Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Mustapha]

Heeee--y,








Hai.







I was saving the following pictures to segue from a Then and Now featuring a Then with a fish and chip shop.

So, in a spirit of some irreverence, I hereby post pictures of a meal taken during my travels. Yes, it's fish and chips once again. I did this last year sometime for the Duckworths on Danforth. Today it's "British Style" at Dundas and Coxwell. I highly recommend it.

Many of the old Toronto pictures show a fish and chip shop in the background. Many operating today are in the old "East End" - Danforth, Kingston Road, Queen street east. I don't know why that is. Do the children of parents of British stock find this dish comforting?

When I was a boy, there was one on Yonge street, east side, between Sherwood and Keewatin called Maritime Fish and Chips. It's long gone but food habits initiated in childhood are hard to kick.

My Asian grandfather had a theory that the - as he put it - the White English Boys - were as big as they were - chest ribs like barrel staves - because of a diet of fish and chips and milk. It was always the milk. Sometimes it was pork chops and milk.

Anyways it worked. From a long line of Asian male ancestors of about 5'4", the Enhanced English Fried Things Diet shot this writer to an imposing albeit small boned 5'7".

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

"When I think of Wrigleys; I think of gum." QUOTE Mustapha.


When I thing of gum; I think of J Allen Ross, founding President of the Canadian Wrigley Company. 1910.

Director, Dominion Bank. 1926 - 1955.

Chairman of the Executive Committee, Dominion Bank. 1951 - 1955.

Founding President of the Queen's Indoor Tennis Club.

Former trustee, William Wrigley Estate.

Vice - President, American Wrigley Company.

Rep, Canadian War Mission to the United States, 1918.

United States Rep, Imperial Munitions Board. (Canada) 1918.

Hon Colonel, First Batt Machine Gun Corps. (Toronto)

Member, Royal Commission, Ontario Hydro Power Comm.

Vice - Chair, Toronto Housing Commission.

Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto.

Toronto Advisory Plan Commission, 1929.

Founder, Toronto Publicity Bureau.

Involved with Barker - Bredin Bread, Manning Buscuit Co,

and not the last nor the least, The Crosse & Blackwell Co. (Canada)


Regards,
J T

 

[NomoreaTorontonian]

It's photos like these that make me wish we had free Internet access to the "Land Titles & Deeds" records of Toronto (Ontario).

Those records tell when a property was built, owners' names and the price paid for it during each sale.
My understanding is that those on-line records can only be accessed by real-estate lawyers.
It would certainly be interesting to know the original price of this home - and its age.

We may not have free internet access to "Land Titles & Deeds" or even to "Assessment Records", but the latter are held at City of Toronto Archives and can be investigated in person by anyone. Not something I would consider on a daily basis from 3000 miles away, but it can be done Mon-Fri in Toronto. BTW there's an excellent sandwich bar around the corner on Dupont to get lunch at. Don't know that they do fish and chips, though.

 

[Mustapha]

We may not have free internet access to "Land Titles & Deeds" or even to "Assessment Records", but the latter are held at City of Toronto Archives and can be investigated in person by anyone. Not something I would consider on a daily basis from 3000 miles away, but it can be done Mon-Fri in Toronto. BTW there's an excellent sandwich bar around the corner on Dupont to get lunch at. Don't know that they do fish and chips, though.

Yes, I know this lunch counter, thanks for the recommendation. It's charming in its old school way.




March 23 addition.



Then. Wrigley factory driveway looking out E across Boston Avenue. April 20, 1917.

Now. March 2011.

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

The garage on the esat side of Boston was for the use of the plant,

with entrance/exit both ends. The frame upper part is new, using the old skylights.

Regards,
J T

 

[HamiltonTransitHistory]

Yes, I know this lunch counter, thanks for the recommendation. It's charming in its old school way.




March 23 addition.



Then. Wrigley factory driveway looking out E across Boston Avenue. April 20, 1917.

Now. March 2011.

Strange that the gray house has completely covered over the third floor front windows. I wonder why?

 

[HamiltonTransitHistory]

March 23 addition.



Then. Wrigley factory driveway looking out E across Boston Avenue. April 20, 1917.

Now. March 2011.

Strange that the grey house has completely covered over the third floor front windows. I wonder why?

 

[Mustapha]

The garage on the esat side of Boston was for the use of the plant,

with entrance/exit both ends. The frame upper part is new, using the old skylights.

Regards,
J T

It looks to be a home now. Quite neat, a double wide lot.

 

[Mustapha]

Strange that the grey house has completely covered over the third floor front windows. I wonder why?

It might still be there under the siding. I've seen weirder stuff. I wonder why too. Cost saving? The setting sun would come right in those windows in the evening.

 

[Mustapha]

March 24 addition.




Then. "May 16, 1930. North from Boston Avenue." [Looking N across Gerrard].

Now. March 2011.

 

[Mustapha]

March 25 addition.




Then. 1960. Art Gallery of Ontario.

Now. March 2011.

 

[ReiwaMagi]

Wow..

Never knew that the Art Gallery used to be so small, and now its painfully crap?

My dad told me that he worked during the first major renovation of this place back in the 90s~

I've been also slacking on the Then and Nows.. I guess I'll post one tonight.

 

[seemsartless]

Wow..

Never knew that the Art Gallery used to be so small, and now its painfully crap?

Are we talking about the ROM or the AGO here? I find the new ROM crystal to be painfully crap, but was actually impressed with how well the AGO additions fit together, and how much of the old building survives as part of the new AGO. On that note, here's a photo I posted to my photoblog back in November 2008 when Frank Gehry was there speaking:

The porthole and arches remain, 51 years later! You can see all my AGO photos here.

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

"Never knew that the Art Gallery used to be so small, and now its painfully crap?" QUOTE TKWizard.


CRAP:

Crapper, Thomas
Plumber.
1836 - 1910.
London, UK.

Crapper, James, sen. *
Plumber.
32 Duke Street,
Toronto, Canada.

Crapper, James, jun. *
Plumber.
96 Adelaide Street E.
Toronto, Canada.

* FISHER & TAYLOR'S TORONTO DIRECTORY - 1874.


Regards,
J T


OLDE ONTARIO? POEM:

Twinkle twinkle little bat;
how I wonder where you're at.
On the toilet seat so wide,
watch-out you don't fall inside!

 

[ReiwaMagi]

Haha, nice one JT.

As promised, a Then and now from me.

Then. Queen and Manning Avenue. September 19, 1900. Whoa, Charles G Fraser hasn't been built yet in this time!?

Now. March 2011. cut off the left by accident. I should really print out the Thens and try to line them up with the Nows. Hmm, it seems only the last few houses kept their fancy mansard, the ones north of it didn't get so lucky. Also, the building on the very left facing Queen Street has been in that state for over 110 years!