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Toronto 1872

thecharioteer

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On the Ontario History Quest Digital Collection website (http://ohqdigit.tpl.toronto.on.ca/) is an extraordinary set of photographs by Notman & Fraser documenting the major commercial (and some religious and educational) establishments of Toronto in 1872, almost like an early "website" of the City.

The original document is at the City Archives and is described as such:

Notman and Fraser fonds
Date(s) of creation of record(s) 1872
Physical description of record(s) 1 photograph album ; 35 x 49 cm

Scope and content Fonds consists of an album, entitled 'Commercial Houses of Toronto,' which contains 33 albumen photographs taken in 1872 by Notman and Fraser of Toronto, and one reproduction of a pen and ink style lithograph which depicts the interior of Lash & Co. Jewellery Store. Most pages of the album contain a single albumen photograph surrounded by print advertisements for businesses featured in the photograph or located nearby. The photographs document many of Toronto's prominant businesses, institutions, architectual highlights, and downtown streets, including fashionable King Street East (where the Notman and Fraser studio was located); Toronto Safe Works; P. G. Close and Company Importers; Joseph Wey and Co.; Wm. Wharin Watches Jewellery, Clocks &c; The Golden Lion; Robert Walker & Sons; W. & R. Griffith Importers; American Express Co.; Canadian Express Co.; Vickers Express; Thos. Russell and Son Watch Manufacturers; W. E. Cornell Watch Importer; Toronto Tea Co.; Samson, Kennedy & Gemmel Importers; Willing & Williamson Importers; David Wilson Boot and Shoe Manufacturer; Hampton's New Drug Store; Lash & Co.; Canada Hydraulic Marble Works; Albion Hotel; Montreal Telegraph Co.; Golden Griffin Great Silk and Clothing House; Metropolitan Wesleyan Church; Normal School; Ontario Chambers; Pages Block; Rankin Block; St. Lawrence Hall; King Street East; King Street West; Scott Street; Church Street; Front Street East; Wellington Street; Yonge Street; York Street; and East Market Square.



The Archives contains a brief biography of Notman and Fraser (redolent of the novel Consolation):

In 1868, John Arthur Fraser moved from Montreal to Toronto to establish the photographic firm, Notman & Fraser, which operated in Toronto until about 1883.

Established in 1868, Notman and Fraser photographic studio was the second regional branch studio founded by photographic entrepreneur, William Notman of Montreal. Like its parent studio, Notman and Fraser offered a wide-range of photographic services, only one of which is represented by the Commercial Houses of Toronto view album comprising this fonds. Nevertheless, the exceptional quality of the photographs reflects the high standards established by one of Canada's earliest and finest commercial photographers. William Notman (1826-1891) was born in Scotland and, as a young man, he entered the wholesale dry-goods business. In 1856 he emmigrated to Canada where he found employment with Olgivy & Lewis, wholesale dry-goods merchants of Montreal. Notman left the firm after a short stay and, in November 1856, opened his first photography studio at 11 Bleury Street. The firm offered a full range of photographic services and he built an impressive clientel of Montreal's elite. In 1861 he was appointed photographer to the Queen and the following year he won the first of many awards with a gold medal at the International Exhibition of 1862. His reputation and business continued to grow and by 1870 Notman had large studios in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and the United States. The Toronto studio was opened in 1868 in partnership with John A. Fraser, the former head of Notman's Montreal Art Department. Fraser hired Jocia Bruce, also an employee of the Montreal studio, as his "chief operator." Bruce remained with the firm until 1875 when he opened his own photography business. The Notman and Fraser Studio became a meeting place for a variety of artists and, in 1872, Fraser and a group of his friends formed the Ontario Society of Artists. The society's first exhibition opened on April 14, 1873 at Notman & Fraser's studio at 39 King Street East. In 1883 Fraser purchased William Notman's share of the business and re-organized it as Fraser & Sons. He then moved to Boston leaving his two boys Augustine and John Arthur Jr. to run the business. In 1886 the company was bought by Millman & Co. and the following year it was sold again to Herbert E. Simpson. John Fraser Sr. gained a reputation in Boston as an illustrater and landscape painter and on many occasions returned to vacation with his family on Toronto Island.




Here they are:

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Thanks Charioteer! That's a great resource and it's a pity it is so hidden on the TPL website. There are also about 200 photos of Toronto in the (online) Notman Photographic Archive at the McCord Museum in Montreal. See: http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/ Search for Toronto.

Some say "street scene' and I bet some UT folk could identify them!
 
I need to show this to Mr. Blachford, a nice man in his 80s who lives near me. He would love to see the old advertising card for his family shoe firm.
 
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