House History Scrapbook

Researched and compiled December 2022 by Peter J. Marshall for Hogtown House Histories.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The city of Toronto is located on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The city is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit.

290 SHERBOURNE STREET

290 Sherbourne is located within a 100-acre tract of land bounded by Bloor, George, Queen and Sherbourne Streets known as Park Lot 5 that was first granted to Chief Justice William Osgoode in 1798. In 1819 it was purchased by one of York’s wealthiest citizens, William Allan, who began the process of subdividing it before passing the task to his son George William Allan.

George registered subdivision Plan 150 in 1856 which covered the area between Gerrard, George, Sherbourne and Dundas Streets. This included the designation of building lots along Sherbourne that were 50 feet wide and 138 feet deep. The following year, Allan had a detached house built on the lots numbered 54 and 55 which he leased until selling it as part of a 50-foot plot of land that straddled those two lots.

In 1886 builder Joseph Logan Thompson purchased the property for $4,500, demolished the house and constructed the current pair of slightly asymmetrical semi-detached homes. The two-and-a-half-storey brick dwellings designed in the bay and gable style were reflective of the handsome middleand upper-class homes that lined the upper parts of Sherbourne and Jarvis Streets at the time, although number 290 is notable for having its main entrance located on the side of the house.

Thomson sold both semis with the original combined 50-foot frontage to Frederick Macqueen and Robert Pyne in June 1888 and Macqueen then subdivided the property as two 25-foot lots, selling 292 Sherbourne that same year and keeping number 290 as an income property.

Macqueen and Pyne were landlords to 290 Sherbourne’s original tenant, William A. Reeve, a lawyer and one of the first principals of Osgoode Law School. Reeve and his wife Sarah lived there with their nine children until he passed away at the residence in 1894. In 1899 the landlords sold the house to dry goods merchant Robert Stanley who occupied the home with his wife and six children until 1910.

The Edwardian era saw a significant change in the demographics of Toronto’s downtown east as its prosperous inhabitants decamped to neighbourhoods further away from the city’s increasingly busy and dirty industrial core. In their wake, most of their former homes were adapted into boarding houses consisting of a primary family that either owned or rented the premises and earned supplemental income from multiple lodgers. 290 Sherbourne followed this model until 1980 James and Margret Beveridge acquired the dilapidated house and renovated it on the eve of its centennial anniversary. The semi was then purchased in 1997 by the current owner. From 1998 until 2019 he also operated his video editing business on the second floor and as of 2021 he has owned the home for longer than anyone else in its history.

LAND OWNERSHIP HISTORY Ontario Land Registry offices hold the province’s historical property ownership records as well as abstracts (indexes) of those records. Abstracts are grouped in books by subdivision plan. The following are highlights of the abstract pertaining to 290 Sherbourne which is situated on Lot 55 in Plan 150. The abstract is titled “Plan 150, book 275, 275A, 275B” and is filed in Land Registry Office #80. Its contents trace property ownership back to the original land grant of Park Lot 5 by the government of Upper Canada in 1798. page 6

Inst. # 3925M

Inst. Type Grant

Inst. Date June 11, 1888

Grantor Joseph Logan Thompson and Mary Ann his wife

Grantee Frederick Macqueen [and Robert Pyne]

7

5077O

Grant

Nov 26, 1888

Alexander Maclean

9

11270R

Grant

May 1, 1899

10 10 10

7780T 19733S 27597T

Grant Grant Grant

11

27965T

Grant

Apr 3, 1906 Jun 25, 1910 Dec 29, 1911 [sic] Feb 1911

Frederick MacQueen (unmarried) & Robert Allan Pyne & Mary Isabel his wife Fred’k Wm Macqueen, Robert Allan Pyne, Fanny Isabella Ann wife of F W Macqueen & Mary Isabel wife of R A Pyne Robert Stanley Sarah Stanley, wife of R Stanley Elizabeth M Hammill, wife of James H Hammill

11 13 14

44806P? 30181EP 33998EP

14 15 15 15 15

59314EP 69638EP 80265EP 85559EP 99761EP

Grant Grant Grant under P of Sale Grant Grant Grant Grant Grant

18

CT385644

18 19 19 20

21

Mar 5, 1912 Aug 27, 1935 Jan 31, 1947

John E Diamond Margaret his wife by her atty J E Diamond Francis R. Perkins and Nellie E. his wife Wilbert B. Grace Robt E Blong [holder of $3,600 mortgage with Wilbert Grace]

Robert Stanley Sarah Stanley Elizabeth M Hammill, wife of J H Hammill John Edmond Diamond

Notes This is the first sale of 290 and 292 Sherbourne which encompasses the north 44 feet of Lot 55 + south 6 feet of Lot 54 This is the first solo sale of 292 Sherbourne which consists of the north 25 feet of the property purchased by Macqueen and Pyne.

