Our Stories

big brick house by train tracks

Allan Royce: From English Roots to Toronto Legacy

1835–1902 Prospect Cemetery Section 12 Lot 1 Allan Royce came to Canada from England as a young man to live with his cousin George Cooper and his wife
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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 very old Ford vehicle in black and white

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

a hotel in the 1900s

The Ward Sisters: A Tragedy on Toronto Bay

big monument in snow

John Ewart: Upper Canada’s First Architect

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

Black‑and‑white photograph of a military aircraft flying above patchwork farmland and clouds. The twin‑engine plane bears Royal Air Force roundels on its wings and fuselage and is shown in flight from a side angle, with clouds stretching across the horizon below.

Robert “Bob” Billo McIntyre: Innovator in Canadian Aviation

St. Andrew’s Society Cairn, a tall stone obelisk rising from a circular base of stacked grey stones with an inscribed plaque, set on a grassy slope and framed by mature trees beneath a clear blue sky.

St. Andrew’s Society Cairn: A Monument to Scottish Heritage

three medals shaped like flowers

David Bruce Archer: Champion of Labour and Community Builder

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

very old bus

John Hollinger: East York’s Transit Pioneer

Exterior view of Spadina House, a historic two‑and‑a‑half‑storey mansion with cream‑coloured walls, green shutters, and a mansard roof, featuring a covered entrance, bay windows, and landscaped gardens with a curved driveway and mature trees under a partly cloudy sky.

Mary Louisa Pipkin: Freedom Seeker and Toronto Trailblazer

Man standing inside an auto repair shop with several vans on lifts and open hoods, surrounded by tools and service equipment.

Making the Machines Work for the People: Mark Francis’ MPG Story

A lone rower in a blue sleeveless shirt navigates a narrow wooden sculling boat across calm water, leaving gentle ripples behind. A row of large trees and historic-looking buildings line the far riverbank beneath a bright, lightly clouded sky.

Ned Hanlan: Canada’s First Sporting Hero

a grand house

Ashbridge Family: A Legacy Rooted in Toronto’s East End

Black‑and‑white portrait of Eric Clavering wearing a wide‑brimmed hat and dark coat, shown from the shoulders up against a softly out‑of‑focus background.

Eric Clavering: From London’s Stages to Canada’s Screens

gravestone

Jesse Nilsson: A Rising Star Gone Too Soon

mother feeding her kids cod liver oil

Marion and Wally Johnston: A Partnership in Science and Service

engraved plaque with Olympic rings

Carol Anne Letheren: Guiding Canada’s Olympic Vision

grave with flowers on top

Barbara Frum: Trailblazer in Canadian Journalism

Black‑and‑white photograph of Sing Hoo Yuen working on a large fish sculpture mounted on a pedestal, holding carving tools in both hands while shaping the fins and body, wearing a work coat in a studio setting.

Sing Hoo Yuen: A Sculptor Who Bridged Cultures