Our Stories

women running in a race

Ethel Smith Stewart: A Trailblazer in Canadian Sport

1907–1980 Prospect Cemetery Section 31 Lot 78S Ethel May Smith Stewart was born in Toronto where she became a forerunner in Canadian athletics – a
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hockey player from many years ago surrounded by fans

Charlie Conacher: The Big Bomber of Maple Leaf Gardens

Frederick Newton Gisborne Starr

Frederick Newton Gisborne Starr: A Surgeon Who Shaped Canadian Medicine

sepia image of black man in uniform

Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbott: Canada’s First Black Physician and Civil Rights Advocate

Black‑and‑white historical photograph showing an embalming surgeon standing beside a covered body laid on a wooden table supported by barrels, set outdoors beneath a canvas tent. Medical equipment and containers rest on the table, and the ground beneath is bare earth, reflecting a field mortuary setting.

Charles Bolton: Civil War Veteran and Pioneer of Embalming in Canada

engraved plaque with Olympic rings

Carol Anne Letheren: Guiding Canada’s Olympic Vision

grand church

Pastor Jaroslaw Benesh: A Pillar of Faith and Community

Black‑and‑white archival portrait of Augusta Stowe Gullen shown in profile, wearing a high‑collared Victorian‑era dress with decorative detailing at the neckline, her hair styled up, against a plain studio background.

Dr. Augusta Stowe-Gullen: Canada’s First Woman to Earn a Medical Degree

A vintage black‑and‑white portrait of Jennie Smilie Robertson shown from the waist up, wearing a high‑collared lace blouse and a dark jacket, framed within an oval border against a plain background.

Jennie Smillie Robertson: Canada’s First Woman Surgeon

Snow‑covered cemetery scene featuring the McCain family marker, a low black granite headstone set against a wooded hillside. A green memorial wreath with a red bow rests in front of the stone, with trees and snow‑covered ground surrounding the grave in winter.

William Mellis Christie: Canada’s Cookie King

Black‑and‑white photograph of a city street intersection in 1957, showing brick commercial buildings, overhead streetcar wires, parked cars, and storefront signage. An “Imperial Esso Dealer” sign stands on the sidewalk, with utility poles, a fire hydrant, and early automobiles visible along Parliament Street in Toronto.

Hugh Garner: Toronto’s Chronicler of Cabbagetown

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

The Esso Great Hall is a vast 70‑by‑70‑foot space crowned by a 45‑foot stained‑glass dome—the largest of its kind in Toronto. The dome’s 24 panels show symbolic dragons and eagles, surrounded by fruit and floral motifs, with central emblems representing Canada and its original provinces.

Joseph McCausland: The Man Behind Toronto’s Most Iconic Windows

A duotone image in black and yellow showing a young man with his arms crossed, looking slightly upward with a sense of optimism. A sign on the wall behind him reads "Watch for upcoming productions".

Walter Grealis and Stan Klees: The Godfathers of CanCon

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

old newspaper clipping

James Brown: The Last Public Hanging in Toronto

old building in black and white

Leonard Pears: Building Toronto’s Yellow Brick Road

Black‑and‑white archival photograph of a person seated at a desk, wearing a suit jacket, patterned tie, and vest, speaking into a large tabletop broadcast microphone, with one hand resting on the desk in what appears to be a radio studio setting.

Gregory Clark: Canada’s Beloved Storyteller and War Correspondent

gravestone with a table tennis player on it

Zoran “Zoki” Kosanović: A Champion Who Put Canadian Table Tennis on the Map

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

Black‑and‑white vintage portrait of a person wearing a formal suit with a tie and pocket square, seated against a dark studio backdrop.

J.E.H. MacDonald: Visionary of Canadian Art