Kensington Market in the 1950's: The Photographs of Michel Lambeth (1923-1977)

[thecharioteer]

St. Lawrence Hall 1959:

Link to great site on mid-century NFB still photography, including work by Lambeth:

http://www.irpp.org/en/po/summer-reading-for-wonks/mid-century-lens/

 

[thecharioteer]

Michel Lambeth was honoured with a stamp by Canada Post this summer:

Michel Lambeth, St. Joseph’s Convent School, 1960
Lambeth’s main subject was the vibrant street life of mid-century Toronto, especially Kensington Market. This unusually enigmatic image focuses on the creased hat and face of the old man in the foreground, while two laughing nuns slip past in the background. A current member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto has identified the man as Archie, a retiree who did light chores for the Sisters, a once-robust order that founded several schools as well as the Daily Bread Food Bank.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts...uring-canadian-photographers/article19951073/

From the same series of stamps:

 

[the lemur]

Hungarian laundry/tailor: 'We make and repair lingerie'. Wonder how long that store stayed around.

 

[Mustapha]

I keep coming back to this thread; great images. Am I the only one wondering where all the - Canadian - street photographers were back in the day? The Americans had such a large body of work left by Robert Frank, Eugene Smith, and the recently discovered Vivian Maier.

 

[Goldie]

I keep coming back to this thread; great images. Am I the only one wondering where all the - Canadian - street photographers were back in the day. The Americans had such a large body of work left by Robert Frank, Eugene Smith, and, recently discovered Vivian Maier.

Another great Canadian 'street photographer' is Harry Joy.
He also appreciated the life-style of the Kensington Market area.
Harry is now nearing 100 years of age.
A wonderful guy and a fine friend.
His images can be seen on this site:

http://www.blackandwhitephotography.ca/harry

 

[Mustapha]

Another great Canadian 'street photographer' is Harry Joy.
He also appreciated the life-style of the Kensington Market area.
Harry is now nearing 100 years of age.
A wonderful guy and a fine friend.
His images can be seen on this site:

It's actually a 'Joy' to see this. I had never heard of Harry Joy, nor came across him in my searches. I must learn to search better. Thank you Goldie.

http://www.blackandwhitephotography.ca/harry

It's actually a 'Joy' to see this. I had never heard of Harry Joy, nor came across him in my searches. I must learn to search better. Thank you Goldie.

 

[Mustapha]

Hungarian laundry/tailor: 'We make and repair lingerie'. Wonder how long that store stayed around.

You can read that?

 

[Long Island Mike]

1960 photo of neighborhood store - great collectible signs and other observations...

View attachment 36937

Charioteer and Everyone: This picture fascinates me - I note the Coca-Cola and 7up signs which
look to be primarily porcelain enamel - they can last practically forever if they are displayed in a
way in which they will not be constantly exposed to the weather or chipped and damaged...The
signs that are in this picture - if they are available as collectibles - are worth perhaps thousands
of dollars today if this group was kept together...That large Coca-Cola side sign is perhaps worth
upwards of $1000 today in the shown condition...There look to be bottles in one window...

The children in this picture today are probably around 60 or so years old today and I will add that
I was a infant at the time this picture was taken...Any idea where this store was?

I would like to learn more about this Canada Post stamp and its denomination...

LI MIKE

 

[the lemur]

You can read that?

Just the word és ('and'); had to Google the rest.

It caught my eye mainly because the only places left in Toronto that have Hungarian on signs are one or two remaining restaurants on Bloor. The Hungarian House on St Clair is, or will be, gone, as is the Hungarian Florist on Bathurst. I figure there must have been a sizable community to warrant painting that on the window.

 

[the lemur]

View attachment 36937

Charioteer and Everyone: This picture fascinates me - I note the Coca-Cola and 7up signs which
look to be primarily porcelain enamel - they can last practically forever if they are displayed in a
way in which they will not be constantly exposed to the weather or chipped and damaged...The
signs that are in this picture - if they are available as collectibles - are worth perhaps thousands
of dollars today if this group was kept together...That large Coca-Cola side sign is perhaps worth
upwards of $1000 today in the shown condition...There look to be bottles in one window...

The children in this picture today are probably around 60 or so years old today and I will add that
I was a infant at the time this picture was taken...Any idea where this store was?

I would like to learn more about this Canada Post stamp and its denomination...

LI MIKE

It's actually in Vancouver and the store no longer exists:

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Vancouver+artist+Fred+Herzog+gets+stamp/10032925/story.html

 

[Anna]

I would like to learn more about this Canada Post stamp and its denomination...

LI MIKE

LI Mike, the 'P' stands for permanent - for 'letter' mail within Canada and they are still good even if Canada Post raises the rates - which they do more often than I buy stamps.

 

[Koolgreen]

these signs were ubiquitous in east York......
I remember when fent's variety on coxwell brought down their coke shields as a teenager and now 30 years later, I suspect those coke shields are buried deep in a landfill somewhere.

 

[Long Island Mike]

LI Mike, the 'P' stands for permanent - for 'letter' mail within Canada and they are still good even if Canada Post raises the rates - which they do more often than I buy stamps.

Anna: Thanks for that note - they are just like the FOREVER stamps that the US Postal Service sells for US domestic mail...
Better that then having to purchase low denomination stamps to make up the postage difference which was what
you used to have to do if you had older stamps after a rate increase...

I'll be on the lookout for one of these CP stamps...LI MIKE

 

[UserNameToronto]

Thanks, all!

Title: "My Hometown: Cabbagetown", 1962

I can place this photo! It's on Wascana Avenue looking north to Regent Park. The house on the right is #2. I'm told there was a "Sailor's Motel" directly south of it, where some infill semis were built in the 1980s. By today's language this is Corktown, not Cabbagetown.

Google Maps: https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=2+Was...id=GaB2sEjn6ZYhNIq0H0pYbw&cbp=12,0.45,,0,2.73

 

[thecharioteer]

I can place this photo! It's on Wascana Avenue looking north to Regent Park. The house on the right is #2. I'm told there was a "Sailor's Motel" directly south of it, where some infill semis were built in the 1980s. By today's language this is Corktown, not Cabbagetown.

Google Maps: https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=2+Was...id=GaB2sEjn6ZYhNIq0H0pYbw&cbp=12,0.45,,0,2.73

Good eye, username! The hirise in the distance: was that one of the Dickinson Moss Park buildings recently demolished?