Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Mustapha]

Then and Now for Nov 14.


Then. Hotel Mossop. 56 Yonge street. c1909. A wwwebster picture, with an interesting advertisement at the bottom of the picture extolling the virtue of fireproofness. How practically minded innkeepers were back in those days. Not celebrity chef dining, nor turned down sheets, but the assurance that you will simply sleep safely. The Hotel Mossop was built in 1906, only a couple of years after the Fire of 1904, hence the emphasis on safety. Occasionally, 'fire proof' may still be seen in the remnants of old painted 'ghost signs' on the sides of what were once hotels in other North American cities.

Now. June 2011. Hotel Victoria. A real dowager, and also a real beauty too. Hard to believe the lot is only 40 feet wide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Victoria_(Toronto)


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[thecharioteer]

Perhaps the sign is still there?

 

[DSC]

Perhaps the sign is still there?

I wonder if the 18 wells are also still there?

 

[Goldie]

I wonder if the 18 wells are also still there?

I assumed that "the 18 wells" were simply 18 holes filled with concrete in order to create the foundation.
The photo caption implies as much.
Not to be confused with 'wells' for a water supply.
I expect that foundation is still there!

 

[DSC]

I assumed that "the 18 wells" were simply 18 holes filled with concrete in order to create the foundation.
The photo caption implies as much. Not to be confused with 'wells' for a water supply. I expect that foundation is still there!

Indeed, one would hope so! :->

 

[FAC33]

Then and Now for Nov 14.


Now. June 2011. Hotel Victoria. A real dowager, and also a real beauty too. Hard to believe the lot is only 40 feet wide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Victoria_(Toronto)


.

And still a hotel! Anyone know whether it's been continuously operated as one since the Mossop days, or was it something else in between? Looks to be beautifully maintained...

 

[Earlscourt_Lad]

How practically minded innkeepers were back in those days. Not celebrity chef dining, nor turned down sheets, but the assurance that you will simply sleep safely.

Not too remarkable if you consider that many things we take for granted now, were not givens then. Sanitary food (Purity was a more common food brand name then) for example. There was (gone now) a sign on a former corner store around here, that stated "unadulterated milk" was sold there. I mean the idea that somewhere else was watering down or adding whoknowswhat to milk is really odd, now.

Soooooo, perhaps mentioning that sleeping there where you had less of a chance of being bbq'd whilst sleeping was probably sound advertising.

 

[adma]

And still a hotel! Anyone know whether it's been continuously operated as one since the Mossop days, or was it something else in between? Looks to be beautifully maintained...

I *think* it's been continuous--though it was presumably sleepy-dowdy for a lot of that time until its 80s reno/restoration. (Look to the back alley: you'll find a couple of interesting vintage signs for a milk-drop and a past restaurant within)

 

[Mustapha]

Not too remarkable if you consider that many things we take for granted now, were not givens then. Sanitary food (Purity was a more common food brand name then) for example. There was (gone now) a sign on a former corner store around here, that stated "unadulterated milk" was sold there. I mean the idea that somewhere else was watering down or adding whoknowswhat to milk is really odd, now.

Soooooo, perhaps mentioning that sleeping there where you had less of a chance of being bbq'd whilst sleeping was probably sound advertising.

Yes, it was water that was added to milk as you mention but also whitening powder; can't remember what they used but it's late; I'll look it up tommorrow..

 

[Mustapha]

Now and Then for Nov 15.


Then. St. Paul's Anglican Church. Bloor St. E. c1891.

Now. June 2011.

Another pair of views. This time a c1915 view of the later much larger addition to the east.

Now. June 2011.

 

[NomoreaTorontonian]

And still a hotel! Anyone know whether it's been continuously operated as one since the Mossop days, or was it something else in between? Looks to be beautifully maintained...

Not only has it been a hotel since 1909, but Jonathan Mossop was running The Western Hotel at 46 Yonge St in 1864 (Mitchell's Directory)!

 

[Red October]

Wow, did they ever make additions to that church. I can see plenty of additions on the old half as well.

 

[Anna]

Now and Then for Nov 15.


Then. St. Paul's Anglican Church. Bloor St. E. c1891.

Now. June 2011.

Another pair of views. This time a c1915 view of the later much larger addition to the east.

Now. June 2011.

I like this photo of St Paul's-out-in-the-sticks

 

[Mustapha]

I like this photo of St Paul's-out-in-the-sticks

A vacant field near Bloor and Yonge... how unimaginable is that?

 

[Mustapha]

Then and Now for Nov 16.


Then. Bloor E just E of Yonge. You'll know where exactly you see the Now picture below. 1954-ish.

This is the 'transferway' that allowed safe - ah, you thought I was going to say something else passenger transfer from the Yonge subway line to the Bloor streetcars.

Did I 'do' this one already? I can't be sure. I'm sure you'll all let me know if I already have. I can't figure out how the search works here at UT. I have a queue of Then and Nows ready to post. Sometimes, I'll post a set out of order if it's topical to a discussion. I may have done that here sometime ago.

Now. May 2011. The former Crown Life Insurance Building (1953) is in both pictures - it's to the right of the Marriott. It now houses various tenants. Crown Life decamped to Regina in 1998 as part of its sale to Canada Life and some considerations from the Saskatchewan government of the day. It's a beautifully clad building with some even more beautiful high relief sculptures on the side walls. It's worth a walk over to check these out.


Now. May 2011.