Our Stories

Black-and-white studio portrait of Private Walter Leigh Rayfield, V.C., seated in uniform wearing a service cap and a buttoned military tunic with chevrons on the sleeve, posed against a plain backdrop.

Walter Leigh Rayfield, VC: Hero of Arras

1881–1949 Prospect Cemetery Section 7 Lot 4196 Walter Leigh Rayfield born in Richmond-on-Thames, England, emigrated to Canada as a child and worked
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old newspaper clipping

James Brown: The Last Public Hanging in Toronto

Interior view of a Jack Fraser department store showing long display tables stacked with folded clothing, sales signs hanging above the aisles, and staff standing behind counters under bright ceiling lights.

Jack Fraser: A Toronto Retail Icon

gravestone of Kay Christie

Kay Christie: A Nurse’s Courage in Captivity

houses and trees with brown grass

Benefit Society Oshchima: A Lifeline for Early Immigrants

a hotel in the 1900s

The Ward Sisters: A Tragedy on Toronto Bay

Historic postcard view of Chalmers Presbyterian Church and Sunday School in Toronto, showing a large Romanesque‑style brick church with arched windows, a central tower, and corner turrets. Overhead utility wires cross the scene, and handwritten postcard notes appear along the top and right margins.

Chalmers York Town Line Church: A Lost Cemetery Remembered

Black‑and‑white photograph of John M. Lyle standing in front of a large sculptural relief, wearing a suit and tie and holding carving tools in his hands, suggesting an artist or architectural studio setting.

John M. Lyle: Architect of a Canadian Identity

old drawing of a restaurant exterior

Beverly Randolph Snow: A Legacy of Resilience and Equity

gravestone

Jesse Nilsson: A Rising Star Gone Too Soon

Black and white photo of a burial ground. There are some trees in the background, and it appears to be late autumn.

John Cummer: Early Community Builder in North York

people at the park

Peter Lamb: From Glue to Zoo to Riverdale Farm

big monument in snow

John Ewart: Upper Canada’s First Architect

stethescope and hands

Dr. Aminul Haq: Innovator in Cardiac Care

hill with crosses and a pole with the Canadian flag

Veterans Hill: Honouring Service and Sacrifice

mother feeding her kids cod liver oil

Marion and Wally Johnston: A Partnership in Science and Service

Black-and-white photograph of three young people standing side by side in a grassy field. They are wearing heavy work clothes with long sleeves and overalls, suggesting farm or manual labor. All three of them are wearing medical masks. The field slopes gently behind them, with open land and sky in the background. The scene has a stark, historical feel, with simple clothing and a rural setting.

Silent Witness: The Spanish Flu Tragedy

Korean War Memorial with Canadian flag and trees

The Korean War Memorial Wall: Honouring 516 Canadians Who Gave Their Lives for Freedom

Two performers stand on an outdoor stage; one is singing into a microphone with an arm raised, while the other plays an acoustic guitar beside an additional microphone stand. A canopy and metal stage scaffolding are visible overhead against a sunny sky.

Lois Lilienstein: A Legacy of Joy

very old bus

John Hollinger: East York’s Transit Pioneer

semi detached house

Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna: The Last Grand Duchess of Imperial Russia