By Jane E MacNamara There may have been a bite in the air on October 29, 1861, when Samuel Wedge applied for relief from the House of Industry.[1] Certainly the days were getting shorter and the approach of winter was hard to ignore. Winter made the Lake Ontario dangerous and […]
by Fred Blair There are a number of diaries and journals written by war veterans that may include your ancestor’s name. Newspapers may include stories about your ancestor in obituaries or in war anniversary issues. Most surviving veterans received a small pension in 1875 and information from their interviews with […]
By Jane E MacNamara I would like to have met Rose Foley, I think. A bit cantankerous, independent, determined. This post will demonstrate how the newly indexed minute books of the Toronto House of Industry gave me a window into eight years of Rose’s life and led me to other […]
by David Reed In the north-west corner of St. James Cemetery is the grave of Frederick Chase Capreol, an early resident of Toronto. Although not well known today, he was active as a merchant and entrepreneur through the 19th century. Born June 10, 1803 in Hertfordshire, England, he first came […]
by Fred Blair What did your ancestors do during the War of 1812? Whether or not men served in the militia or British forces, there may be surviving documents that recorded their name. There are also documents that record the names of women and children. This blog is about records […]
by Marian Press Although I live quite close to the Necropolis Cemetery, I had, until recently, never been inside its gates. During the past months, the shut-in phenomenon induced by the COVID-19 lockdown made a walk through the cemetery seem like a good idea. I was astonished to find very […]
By Fred Blair On October 23, 1861, the Fifth Militia District Rifle Association held a garden party in Rosedale. In attendance were ten veterans of the War of 1812. From the left side of the commemorative photograph taken to the right, they were Colonel George Duggan, the Rev. George Ryerson, […]
by Michael Nettleton, House of Industry Project Coordinator Toronto Branch volunteers will soon complete the first phase of transcribing the manuscript records of Toronto’s House of Industry. In the first phase, Branch volunteers have been transcribing six volumes of minute books and case recommendations of the House. Transcriptions from five […]