This is the first solo sale of 290 Sherbourne which consists of the south 25 feet of the property purchased by Macqueen and Pyne.

The recorded date is incorrect and should state 1911 per the fact that the instrument was registered in January 1911.

Francis R. Perkins Wilbert B. Grace Thos Farrell John Ruttan

Foreclosure sale.

Apr 1, 1947 Jan 2, 1950 Jun 24, 1952 Aug 19, 1953 July 25, 1956

John Ruttan, Myrtle his wife Mabel Martin formerly Sutherland Lambert D. Kerr & Gladys Kerr his wife Helen B. Hladich, married woman Frederick D Vaughan & Gladys E Vaughn his wife

Mabel Sutherland Lambert D. Kerr & Gladys Kerr his wife Helen B. Hladich, married woman Frederick D. Vaughn & Gladys Vaughn his wife Milada Muhle

Oct 10, 1979

The Honourable the Attorney General

[blank]

CT400567 CA787937 CA126454 CA216233

Order in Council Grant Transfer Transfer Transfer

Jan 24, 1980 Mar 2, 1990 Feb 11, 1991 Nov 23, 1992

Public Trustee, Admin. Of Milada Muhle Margaret Beveridge, James Beveridge Margaret Julianne Beveridge, estate James Alexander Beveridge

Margaret Beveridge, James Beveridge Margaret Beveridge James Alexander Beveridge Alexander Shepp Beveridge (as to 1/3 int.), Nina Beveridge (as to 1/3 int.), Nicholas Robert Adam Beveridge, Judy Beveridge

CA369389

Transfer

Oct 2, 1995

Alexander Shepp Beveridge, Nina Beveridge, Nicholas Robert Adam Beveridge, Judy Beveridge

Nina Beveridge

Interpretation Guide Inst. #

Inst. Type

Records are referred to as instruments. Reproductions can be ordered from the Land Registry office by referring the instrument number but the numbers for historical instruments prior to the 1970s must converted to a modern system of numbering first. Instructions for converting these numbers are available from the OLR although they require a basic understanding of the Registry’s record classification processes.

“Memorial of BS” (Buy & Sell), “Grant” and “Transfer” all refer to deeds of sale.

Inst. Date

Abstracts include dates of instrument creation and dates of registration with the registry. This chart shows only the former unless otherwise noted.

PREDECESSOR HOUSE Built:

circa 1857

Demolished: Style: Alt. Address: OLR ID:

1886 unknown 148 Sherbourne St. prior to 1872 Part Lots 54 & 55, Plan 150, LRO #80

The city directory excerpts below help identify the original house’s construction year, street number, occupant and demolition year.

1856 directory: no houses yet built on the west side of Sherbourne between Dundas and Carlton.

1872 directory: last year that the house is numbered as 148

The next available directory after 1856 is from 1859. No street listings are included in this directory, just resident listings which include a Joseph Robinson of jewellers Joseph Robinson & Co living at 148 Sherbourne. Later directories corroborate that 148 is the predecessor house.

1873 directory: Sherbourne St. houses have been renumbered

1861 directory: Joseph Robinson’s house is the only one between Wilton (Dundas St. E.) and Carlton

1887 directory (compiled 1886): Last appearance of 1st generation house

The 1858 Atlas of the City of Toronto shows the earliest development of the neighbourhood bounded by Sherbourne and George Streets just two years after the subdivision plan was officially registered.

(Wilton Crescent would eventually become part of Dundas Street East.)

The original 290 Sherbourne is denoted as a 2-storey brick house with two wooden outbuildings.

SUBDIVISION PLAN

This 1854 subdivision plan for a portion of George W. Allan’s estate into “Villa lots” would be registered with the province in March 1856 as plan number 150. The current 290 Sherbourne is located on lot 55.

Note how Pembroke Street is depicted as a tree-lined approach to the Horticultural Gardens north of Gerrard.

