[LowPolygon]

Great selection as usual, deepend. These in particular remind me of William Morris' dystopian view of the industrial city, which he described as "sordid, aimless, ugly confusion". Perhaps a bit harsh, but the combination of the gray skies, polluted river and landscape are quite depressing.

thank you! yes i agree, there is something about 'river scenes' or 'scenes of port life' that is particularly powerful. As well, the Morris quote is very apt, as these images do evoke the dark Dickensian atmosphere we tend to associate with worst aspects of 19th century urban life.

On the other hand, although they do seem emblematically ramshackle and grim, there is also something very ancient seeming about these scenes, as they remind us of the centrality of bodies of water in the history of our market economy.

Before trains and trucks, highways and airplanes, water transport was of course the lifeblood of trade…and what we see in these photos seems to be suggestive of ‘the last days’ of our maritime economy before the internal combustion engine swept it all aside...

 

[LowPolygon]

OK Gents. My spy having returned, and after a fine supper a The Wokker, he "spillied the entire table"!

(not really)

JOHN D SLATTER,
medal to his right: (the round one) N/W CANADA CAMPAIGN 1885.
medal to his left: LONG SERVICE MEDAL, COLONIAL AUXILLARY FORCES OFFICERS' DECORATION.
(20 YEARS SERVICE aka VD.)

ALSO THIS:
Encyclopedia of Music in Canada > BANDS > BIOGRAPHIES > SLATTER, JOHN

Added interest:
Residence, 30 Harbord Street Phone KI ingsdale 2702. (Bell - 1944)
18 Harbord Street. (1910 - Might's City Directory)
Queen Elizabeth II was/continues as THE COL IN CHIEF of the 48th.


Regards,
J T

Thank you JT!
Its interesting that he was awarded a medal for his service during the North West Campaign aka Northwest Rebellion of Louis Riel. That campaign actually saw the first deployment of a new weapon—the “machine gunâ€â€”on Canadian soil. The rapid fire hand-cranked Gatling gun played a significant role in the Battle of Batoche.

here is a more complete musical biography of John Slatter

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0003235

 

[Goldie]

Looks like a bobsled at the feet of the man holding the ID sign.
Reminded me of the current Olympics.

 

[thecharioteer]

Further to a few pics I posted in the "Now and Then" thread of Anna Neagle's 1939 trip to Toronto, here are a few more.

First, a brief biography (from Wikipedia):

"Dame Anna Neagle, DBE (20 October 1904 – 3 June 1986) was a popular English stage and motion picture actress and singer.

Neagle proved to be a box-office sensation in British films for over 25 years. She was noted for providing glamour and sophistication to war-torn London audiences with her lightweight musicals, comedies and historical dramas. She won several awards as Britain's favourite actress and biggest female box-office draw. Almost all of her films were produced and directed by Herbert Wilcox, whom she married in 1943.

In her historical dramas, Neagle was renowned for her portrayals of real-life British heroines, including Nell Gwynn (Nell Gwynn, 1934), Queen Victoria (Victoria the Great, 1937, and Sixty Glorious Years, 1938) and Edith Cavell (Nurse Edith Cavell, 1939)."

On the train to Toronto:

Arriving at Union Station:

With Mayor Conboy at City Hall:

Getting into costume as Queen Victoria, most likely for the film premiere:

On stage with servicemen and women:

Visit to the Pylon Theatre August 1, 1939:

 

[Mustapha]

The Pylon.. it's now the Royal on College. Never been inside; will have to go someday.

 

[wwwebster]

The Beatty farmhouse, perhaps?

Close. James Beaty (one "t") purchased the property as a summer home from the Nanton family in 1855. He named it Glengrove (or Glen Grove) Farm, and the house was called Glen Castle. Glengrove Ave. was indeed the driveway. Beaty, amongst other things, was the publisher of the Toronto Leader, from which Leader Lane got its name.

Info sourced from "Toronto Street Names" (2000) and "Opportunity Road: Yonge Street 1860 - 1939" (1996).

 

[LowPolygon]

Visit to the Pylon Theatre August 1, 1939:

this one is quite neat. i love the two boys in left foreground. obviously just neighbourhood kids; the one nearest the camera is wearing pants that are insanely too big for him, and held up with suspenders. the lady on the right looks to be some local grande dame, as she appears in the Union Station shots, as well as the steps of City Hall shot. i love the old standard bike in the background with the license plate (i vaguely remember when bikes had plates), and the wooden Borden's Milk box in the metal carrier. you can just make out the words "St. Charles".

also, on August 1st 1939, the world was exactly one month away from Hitler's invasion of Poland and the start of World War Two.

 

[adma]

I remember reading that Dame Neagle left her signature (and maybe footprints or something) in the lobby of the Pylon/Royal, and they were extant as recently as, maybe, a quarter century ago...wonder if they still are...

 

[thecharioteer]

I remember reading that Dame Neagle left her signature (and maybe footprints or something) in the lobby of the Pylon/Royal, and they were extant as recently as, maybe, a quarter century ago...wonder if they still are...

According to the book Secret Toronto: The Unique Guidebook to Toronto's Hidden Sites, Sounds & Tastes by Scott Mitchell, the footprints at the Pylon (now the Royal at 606 College Street) were lost in later renovations:

 

[thecharioteer]

also, on August 1st 1939, the world was exactly one month away from Hitler's invasion of Poland and the start of World War Two.

Which makes the pics with the servicemen and women even more poignant:

 

[Urban Shocker]

Sixty years a Queen. Imagine that.

 

[LowPolygon]

Sixty years a Queen. Imagine that.

Record will be broken on Sept 9, 2015

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3080583.ece

poor Charles!--already the longest-serving king‑in-waiting in British history.

 

[Urban Shocker]

The Times article lists Lady Jane Grey as Edward VI's successor, but that's only so if you accept as valid 15 year old Edward VI's deathbed will which excluded his Catholic sister Mary from the throne, which isn't done.

 

[thecharioteer]

A little change of direction, but true to the spirit of "evocative images". This aerial, taken from the Canada Life Building in 1929, shows a moment in time before the Victorian (Edwardian?) city vanishes forever: no tall buildings north of Queen's Park, the Ward intact (along with the Gaol Tzedek synagogue and the Armouries), mature trees on University Avenue, lighting that almost seems surreal in its brightness:

 

[dbailey62]

It can't be 1929!

A little change of direction, but true to the spirit of "evocative images". This aerial, taken from the Canada Life Building in 1929, shows a moment in time before the Victorian (Edwardian?) city vanishes forever: no tall buildings north of Queen's Park, the Ward intact (along with the Gaol Tzedek synagogue and the Armouries), mature trees on University Avenue, lighting that almost seems surreal in its brightness:

That really is a great photograph.

To quibble ever so slightly, it can't be 1929 as the southern extension and tower of the Whitney Block at Queen's Park has already been completed in this shot.

They were built between 1931 and 1933 the original portion of the structure being built between 1925 and 1927.

BTW, on the horizon, I think I'm seeing the tower of the old Upper Canada College building (1891-1958).