Category Archives: General History

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”

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”

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”

MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 Part 1

MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 By Sam Herbert I would be useless to search for Leslieville on any map of to-day. It simply is not there. A Directory for the year 1871 gives it the following description: Leslieville, a thriving village on the Kingston Road, Township and County of York, named after GeorgeContinue reading “MUD ROADS AND PLANK SIDEWALKS: LESLIEVILLE 1880 Part 1”

East End Sports Timeline

1848 The first regatta took place on Toronto bay in 1848.[1] 1880 It has been arranged that H.D. Wise, of Leslieville, will contest with Charles Annis, on Orillia Bay, a three mile race with a turn…for $100; the race to come off on August 25th. [2]1880 It has been arranged that H.D. Wise, of Leslieville,Continue reading “East End Sports Timeline”

Decoding City Directories to find out more about your home, your street, your city

Ever wondered who lived where your home is long, long ago? Well, I can give you some idea because I have directories from the early twentieth century and the nineteenth century. But there are no street addresses in the earlier directories. Look at this example from 1866 for Leslieville. I think you’d agree that thereContinue reading “Decoding City Directories to find out more about your home, your street, your city”

PART II: Ivy Avenue between a Devil and an Angel

If there is an angel or a saint in the story of Riverdale Gardens it is William Prust, the creator of that quiet enclave dissected by Sandford and Bloomfield, and bounded by Gerrard on the south, Ivy on the north, Prust on the west and Greenwood on the east.  William Prust was born on OctoberContinue reading “PART II: Ivy Avenue between a Devil and an Angel”