The land for the gardens had been donated by Allan the year prior and was renamed Allan Gardens after his death. (Toronto Public Library)

LOT MAPS Historical fire insurance maps offer valuable insights into a building’s shape, storeys and construction materials to assist insurers with determining the cost of policies. The maps below were created by the Charles E. Goad Company.

1890 Atlas of the City of Toronto showing the new 290 & 292 Sherbourne.

Number 292 is located on the south 6ft of Lot 54 and north 19ft of Lot 55 while number 290 is located on the “north 25ft of south 31ft” of Lot 55 per original land registry descriptions. (Toronto Public Library)

SHERBOURNE ST.

PEMBROOKE ST.

PEMBROOKE ST.

SHERBOURNE ST.

PEMBROOKE ST.

1884 Atlas of the City of Toronto showing the original 290 Sherbourne just prior to demolition. It is located on lot 55 of subdivision plan 150. Pink shading indicates brick building materials and yellow indicates wood.

(Toronto Public Library)

GLENHOLM PL. (LANE)

SHERBOURNE ST.

GLENHOLM PL. (LANE)

GLENHOLM PL. (LANE)

Circa 1889 Insurance Plan of the City of Toronto provides more accurate building outlines - including porches denoted by dashed lines - and notes how the number of storeys. It also indicates wooden outbuildings with grey shading and stone construction with blue. (University of Toronto)

1886 DEED Deed for purchase of the 50-foot property and original house by Joseph Logan Thompson from his sister-in law for $1,500. Logan would build the current semidetached houses the following year.

(Instrument # 198N)

1886 deed page 2 of 4

1886 deed page 3 of 4

1886 deed page 4 of 4

CITY DIRECTORIES City directories listed the heads of household sorted by street address which allows a house’s occupants to be determined up until 2000 when the directories ceased being published. The Sherbourne Street excerpts below are for years that relate to the house’s original occupants and the occupants at the time of the decennial censuses.

1888 directory (compiled 1887).

First appearance of 290-292 Sherbourne semi-detached houses.

1889 directory (compiled 1888).

290 Sherbourne is listed as still being vacant.

1890 (compiled 1889) The house’s first occupant is listed as William A. Reeve.

1902 directory (compiled in 1901 census year) shows the Stanley family living at the house. Note that the lane north of 290 Sherbourne has been officially named Glenholme Place.

1912 directory (compiled in 1911 census year). The Gall family is now residing at 290 Sherbourne.

1922 directory (compiled in 1921 census year) shows the head of household being Ernest Wright although a different family appears in the census.

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Unsound of Mind

11

Blind

10

Deaf and Dumb

9

INFIRMITIES

Write

8

INSTRUCTION

Read

7

Profession, Occupation or Trade

Employer to state average number of hands employed during year

6

Religion

Unemployed during week preceding Census

5

Place of Birth of Mother

Wage Earner

4

Place of Birth of Father

Employers

Families

3

Country of Province of Birth

French Canadians

Houses Inhabited

2

Married or Widowed

Houses uninhabited

1

Age

Houses in Construction

Names

Sex

Vessels and Shanties

NUMBERED IN THE ORDER OF VISITATION

Relation to Head of Family

1891 CENSUS

21

22

23

24

25

Excerpt from District 119: Toronto (City) > Sub-district I: St. Thomas Ward > pages 8 and 9 Interpretation Guide Col.

Description

Col.

Description

4

Dwelling is described with abbreviations for construction material, number of stories and number of rooms. For example, “S2/6” is a stone house with 2 stories and 6 rooms. “W” = wood, “B” = brick.

13, 14

Same information as for column 11 but pertaining to the individual’s father and mother.

5

A separate number was to be assigned to each family that occupied the same house.

6 7 8 9

Occupants’ names were to be entered with the surname first.

Sex was denoted by the letter “M” for male and “F” for female.

Ages for children under one year were indicated by fraction e.g. 2 months was written as "2/12".

Marital status was denoted by the letter “M” for married or “W” for widow or widower.

10

Relationship to the head of family (i.e. the first person listed in the family group) was denoted by the letter “W” for wife, “D” for daughter, “S” for son, “DOM” for live-in domestic servant or "L" for lodger.

11

For individuals born outside of Canada, the name of their country of origin was provided. For those born in Canada, the name of the province was indicated. The ditto mark shown in this excerpt indicates Ontario.

15

See Library and Archives Canada 1891 census web page for a list of abbreviations of religious denominations.

16

Individuals studying a profession or trade were to be noted as students of that profession or trade.

Individuals in college were to be entered as students; however, school children were not to be entered as students. For those who had no other occupation aside from a share of the household work, a symbol for nothing-to-be-recorded was entered.

General   

Items to be counted as one were to be indicated by either a downward stroke (|) or the figure "1."

Items to be counted as zero were to be indicated by a dash (-) or the space was left blank.

A dash (-) was written whenever NO was the answer or there was nothing to be recorded.



Ditto marks (" or “do”) were used, except where specifically prohibited under the instructions.

1901 CENSUS

3

Relationship to head of family or household.

4

5

6

Month and date of birth

Country or place of birth (If in Canada specify Province or Territory and add "r" or "u" for rural or urban, as the case may be)

7

8

9

10

11

Year of immigration to Canada

2

Colour.

Age at last birthday

1

Sex

Year of birth

Family or Household

Names of each person in family or household on 31st March, 1901

Citizenship, Nationality and Religion.

Single, married, widowed or divorced

Dwelling House

Personal Description.

12

Year of naturalization

Numbered in the order of Visitation.

Racial or Tribal origin

Nationality

Religion

13

14

15

16

Excerpt from District 117: Toronto East (City) > Sub District B: Ward 2 > Subdivision 21 > page 2

Interpretation Guide Col.

Description

Col.

Description

1

A count of the dwellings, numbered in the order visited by the enumerator.

13

2

A separate number was to be assigned to each family that occupied the same house.

3 4

Individuals’ names were to be entered with the surname first.

Sex was denoted by the letter “M” for male and “F” for female.

5

An individual’s “colour” was denoted by the letter "W" for whites (people of European descent), "R" for red (Native Canadians), "B" for black (people of African descent), "Y" for yellow (people of Japanese or Chinese descent). Children who were of mixed Caucasian and other heritage were to be designated as members of the appropriate non-white race. The ditto marks in this excerpt indicate “W”

If individuals had applied for their citizenship papers, but had not yet gained full citizenship, they were to be marked as "PA".

Racial origins were generally traced through the father. Aboriginal people were to have their origin traced through their mothers, with the specific name of the First Nation entered.

The ditto marks in this excerpt indicate “Canadian”.

See Library and Archives Canada 1901 census web page for a list of abbreviations of religious denominations. The ditto marks in this excerpt indicate “Church of England”.

6

The head of the family (or institution) was entered as such, with the remaining members of the group indicated through their relation to the head (wife, son, daughter, servant, boarder, lodger, partner, etc.).

Those persons in an institution could be described as an officer, inmate, patient, prisoner, pupil, etc.

Marital status was denoted by "S" for single, "M" for married, "W" for widowed and "D" for divorced.

7 11 10

The ditto marks in this excerpt indicate “Ont U” Age was denoted by the number of years completed before March 31, 1901. For children under one year of age, fractions were used (for example, to indicate 2 months, "2/12" was written).

14 15 16

24

25

Can speak French.

23

Can speak English

22

Can write

21

Can read

Months employed at trade in factory

20

Months at school in year

Working at trade in factory or in home (Specify by "f" for factory and "h" for home.)

19

Extra earnings (From other than chief occupation or trade.)

Working on own account

18

Education and Languages of each person five years of age and over Earnings from occupation or trade

Employee

17

Months employed at trade in home Months employed in other occupation than trade in factory or home

Profession, occupation, trade or means of living of each person. (If retired from profession or trade add "r" for retired.)

Employer

Wage Earner

Living on own means

Principal Profession or Trade

Mother tongue (If spoken)

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

Col.

Description

17

Only the main profession was to be recorded.

18

For people living on income from other sources than salary, like annuities, pensions, etc.

25

For those who were employed in an occupation other than their trade, or if an individual who usually worked at a trade was engaged in any employment.

33

The ditto marks in this excerpt indicate “English”.

34

The degree of the infirmity needed to have reached the stage of incapacity to be noted.

Infirmities.

(If infirmity dates from childhood, add "from childhood.") a. Deaf and dumb B. Blind C. Unsound mind

34

General  The census began on March 31, 1901.

1911 CENSUS

3

4

5

6

Month of birth

7

8

9

Country or place of birth (If in Canada specify Province or Territory)

10

11

12

Year of naturalization, if formerly an alien

Relationship to head of family or household.

Year of immigration to Canada if an immigrant

Sex.

Age at last birthday

2

Names of each person in family, household or institution

Place of habitation (Township or parish, city, town or village. Range or concession and lot or cadastral no. if in township or parish. Street and house no. if in city, town or village. Or other description.)

CITIZENSHIP, NATIONALITY AND RELIGION

Year of birth

Family, household or institution

1

RESIDENCE AND PERSONAL DESCRIPTION Single, married, widowed or divorced or legally separated.

Dwelling home

NUMBERED IN THE ORDER OF VISITATION

Racial or Tribal origin

Nationality

Religion

13

14

15

16

Excerpt from 124 Toronto Centre > Ward 2 > Division 21 > pages 12-13

Interpretation Guide Col. 1 2 3 5 6

Description A count of the dwellings, numbered in the order visited by the enumerator A separate number was to be assigned to each family that occupied the same house.

Individuals’ names were to be entered with the surname first.

Sex was denoted by the letter “M” for male and “F” for female.

The head of the family (or institution) was entered as such, with the remaining members and their relation to the head (for example, wife, son, daughter, servant, boarder, lodger, partner). People in an institution were described as officer, inmate, patient, prisoner, pupil, and so on. The chief officer of the institution was designated through his/her proper title (for example, warden, superintendent or principal).

7

Marital status was denoted by the letter "S" for single, "M" for married, "W" for widowed, "D" for divorced or "L.S.." for legally separated.

For people one year of age and over, their age was the number of years completed before June 1, 1911. For children under one year, fractions were used (for example, to indicate 2 months, "2/12" was written).

10

Col.

Description

13

Naturalization year was provided for persons 21 years of age and over, who were born in a country outside the United Kingdom or any of its dependencies and who had become naturalized.

14

Racial origins were generally traced through the father. Aboriginal people were to have their origin traced through their mothers, with the specific name of the First Nation entered.

16

See Library and Archives Canada 1911 census web page for abbreviations of religious denominations.

Total earnings in 1910 from other than chief occupation

Rate of earnings per hour -- Cents

Upon life

Against accident or sickness $

Cost of insurance in census year $

Months at school in 1910

Can read

Can write

Language commonly spoken

Cost of education in 1910 at College, Convent or University $

Blind

Deaf and Dumb

Crazy or Lunatic

Idiotic or Silly

20 21

Total earnings in 1910 from chief occupation or trade

19

Hours of working time per week at other occupation

Employee

18

Hours of working time per week at chief occupation

Employer

17

Weeks employed in 1910 at other than chief occupation

Employment other than at chief occupation or trade, if any

INFIRMITIES age when infirmity appeared

Weeks employed in 1910 at chief occupation or trade

Chief occupation or trade

EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE OF PERSONS 5 YEARS OR OLDER

INSURANCE HELD AT DATE.

State where person is employed as "on farm", "in woolen mill", "at foundry shop", "in drug store", etc.

WAGE EARNERS. Working on own account

PROFESSION, OCCUPATION, TRADE OR MEANS OF LIVING

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

Col.

Description

17

Occupation was to be entered for every person 10 years of age and over. This was to be the title that most accurately described the "gainful" work through which the individual earned money or a money equivalent.

"Income" was entered for individuals who did not have a specific occupation, but that instead subsisted on an independent income, such as investments, pensions, superannuations. "None" was entered for individuals 10 years of age and over who did not have an occupation and who did not live on an independent income.

18

Supplemental income was to be noted for anyone 10 years of age and over. A three-part numerical code was used to indicate (1) main divisions of occupations or industries, (2) class of worker, and (3) Trade.

For a complete list of codes see Library and Archives Canada 1911 census web site.

20

The term "W," for wage earner, was to be entered for someone who worked for salary or wages.

21

"O.A" for "own account" for someone who was employed in a gainful occupation and who was neither an employer nor an employee.

29

Persons employed in the construction and mechanical trades were believed to be paid according to a fixed schedule of rates per hour. Individuals paid in such a manner were to have an entry in this column.

Col.

Description

38-41

The degree of the infirmity needed to have reached the stage of incapacity to be noted. If the infirmity developed in childhood, "child" was entered followed by the age at which the infirmity appeared.

