Our Stories

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From Farm to Cemetery: The Gummerson Story

Before Meadowvale Cemetery became the serene park-like setting it is today, the land was a working farm owned by the Gummerson family. When the
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man standing behind a wall with framed photos of buildings

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

headstone covered in snow

James Henry Fleming: Toronto’s Gentleman Ornithologist

a hotel in the 1900s

The Ward Sisters: A Tragedy on Toronto Bay

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

Rolled architectural or technical drawings resting on a table, showing printed measurement markings and curved line diagrams on aged, slightly torn paper.

Handwritten Records at the Toronto Necropolis: Preserving the Past

A red poppy placed on a stone, representing remembrance of soldiers who died in the First World War.

Private Bertie Nakogee: Honouring a Forgotten Soldier

monument with man on horse

Steve Stavro: A Monument to Vision and Legacy

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Mollie Christie: A Pioneer in Toronto’s Social Services

grave with flowers on top

Barbara Frum: Trailblazer in Canadian Journalism

barn in black and white

Ron Barron: From Fields of Work to Fields of Rest

a big building with brick and stone

Henry Langley: A Lasting Heritage in Toronto

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

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

Black‑and‑white seated portrait of William Lyon Mackenzie wearing a dark suit, waistcoat, and bow tie, holding papers while resting one arm on a table, seated in an ornate chair against a plain studio backdrop.

William Lyon Mackenzie: Toronto’s First Mayor and Fiery Reformer

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

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

Colour portrait of a person wearing a military uniform and peaked cap, shown from the chest up against a light, softly graduated background. The uniform includes a tie, lapel insignia, and decorative pins, suggesting a formal service portrait.

Garth Sparling Webb: From Juno Beach Hero to Guardian of Memory

A large early‑20th‑century ocean liner with a black hull and white superstructure steams across calm water, emitting dark smoke from multiple funnels, viewed broadside against a pale sky and distant shoreline.

Empress of Ireland Memorial: A Silent Tribute