Evocative Images of Lost Toronto

[Goldie]

Postscript to the Art Noveau building at 70 Wellington West. It stood on the north side of Wellington between York and Bay, until demolished for the TD Centre:

Where were Toronto's photographers when all those buildings were demolished for the TD Centre?
Do we have any visual records of the destruction?
I don't recall seeing any.

 

[chriskayTO]

That building with the Royal Bank branch at the NW corner of Bay & Wellington - it appears that the current structure there may be the same, just with a new facade. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[thecharioteer]

Two more pics of 70 Wellington West from "Canadian Architect and Builder" (Volume 20; 1907):

Caption:

 

[thecharioteer]

Where were Toronto's photographers when all those buildings were demolished for the TD Centre?
Do we have any visual records of the destruction?
I don't recall seeing any.

Excellent question, Goldie. There's a little bit in the Star Archives site, but not much:

Caption: 19660727;MET;news;xx -- ORNATE BUILDING AT KING AND BAY STS. IS CAREFEULLY REDUCED AFTER 53 YEARS TO MAKE WAY FOR CENTRE: Hundreds of persons have purchased marble, bronze and walut from wreckers as souvenirs of grand old building.

Caption: Construction of TD Bank at Bay and King. Photo taken by Norman James/Toronto Star Nov. 25, 1964.

 

[Urban Shocker]

I stand corrected, however, the first future monarch of the royal family to visit Canada was actually Prince William (the future William IV), who visited Canada in 1786 as part of a naval contingent. The 1901 visit was unique in being the first visit by a female member of the royal family, the future Queen Mary.

Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's sixth child, was the Viceregal Consort of John, Duke of Argyll and Marquis of Lorne - Canada's Governor General - and lived at Rideau Hall for five years from 1878.

 

[thecharioteer]

Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's sixth child, was the Viceregal Consort of John, Duke of Argyll and Marquis of Lorne - Canada's Governor General - and lived at Rideau Hall for five years from 1878.

Tempted though I am, U.S., to continue our almost-talmudic discussion on whether a sojourn for five years is the same as a visit, I will desist. I do, however, want to thank you for introducing me to Princess Louise, an unconventional royal and a fascinating character, who was also an artist and scupltress, and lived until 1939, dying at the age of 91. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Louise,_Duchess_of_Argyll).

Below is a portrait of her and an illustration of her fishing (a sign of her unconventionality). Alberta and Lake Louise are named after her.

 

[Urban Shocker]

Perhaps we're splitting hairs ( heirs? ) by setting a distinction between visits and sojourns? After all, William Duke of York's brief visit in the 1780's wasn't an official event akin to the pre-Confederation tour of the Canadas, Upper and Lower, made by Edward Prince of Wales in 1860 - or the later visit by the future George V and Queen Mary to post-Confederation Canada you highlighted earlier - since the political entity and society he came to was in its infancy. William's younger brother Edward Duke of Kent ( Queen Victoria's father ) had a sojourn in Quebec lasting several years in the 1790s, but it may also be seen in the same light.

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

And of late, what of The Late Lady Iris?

Regards,
J T

 

[Goldie]

The view from here

One can only imagine their innocent thoughts:

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

And of late, what of The Late Lady Iris?

Regards,
J T

I did an acting stint in my teens and she came to see a show that I was in. We all got to meet her afterward but my memory of her is a little vague. I do remember her being well dressed, very pleasant and chatty but somewhat fragile - and a little loopy from too much to drink. This was around the late '70's. Some time after meeting her I remember trying to research her through a library but I couldn't find anything on her. I remember being told that she was shunned by the Royals but I never knew why.

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

" I do remember her being well dressed, very pleasant and chatty but somewhat fragile -

and a little loopy from too much to drink." QUOTE dt_toronto_geek.


Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and very much into music. Jazz, inparticular.

A VERY NICE LADY.

I do wonder what of her son Robin.


Regards,
J T

 

[thecharioteer]

Can we forget the Grand Duchess Olga Alexandra of Russia, sister of Tsar Nicholas II, who lived on a farm in Halton County (as well as Cooksville and Toronto) until she died in Toronto in 1960?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchess_Olga_Alexandrovna_of_Russia

Perhaps there have always been (and still are) Royals among us?

 

[thecharioteer]

Just got my hands on an original copy of One Hundred Glimpses of Toronto originally published in 1901; this may be a later addition since it includes the Traders Bank (as a rendering), which was completed in 1906. Interesting "classic" views of Toronto, one could almost look at it as the Official Book of Victorian/Edwardian Toronto (the Queen City of Canada). Some excerpts:

 

[thecharioteer]

1905 vision for the waterfront:

 

[wwwebster]

Just got my hands on an original copy of One Hundred Glimpses of Toronto...

Nice snag! Dare I ask what it cost?

For those of us not as lucky as thecharioteer, it’s available online at:

http://www.archive.org/details/onehundredglimps00torouoft

…along with the less intense Fifty Glimpses of Toronto and Vicinity:

http://www.archive.org/details/fiftyglimpsesoft00toro

It’s interesting to compare your image of The Lakeside Home with this earlier image from the July 1897 issue of Canadian Architect and Builder: