Our Stories

Simple black‑and‑white line drawing showing a person standing at a podium reading from a sheet of paper, facing a small group of seated, doll‑like or scarecrow‑style figures with round heads and straw‑like hair. The figures appear loosely posed, creating a whimsical, hand‑drawn scene.

Shaunt Basmajian: A Voice for Canadian Poetry

1950–1990 York Cemetery Section 10 Lot 6 Shaunt Basmajian was born in Beirut, Lebanon to Armenian parents. At the age of seven, he emigrated to Canada
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a plaque on a gate

The Resting Place of Toronto’s Pioneers

semi detached house

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

Tim Horton wearing a vintage Toronto Maple Leafs jersey poses in front of a solid blue background. The player is shown from the waist up, dressed in a blue sweater with a large white maple leaf logo and lace-up collar.

Tim Horton: Hockey Legend and Coffee Icon

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Tamara Jaworska: From Arkhangelsk to Toronto, A Life Woven in Art

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

A detailed photograph of a Victoria Cross medal suspended from a deep magenta ribbon. The bronze cross features a lion standing atop a royal crown at its center, with an ornate scroll below. The medal hangs against a dark, textured background

Joseph Harcourt Tombs: Canada’s First Victoria Cross Hero of WWI

Alt text: Historic postcard photograph of Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto showing the stone Gothic-style public vault partially framed by trees, with handwritten message text and a small British flag illustration on the right side.

Receiving Winter Vault “The Dead House”: Victorian Design for a Practical Need

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

John Cummer: Pioneer of North York

Aerial view of downtown Toronto on a clear day, showing a dense cluster of high-rise buildings, the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre, and Lake Ontario stretching out in the background.

John A. Pearson: Building Toronto’s Skyline

A black‑and‑white exterior view of the Addictions Research Foundation where Eleanor worked as a therapist. It is a mid‑century institutional building with a concrete façade and rows of rectangular windows, set back from a city street with bare trees and low shrubs in the foreground. The photo was taken in the 1990s.

Dr. Eleanor “Anne” Barrington: A Pioneer in Medicine

Poet Gwendolyn MacEwen

Gwendolyn Margaret MacEwen: A Voice of Magic and Mystery

Black‑and‑white portrait of Nick Harbaruk shown from the shoulders up, with medium‑length hair parted to the side, wearing a collared athletic‑style shirt, photographed against a plain light background.

Nick Harbaruk: From War-Torn Poland to NHL Glory

Portrait of J. B. Tyrrell wearing a dark, structured suit jacket with wide lapels, a high‑collared shirt, and a patterned tie, shown from the chest up against a softly shaded oval studio background.

Joseph Burr Tyrrell: A Life of Discovery

monument with plaques

Victoria Cross Memorial: Honouring Canadian Bravery

bald man with grey mustache

Jack Layton: A Legacy of Hope and Leadership

boulder with trees and shrubs

The Children’s Garden: A Place of Memory and Peace 

big monument in snow

John Ewart: Upper Canada’s First Architect

William Peyton Hubbard historical plaque

William Peyton Hubbard: Toronto’s Trailblazer for Equality and Public Power

man standing behind a wall with framed photos of buildings

Uno Prii: The Architect Who Gave Toronto Its Space-Age Skyline

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