photography from 1856 to the Present, can be purchased at Toronto Archives (www.toronto.ca/archives)."

P.S. I copied the bookmark with my digital camera because my flat-bed scanner is out of service. Have our cameras made obsolete the flat-bed?

 

[wwwebster]

Goldie,

I think this is what you're looking for:

http://gencat4.eloquent-systems.com...esource/ser372/ss0032/s0372_ss0032_it0187.jpg

see also:

http://gencat4.eloquent-systems.com...esource/ser372/ss0032/s0372_ss0032_it0186.jpg

 

[CityPlaceN1]

We sure did lose a lot of great buildings lol

 

[thecharioteer]

Goldie,

I think this is what you're looking for:

http://gencat4.eloquent-systems.com...esource/ser372/ss0032/s0372_ss0032_it0187.jpg

see also:

http://gencat4.eloquent-systems.com...esource/ser372/ss0032/s0372_ss0032_it0186.jpg

Very interesting pictures, gents. What I find challenging about them is that they appear to shot from the west side of Bay (Terauley in those days) near the site of Shea's Hippodrome which was built in 1914. These houses probably would have been north of Shea's, but then the question arises as to what that warehouse building on the left is, as Albert Street used to extend westerly all the way to Elizabeth.

1899 Goad Atlas:

1910 Goad Atlas:

1918 view from the north:

1921:

1923 view from Queen:

1942:

 

[wwwebster]

charioteer,

Maybe the rear of 61 Albert?

 

[Mustapha]

Very interesting pictures, gents. What I find challenging about them is that they appear to shot from the west side of Bay (Terauley in those days) near the site of Shea's Hippodrome which was built in 1914. These houses probably would have been north of Shea's, but then the question arises as to what that warehouse building on the left is, as Albert Street used to extend westerly all the way to Elizabeth.

1899 Goad Atlas:

1910 Goad Atlas:

1918 view from the north:

1921:

1923 view from Queen:

1942:

It seems to me that the mystery warehouse and those old houses occupied the footprint of the future Sheas.

Another helpful clue from wwwwebster's old picture with the young girl - if you run an imaginary line from her, you will see that she is standing more or less a few feet from the south wall of where the future Sheas would be situated.

Albert street west of Bay was in use and not closed until the New City Hall commenced construction in 1961. If my recollects as a toddler are correct. My grandfather had many friends in the area and we visited this area almost daily. I still miss hearing Guangdong Cantonese and that part of my vocabulary is the poorer for it.



September 17 addition.



Millstone Lane. Looking W towards York. Then: May 1932.

Now: July 2009.

 

[wwwebster]

Yes, I'm convinced now that charioteer's mystery warehouse is the rear of 61 Albert (housing Gundy-Clapperton Cut Glass). According to this image, there's nothing else it could be:

http://gencat4.eloquent-systems.com/webcat/systems/toronto.arch/resource/fo1244/f1244_it7306.jpg

 

[thecharioteer]

Yes, I'm convinced now that charioteer's mystery warehouse is the rear of 61 Albert (housing Gundy-Clapperton Cut Glass). According to this image, there's nothing else it could be:

http://gencat4.eloquent-systems.com/webcat/systems/toronto.arch/resource/fo1244/f1244_it7306.jpg

Well done, wwwebster! You can see the building on the 1910 Goad map as well.

 

[thecharioteer]

Another shot of the Clapperton warehouse on Albert Street taken during the 1919 Eaton Santa Claus Parade, the year that Sanda rode a giant fish.

Another view:

 

[Mustapha]

Another shot of the Clapperton warehouse on Albert Street taken during the 1919 Eaton Santa Claus Parade, the year that Sanda rode a giant fish.

Another view:

http://antiquesndynasties.com/canadian_brilliant_period_glass.htm


"The Gundy-Clapperton Company

This is the most well known Canadian firm. It was founded in 1905 by C.H. Clapperton, a glass cutter who had previously worked for the Libbey Glass Company in Toledo, Ohio. Clapperton was joined by N.F. Gundy approximately one year later. The Gundy-Clapperton company operated in Toronto from 1905 until 1931. Pieces made by this company were usually signed with a shamrock containing either “G, C and Co†(prior to 1920) or simply “Câ€. The words “DINGWALLâ€, “G B ALLEN VANCOUVER†or “Birks†(inside a diamond) sometimes accompany the company mark. Gundy-Clapperton made both geometric pieces (which frequently resembled Libbey products) and high quality “intaglio†pieces. There is evidence that this company continued to hand polish some of their products as late as 1913, by which time most American firms had switched to the cheaper, but less effective, acid polishing technique."