Our Stories

Black-and-white photograph of Harry Gairey seated on a couch in a living room, smiling and clapping as he interacts warmly with two young children standing in front of him. One child raises their hands while the other turns toward Gairey, creating a playful, affectionate moment. Shelves with framed photographs and household items are visible in the background, giving the scene an intimate, home-like feel.

Harry Gairey: Champion of Civil Rights and Community Builder

1898–1993 Prospect Cemetery Section 40 Lot 645 Harry Ralph Gairey born in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica, became one of Toronto’s most influential civil
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Stone memorial obelisk standing in a snow‑covered park, surrounded by trees in winter. An engraved inscription on the monument commemorates those who lost their lives on 5 July 1970 in Air Canada Flight 621 in Woodbridge, Ontario.

Air Canada Flight 621 Memorials: Honouring 109 Lives

Black-and-white photograph of the identical twins Bruce and Duke Warren standing together beside a fighter aircraft marked “DUKE II.” Both wear flight jackets and life vests, with the cockpit and nose of the plane visible behind them, suggesting preparation for or return from a flight.

Flight Lieutenant Bruce Warren: A Test Pilot Who Helped Shape Canada’s Aviation Legacy

Korean War Memorial with Canadian flag and trees

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

Black‑and‑white studio portrait of John Rutsey with long hair, wearing a patterned jacket over a light‑coloured shirt, posed against a dark background.

John Rutsey: The Beat that Started it All

really old skates

Percy Johnston: A Life on Ice

A close-up photograph of a gold commemorative coin featuring two classical figures standing in the center—one draped and holding a staff, the other nude and athletic, holding a wreath. The inscriptions include “776 B.C. – 1976 A.D.” along the left side, “100 DOLLARS” on the right, and Greek lettering along the bottom. The coin rests on a light, textured background.

Dora de Pédery-Hunt: The Artist Behind Canada’s Coins

A street scene featuring colorful storefronts, including Sam the Record Man and Steele’s Tavern. Pedestrians walk across the street in the foreground, while others stand near the shop entrances. Bright signage and busy façades create a lively urban atmosphere.

Steele Basil: The Man Behind Toronto’s Legendary Tavern

Illustrated portrait of J. J. Kelso wearing a suit jacket, high‑collared shirt, and tie, shown from the chest up in a newspaper‑style line drawing with fine cross‑hatching

John Joseph Kelso: Champion for Children and Animals

Stone grave marker for Captain Stewart Boulter featuring a carved cross set into the centre of the monument, with engraved text commemorating his military service and death in action during the First World War, standing on a stone base in a grassy cemetery surrounded by trees.

Captain Stewart Boulter: A Cross from Vimy Ridge

Black‑and‑white photograph of soldiers seated around tables inside a military convalescent hospital common room, with a nurse standing nearby and a piano against the wall, light streaming in through tall windows.

Irene Pearl Courtice Lambert: A Nursing Sister’s Sacrifice

A black-and-white photograph of the Freemasons’ burial plot in a historic cemetery, featuring a tall stone column monument topped with a sphere in the foreground. Rows of smaller gravestones and monuments are arranged across a gently sloping grassy landscape, with leafless trees in the background, suggesting a formal memorial setting in late fall or early spring.

Freemasonry and the Shaping of Toronto’s Civic Identity

A commemorative plaque mounted on a large rock at Thornton Cemetery marks the opening of the crematorium and mausoleum, surrounded by yellow flowers and fallen leaves outdoors.

Sealing a Promise: The Opening of Thornton Cemetery

A vintage sepia-toned portrait of a man dressed in formal 19th‑century attire, including a dark coat, waistcoat, white shirt, and large bow tie. The photograph shows age-related wear, such as fading and textured marks, giving it an antique appearance.

Joseph Bloore: The Man Behind Bloor Street

Brick building

William James McBain: Architect of Modern Ontario

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Norman Ernest Brickell: A Lifetime of Service in Law Enforcement

mother feeding her kids cod liver oil

Marion and Wally Johnston: A Partnership in Science and Service

The Eaton Mausoleum, a neoclassical stone structure with tall columns and a triangular pediment, set in a snow‑covered cemetery. Two sculpted lion figures flank the entrance, with bare trees surrounding the mausoleum in winter.

Eaton Family: Pioneers of Canadian Retail

a very old Ford vehicle in black and white

Dr. Perry E. Doolittle: The Father of the Trans-Canada Highway

Snow‑covered cemetery scene with a round grave marker in the foreground bearing the name “Chalmers.” The headstone is partially buried in snow, with leafless trees and additional grave markers visible in the background during winter.

Wallace Gordon Chalmers: Engineering Visionary with a Tire-Shaped Legacy

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Mary Carfrae: First Burial at Potter’s Field