General 

The census began on June 1, 1911

1921 CENSUS

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Excerpt from District 130 Toronto Centre > Ward 2 / Subdistrict 5 > page 23

Interpretation Guide Col.

Description

1

A count of the dwellings, numbered in the order visited by the enumerator

2

A separate number was to be assigned to each family that occupied the same house.

6

For home ownership status, "O" denoted that the home was owned by the householder, "R" that it was rented.

8

House type was denoted as "A” for apartment house, "T" for Town or Terrace, "S" for single house, "D" for semi-detached.

9

Construction materials were denoted as "S" for stone, "B" for brick, "W" for wood, "B.V." for brick veneer, "P.L." for plastered with lime mortar, "P.C." for plastered with cement mortar (stucco), "CON" for houses constructed of cement blocks or concrete.

10

This column indicates the number of rooms occupied by this family for living purposes.

11

For people in an institution, the descriptors were officer, inmate, patient, prisoner, pupil and so on. The chief officer was designated through his/her proper title e.g. warden, superintendent, principal

14

For children under one year, fractions were used (for example, to indicate 2 months, "2/12" was written).

12

Age at last birthday

4

NATIVITY

Single, Married, Widowed, Divorced or separated

3

Relationship to head of family or household

Sex

2

Municipality

Rooms occupied by this family

1

Parish or township

Materials of Construction

Family, household or institution

NAME of each person in family, household or institution

Class of Houses

Dwelling House

PLACE OF ABODE In rural localities, give parish, section, township, range and Meridian. In cities, towns and villages, give street number of dwelling.

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION

If rented, give rent paid per month

TENURE AND CLASS OF HOME Home owned or rented

NAME AND RESIDENCE

NUMBER In the order of visitation

13

14

Country or place of birth of this person and parents of this person. If born in Canada give province. If Foreign born give Country. (See instructions)

PERSON

FATHER

MOTHER

15

16

17

25

26

27

28

Col.

Description

20

A married woman was to be reported as the same nationality as her husband. A foreign-born child under 21 is to be reported as the same nationality as his parents.

25

See Library and Archives Canada 1921 census web page for a list of abbreviations of religious denominations.

For post-census statistical analysis, a numerical code (for example 05-07 or 09-80) representing specific occupations was added in column 28. The first part of the code indicates the industry while the second part represents the occupation. For an explanation of these codes, consult the 1921 Census Occupations Codes chart available on the Library and Archives Canada web site.

28

29

30

31

Number of weeks unemployed since June 1st, 1920 due to sickness

24

Number of weeks unemployed in the past 12 months since June 1, 1920

23

If an employee, were you out of work June 1st, 1921

22

"a" if Employer state Employer principal product "b" if Employee. state where "E" employee or employed as "Farm", Chief occupation or trade Worker "W" "Cotton Mill", Working on "Foundry", "Grocery", etc. "c" if on Own own account "O.A" account state nature of work

Total earnings past 12 months since June 1st, 1920

21

Religious body, Denomination or Community to which this person adheres or belongs.

Months at school since Sep 1, 1920

20

Languages other than English or French spoken as Mother tongue.

Can write

19

PROFESSION, OCCUPATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Can read

18

Racial or tribal origin

EDUCATION

Can speak French

NATIONALITY (Country to which this person owes allegiance)

Can speak English

Year of Naturalization

RACE, LANGUAGE AND RELIGION

Year of immigration to Canada

CITIZENSHIP

32

33

34

35

General  Items to be counted as one were to be indicated by either a downward stroke (|) or the figure "1."  Items to be counted as zero were to be indicated by a dash (-) or the space was left blank. 

Ditto marks (") were not to be used, except where specifically called for under the instructions.



Numeric codes: when employees of the bureau of statistics were compiling the statistical summaries some of them wrote numbers on the census pages. The numbers relate to the information already recorded, not to additional details about the person enumerated. For example, for columns 15-17 (Place of Birth) the following codes were used on some pages: 1 Canada, 2 United Kingdom, 4 United States etc. Also, column 28 (Schooling) was used for Occupation codes that are defined in a separate guide. The meaning of numbers written in other columns is unknown.



The census began on June 1, 1921

1931 CENSUS

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Country or place of birth of this person and of parents of this person. If born in Canada give province. If Foreign born give Country. (See instructions)

PERSON.

FATHER.

MOTHER.

