Apparently someone was sent to jail 137(!) times in 1857 in Toronto. (The Globe, January 16, 1858)
Bob Georgiou
@bobgeorgiouto.bsky.social
Torontophile, writer, historian. Toronto history. Writings in York Pioneer & Spacing Magazine. Loves libraries&archives, parks & cultural heritage. (he/him/his) www.scenesto.com
On this date in 1854, Edward James Lennox was born. He would become an architect and designed many Toronto landmarks including Old City Hall, Casa Loma and the King Edward Hotel.
Toronto’s Lombard Street was once a notorious den of drunkenness, fighting, brothels, riots, cholera and fires. 🔥Discover its wild past and more in the latest 'Toronto History Curiousities'! 🗞️ bobgeorgiou.substack.com/p/16-stanley...
165 years ago today Toronto rolled out a brand-new way to travel: Canada’s very first streetcar line, running along Yonge Street. Operated by the Toronto Street Railway, the debut was marked with great fanfare on Sept. 10, 1861. #OnThisDay #1860s #transit #torontohistory #jeremyhopkin
In the annals of Toronto history, Stanley Street is very possibly its most notorious street ever. https://scenesto.com/2026/09/09/a-quick-history-of-torontos-notorious-stanley-street/
A Quick History of Toronto’s Notorious Stanley Street
Stanley Street was the most notorious street in Toronto in the 19th Century. Its route ran a very insignificant half kilometre between Victoria and Nelson (now Jarvis) Streets. It is this lack of distinction in geography married with its very important social makeup that frames the story of Stanley Street. Stanley was not even the … Continue reading Toronto’s Notorious Stanley Street →
scenesto.com
19th century news articles be teaching me new terminology. Came across "a general row". What's "a row" (rhymes with bow)? A brawl! Is it related to "rowdy"? Indeed it is! A "rowdy" person is one that gets into brawls.
Braved the rain to go on a Bata Shoe Museu. walk of Street & Place Names led by the awesome Toronto toponymy expert Andrew Lochhead!
Coming up in just a few minutes! Join me for the story of Christie Pits.
Not Smooth Steve 🍁@notsmoothsteve.bsky.social · last mo.My next video premieres on Sunday evening at 7 EDT (23h00 UTC) - the anniversary of the race riot at Christie Pits. Please check out the trailer (available now) and come back to watch the video Sunday evening (or later)! youtu.be/AdjOgUgfwqs
The latest Toronto History Curiosities is out! Simcoe Day, the Wellington County Museum & Archives, the Don Jail, Dusty Streets, and more! 📰 open.substack.com/pub/bobgeorg...
The weather beacon on top of the Canada Life Building on University Avenue will be 75 years old on Sunday. This is what the neighbourhood looked like circa 1951, when it was first installed. https://ow.ly/Uayf50ZtXib
A couple of neat pickups for the Toronto bookshelf this weekend: Consolation by Michael Redhill and The Don by Lorna Poplak!
This weekend, I spent a few hours at the Wellington County Museum & Archives, built in 1877 as the House of Industry & Refuge. I was researching Jane Ward of the Brooks' Bush Gang of Toronto, who had a stay at the 'Poor House'. Thank you to the great Archives staff for their help!
Come join in on the local history goodness if you can! 🌞
York Pioneer and Historical Society@yorkpioneers.bsky.social · 2mo agoTOMORROW! Simcoe Day in Toronto comes to St. Matthew's Clubhouse! Your presenting hosts, the York Pioneers & Historical Society, Toronto's First Office, & Riverdale Historical Society will be around to chat history, accept memberships, & display artifacts! See you there! Details: buff.ly/dnzQEHp
I'll be leading a walk about the Scaddings, Simcoes and Playters!
York Pioneer and Historical Society@yorkpioneers.bsky.social · 2mo agoWe are FOUR DAYS from our Simcoe Day event on August 3rd! 🎉 Do you want to go on a historical walking tour? 👣 "From Scadding to Simcoe: A History & Geography", Bob Georgiou "Scadding’s Lot 15, from early to present day", Patricia Stowe Details: buff.ly/dnzQEHp
In 1929, the police banned Yiddish at the Standard Theatre. What followed was labour organizing, political protest, burlesque history & Chinatown cinema. I trace the extraordinary lives of one of Toronto’s most important theatres. thedowntowntheatre.substack.com/p/the-many-l...
The many lives of the Standard Theatre
How one forgotten theatre became a stage for civil rights, labour organizing, burlesque, censorship, rock music and Toronto's Chinatown.
thedowntowntheatre.substack.com
This Saturday! A new walking tour exploring the dramatic history of the Toronto waterfront — shipwrecks, fire, war & plague. Just meet at the foot of Yonge Street at 5pm. Pay what you like!
This was a lot of fun!
Toronto Mike@torontomike.com · 2mo agoLive from Scadding Cabin, it's episode 1936 of Toronto Mike'd! With @jeremyhopkin.bsky.social, @bobgeorgiouto.bsky.social from the York Pioneers, Shayda Spakowski from the Canadian National Exhibition and Fred! www.torontomike.com/2026/07/live...
My favourite part of reading Police Court stories is the funny tidbits of information. This one from June 25, 1860 has some deviants actually get LESS time in jail than the usual month because the gaol was overcrowded! (The under construction Don Jail was supposed to help on the space issue.)
It's all about William Lyon "Little Rebel" Mackenzie in today's Toronto History Curiosities! 📰 open.substack.com/pub/bobgeorg...
Join Toronto Historian Jeremy Hopkin + Track Changes author Cam Gordon for a free walking tour about music, literature, history + physical media. 🗓️ Wednesday, July 8 🕔 7 - 8 PM 📍 Meet outside 10 Edward St. 🎟️ FREE #TrackChanges #jeremyhopkin #samtherecordman #hmv #worldsbiggestbookstore
There's a winning hockey team in Toronto! Go Marlies! Calder Cup Champs!
The latest Toronto History Curiosities digs deep and looks up at a map of Eaton's tunnels, a view of Charlotte's Castle, and some bootlegging under Gladstone(?). bobgeorgiou.substack.com/p/12-tunnels...
Is there a word for a perfectly framed building at the end of a street, and if so, can I submit the Playter House as one of the best? #EastEndTO
A few properties at 390-396 Church Street came up in some research. Very neat to see a Chinese Laundry in the Archives.
Thanks to everyone who attended last night!
Bob Georgiou@bobgeorgiouto.bsky.social · 4mo ago📣 I will be a panelist for The Festival of Bizarre Toronto History! Join some amazing Toronto writers -- and me -- virtually on June 2 as we dig through Toronto's history of weird, mysterious, and important underground paths! Thanks @adambunch.bsky.social! Tickets at www.bizarretoronto.com!
Tuesday night! A night on Zoom talking about the city's hidden tunnels with @bobgeorgiouto.bsky.social, @ekvery.bsky.social and Barbara Dickson...
