Leslieville Historical Society

19th Century East End Villages: Donmount, Riverside, Leslieville, Norway

These are excerpts from various Directories showing the streets and villages of the East End. The area was also known as “Over the Don” or sometimes “The Goose Flats”. This lists the residents by head of household (i.e. the men). We still have lots of Canada Geese with us though their pickings aren’t from marketContinue reading “19th Century East End Villages: Donmount, Riverside, Leslieville, Norway”

ASHBRIDGES BAY from MUD ROADS & PLANK SIDEWALKS Part 6

ASHBRIDGES BAY from MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 By Sam Herbert (1876-1966) Ashbridges Bay teemed with fish and wild life. My favourite fishing spot was from the pilings outside the large ice house that was located at Leslie Street and Eastern Avenue, where the paint works is now located. It was a splendidContinue reading “ASHBRIDGES BAY from MUD ROADS & PLANK SIDEWALKS Part 6”

Background: Drovers

Background: Drovers Early Ontario had appalling roads. It was difficult to move produce and meat from place to place by road and even harder to keep it fresh. Meat spoiled quickly in the heat and death from food poisoning was common. Because Leslieville was close to Toronto and had one of the few relatively goodContinue reading “Background: Drovers”

Drovers and Accidents from MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 PART 5

Drovers and Accidents from MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 PART 5 by Sam Herbert (1876-1966) CATTLE DROVERS. In the early days it was quite common to see a herd of cattle being driven along the road on their way to the slaughter house, or to a convenient field adjoining one. TheContinue reading “Drovers and Accidents from MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 PART 5”

Schools from MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 PART 4

MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 PART 4 By Sam Herbert (1876-1966) SCHOOLS There were two schools in Leslieville in 1880–the Willow Street school, and St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic School. The one I attended was the Willow Street School, at times known as South Park St. School, and Leslieville School. It was a two-roomContinue reading “Schools from MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 PART 4”

CATALOGUE OF FAMILY GROCERIES, WINES AND LIQUORS, 1859

MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS Part 3

MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 By Sam Herbert (1876 – 1966) TRADESMEN In the early ’80s, a firm of three brothers who kept a grocery store on Queen Street near Seaton came through Leslieville soliciting orders, once a week. The following afternoon the groceries were delivered by another of the brothers in aContinue reading “MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS Part 3”

Toronto pie, pickled pork & more recipes

MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: Water, Outhouses, etc.

MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 (continued) By Sam Herbert WATER SOURCES Our water supply was from a well for drinking purpose, and a large cistern and rain barrels for washing. The cistern was sunk in the ground, the top being slightly above the ground level. It was boarded over, and had a smallContinue reading “MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: Water, Outhouses, etc.”

Samuel Herbert: Background

Samuel Sydney Herbert, was born October 30, 1834 in Great Coggeshall, near Colchester, Essex, England. His father was an agricultural laborer and the family would have been quite poor. He was still at home in 1851. His older brother, Benjamin, was blind and 15-year old Samuel worked as an errand boy, no doubt toContinue reading “Samuel Herbert: Background”