15

16

17

Year of naturalization.

6

IMMIGRATION.

Year of immigration to Canada.

5

Sex.

Age at last birthday.

4

Relationship to head of family or household.

PLACE OF BIRTH.

Single, married, widowed, divorced.

3

Has this family a radio?

(In rural localities, give parish, section, township, range and Meridian. In cities, towns and villages, give street number of dwelling.)

Rooms occupied by this family.

NAME. of each person in family, household or institution

Materials of construction (See instructions).

PLACE OF ABODE.

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION.

Class of House (See instructions).

2

DESCRIPTION OF HOME. If owned give value. If rented, give rent paid per month.

Family, household or institution

1

NAME AND RESIDENCE. Home owned or rented.

Dwelling House

NUMBER In the order of visitation.

18

19

Excerpt from District 156 Toronto East Centre > Subdistrict 24 > page 5

Interpretation Guide Col.

Description

1

A count of the dwellings, numbered in the order visited by the enumerator

2

A separate number was to be assigned to each family that occupied the same house.

5

For home ownership status, "O" denoted that the home was owned by the householder, "R" that it was rented.

7

House type was denoted as "A” for apartment house, "R" for row or terrace, "S" for single house, "D" for semi-detached, “F” for flat.

8

Construction materials were denoted as "S" for stone, "B" for brick, "W" for wood, "BV" for brick veneer, "P.C." for stucco, "CB" for cement brick.

9

This column indicates the number of rooms occupied by this family for living purposes.

13

Marital status was denoted as “S” for single, “M” for married, “W” for widowed, “D” for divorced.

14

For children under one year, fractions were used (for example, to indicate 2 months, "2/12" was written).

Col.

Description

26

“R” indicates the person can read only, “W” indicates they can read and rite, “No” indicates they can neither read nor write.

30

Class of worker was indicated by “E” for employer, “W” for wage or salary worker, “O” for own account, “N.P.” for wife, son, daughter working without regular wages.

31

32

33

General  The census began on June 1, 1931

34

Other causes (see instructions 181)

30

Temporary Layoff.

29

Strike or Lockout.

28

35 36 37 38

39

40

Accident

27

Illness

26

INDUSTRY Trade, profession or particular kind of work, as carpenter, Industry or business in which engaged or employed as cotton weaver, sawyer, merchant, farmer, salesman, teacher, mill, brass foundry, grocery, etc. (Give as definite and coal mine, dairy farm, public precise information as school, business college, etc. possible.)

Of the total number of weeks reported out of work in columns 34, how many were due to--

No Job

25

If answer to previous question is NO Why were you not at work on Monday June 1st, 1931. (For example, no job, sick, accident, on holidays, strike or lock-out, plant closed, no materials, etc.)

OCCUPATION.

Total number of weeks unemployed from any cause in the last 12 months.

24

If an employee, were you out of work Monday June 1st, 1931.

23

UNEMPLOYMENT. Total earnings in the past twelve months (since June 1st, 1930).

22

Religious body, Denomination or Community to which this person adheres or belongs.

OCCUPATION AND INDUSTRY.

Class of worker.

21

EDUCATION. Months at school since Sep 1, 1930.

Can speak French.

20

RELIGION.

Can read and write.

Racial origin.

Languages other than English or French spoken as Mother tongue.

NATIONALITY (Country to which this person owes allegiance.)

LANGUAGE.

Can speak English.

NATIONALITY AND RACIAL ORIGIN.

1888 ASSESSMENT ROLL Assessment rolls were compiled annually by the city for property tax purposes. Information for the 1888 roll was collected in September 1877 and marks the first appearance of the current 290 & 292 Sherbourne.

The two semis are marked in the roll as “unfinished house” and therefore no occupants are noted.

The owner is listed as William S. Thompson although Land Registry Records indicate that Joseph Logan Thompson officially owned the property from 1886 to 1888. This type of anomaly occurred often in assessment rolls and it is unknown why William was designated as the tax payer for this property, although genealogical records show he is Joseph’s brother.

Similarly, the rolls state that 292 Sherbourne had 26 feet of frontage and number 290 had 24 feet when in fact both had 25 feet. The frontage was multiplied by a property tax rate of $58 per foot based on a lot depth of 138

feet. This resulted in a land value of $1,501 and $1,392 respectively. The house value is based on each semi being a mix of a 2-storey 21’x 17’ section and a 2 ½-storey 21’ x 45’ section. The smaller sections are constructed of class 2 building materials while the larger are of class 1 (the highest quality category being class 3). Accordingly, each home was valued at $1,000.

NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS

The Globe May 5, 1894 p20

The Globe Sep 21, 1898 p12

Toronto Daily Star Apr 17, 1909 p22

Toronto Daily Star Feb 1, 1916 p5 List of men Toronto men training to go to war overseas.

Toronto Daily Star, Aug 24, 1917

Toronto Daily Star May 2, 1919 p18 Classified ad by a resident looking for work as a rooming house manager.

Toronto Daily Star May 15, 1926 p28 “Properties for Sale”. According to land ownership records, the owner at this time did not sell the property until 1935.

The Globe Apr 17, 1930 p13

Globe and Mail Jan 23, 1951 p21 “Rooms to Let, Furnished”

Toronto Daily Star Dec 4, 1952 p46 “Properties for Sale”. Helen Hladich purchased the house in June and sold it in August the following year.

Toronto Daily Star Jun 25, 1953 p37 “Properties for Sale”

WILLIAM A. REEVE PROFILE (FIRST OCCUPANT) residency

1889 until his death in 1894

full name

William Albert Reeve

known as

commonly referred to as W. A. Reeve in writings.

occupation

Lawyer, principal of Osgood Hall Law School

born

1842 in Toronto

died

May 1894 at 290 Sherbourne

burial site

St. James Cemetery

Ancestry.com family tree also indicates:  Reeve Married Sarah Theresa Bielby in 1866 in New York USA (born in New York)  They had 11 children between 1867 and 1885, two of which died at birth. The nine surviving children are all listed in the 1891 census

The Globe, May 3, 1894 p8

Osgood Hall Law School Class of 1894. Note: Osgoode Hall Law School became affiliated with York University in 1965 and moved to the York campus in 1969. (Osgoode Digital Commons)

James and Sarah Reeve’s tombstone at St. James Cemetery. (findagrave.com)

The Canada Law Journal, Volume 30 (1894) A complete is profile of Reeve is available online at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography site.

.

JOSEPH L. THOMPSON PROFILE (BUILDER) ownership

May 1886 – June 1888

full name

Joseph Logan Thompson

known as

Sometimes referred to as Joseph Logan Thompson Jr.as his father had the same name

occupation

Builder / contractor / architect (per 1881 and 1891 census and 1886 and 188 deeds of sale)

born

May 20, 1849, Durham England

immigrated

Immigrated to Toronto in 1866 at age 17

died

Mar 14, 1922 in Vancouver

Ancestry.com family tree also indicates:  Married Mary Ann Holgate in 1875 (born in Hamilton)  Had three children born in 1876, 1878 and 1881  Occupation in 1881 census was contractor, in 1891 census it was builder  Moved to Quebec by 1901 1888 city directory (compiled 1887) indicates he was living at 247 Wellesley at time of this house’s construction.

Thompson’s signature from his deed of sale to Macqueen

HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS James and Martha Beveridge bought 290 Sherbourne in January 1980 and the following month their renovation coordinator photographed sons Alex and Nick and daughter Nina touring the dilapidated former boarding house. When Nina sold the house she passed on the photos to the current owner.

The painted brick exterior was a common tactic used by cheap landlords in the 1960s and 70s to detract from an old house’s rundown state. Landscaping is nonexistent.

The rotting wooden steps to the main entrance on the south side of the house. The house’s layout is somewhat unique in that the entrance is on the side of the building rather than out front like the adjoining semi.

By October 1980 the renovations were nearly complete. The rear of first floor had been extended and the original brick exterior had been restored in dramatic contrast to the neighbouring semi.

A hall closet on the second floor had been converted into a tiny kitchen. It became part of a large bathroom during the Beveridge renovations.

A bathroom at the rear of the second floor was converted into an apartment.

The middle bedroom on third floor was typical of the squalid living conditions for the former tenants.

This bedroom at the rear of the third floor became part of a separate apartment. The patchwork of mismatched wallpaper was a common sight throughout the house.

HERITAGE STATUS

Boundaries of the Garden District Heritage Conservation District.

(City of Toronto)

Excerpt from the Garden District HCD Plan showing 290 Sherbourne as a Contributing Property.

(City of Toronto)