Dr. Barnardo's Toronto, Ontario Homes & Offices
Prior to 1884, when Hazel Brae opened in Peterborough, the Dr. Barnardo offices were located on Front Street in Toronto. Some of the earlier parties were process through the National Children's Home in Hamilton, following the opening of Hazel Brae, boys were processed there until 1887 when their distribution home was opened in Toronto.
214 Farley Ave, Toronto Boy's Home, Receiving and Distributing
1887 to 1908
A. B. Owen Manager
1887 to 1908
A. B. Owen Manager
Final days at Peter Street, 1922 Midsummer Ups and Downs
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50-52 Peter Street Boy's Home, Receiving and Distributing
1909 to 1922
"It seems likely that 214 Farley was not
vacated by the organization; the shelter for Barnardo
servants who had become pregnant moved to the vacated 214
Farley, later known as 664 Richmond Street"
-Brian Rolfe on the Roots mailing list
1909 to 1922
"It seems likely that 214 Farley was not
vacated by the organization; the shelter for Barnardo
servants who had become pregnant moved to the vacated 214
Farley, later known as 664 Richmond Street"
-Brian Rolfe on the Roots mailing list
538 Jarvis Street, Toronto - Canadian Headquarters for both boys and girls
1922 to 1945
J.W. Hobday & Rose Hobday Managers
1922 to 1945
J.W. Hobday & Rose Hobday Managers
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The Evening Telegram (Toronto) "January 1922"
"Sale of Mulock Residence. New Barnardo Home. Cawthra Mulock Property on Jarvis Street, formerly used by Doctor Glover, Re-sold for $90,000. The Cawthra Mulock residence at the south-west corner of Jarvis and Gloucester Streets has been sold again bt the executors of the Cawthra Mulock estate to Dr. Barnardo....The land has a frontage of 186 feet by a depth of 190 feet and also comprises a rear portion of 50 by 50 feet...." |
The Barnardo Home on Jarvis Street was at the corner of Isabella and fell to the wrecker's attentions in April 1957, to make way for high-rise apartment development. The Salvation Army had owned it for a few years until February
1956, when the property had been part of a $600,000 land deal. According to press reports the Barnardo headquarters moved from Jarvis Street to 20 Spadina Road in February 1948, and with it the records of some 50,000 "alumni." In a depressed real estate market, they had sold the over-large one-time Cawthra Mulock mansion to the S.A., for less than the 1922 purchase price. There is a photo in the Toronto Star April 25, 1957, which shows the wreckage, and a story that says, among other things, that on the winecellar walls were scratched the initials of very many boys. Brian Rolfe |
BHCARA March 2017 Newsletter with a 2 page article on the
Jarvis Street Receiving Home.
Globe & Mail 11 Aug 1948, p 3. Barnardo's Jarvis Street closes, 50,000 lives in the basement
Globe & Mail 11 Aug 1948, p 3.
20 Spadina Road, Toronto
from 1948 to 1952
From the 1901 Toronto City Directory
showing a "Girls Home" at 152 Bathurst Street
See: Toronto Maternity Home for more information
THE 1909 JOHNSTON'S STREET AND STREET RAILWAY GUIDE OF TORONTO also shows a Barnardo's Girls Home located at 150 Bathhurst Street
534 Jarvis Street
1946 to 1950
George Black Manager
20 Spadina
1948 to 1952
1948 to 1952
Office at 466 Briar Hill Avenue
1963
1963
January 24 1922 - Winnipeg Free Press
Article written for the Toronto Star August 11 1984
by Donald Jones
Written by Brian Rolfe for the Roots Mailing List August 9th 2003
re Barnardo Homes in Toronto
Hello List,
There are photos of 50-52 Peter Street. I believe that the magazine section of the Toronto Star of Aug 11 1984 had a picture of it as part of a column written by Donald Jones. He says there that "few buildings look less important than an old red brick building on Peter Street," that is falling into ruin from neglect, Nevertheless it was once "handsome." The photo shows a plain 3 storey cube of brick with many windows; at one time before the Barnardo occupation, it had been Mrs Nixon's Ladies School. According to other press reports, it was in 1907 that Barnardo's bought the property, intending to bring the girls' home from Peterborough to the big city. But this did not happen. Hazelbrae stayed where it was and was renamed, the Margaret Cox Home for Girls, and refitted on money provided by the Coxes; it did not move to Toronto until the 1920s. In 1908 or so Peter Street became the boys' headquarters. It seems likely that 214 Farley was not vacated by the organization; the shelter for Barnardo servants who had become pregnant moved to the vacated 214 Farley, later known as 664 Richmond Street. At the time that the Barnardos occupied nos. 50 and 52, say 1908-1922, it must have been to the south of King St. and north of Wellington, on what is now called Blue Jays Way. It looks to me that a 360 seat theatre known as The Second City, (at no. 56 Blue Jays Way) today occupies the land; there is little likelihood that the old Barnardo house is still standing.
Brian Rolfe
There are photos of 50-52 Peter Street. I believe that the magazine section of the Toronto Star of Aug 11 1984 had a picture of it as part of a column written by Donald Jones. He says there that "few buildings look less important than an old red brick building on Peter Street," that is falling into ruin from neglect, Nevertheless it was once "handsome." The photo shows a plain 3 storey cube of brick with many windows; at one time before the Barnardo occupation, it had been Mrs Nixon's Ladies School. According to other press reports, it was in 1907 that Barnardo's bought the property, intending to bring the girls' home from Peterborough to the big city. But this did not happen. Hazelbrae stayed where it was and was renamed, the Margaret Cox Home for Girls, and refitted on money provided by the Coxes; it did not move to Toronto until the 1920s. In 1908 or so Peter Street became the boys' headquarters. It seems likely that 214 Farley was not vacated by the organization; the shelter for Barnardo servants who had become pregnant moved to the vacated 214 Farley, later known as 664 Richmond Street. At the time that the Barnardos occupied nos. 50 and 52, say 1908-1922, it must have been to the south of King St. and north of Wellington, on what is now called Blue Jays Way. It looks to me that a 360 seat theatre known as The Second City, (at no. 56 Blue Jays Way) today occupies the land; there is little likelihood that the old Barnardo house is still standing.
Brian Rolfe
Click on photo for larger view of the Donald Jones article
Sources
Nation Builders - Barnardo Children in Canada - Gail H. Corbett
Roots Mailing List - Brian Rolfe
The Toronto Star Archives
Nation Builders - Barnardo Children in Canada - Gail H. Corbett
Roots Mailing List - Brian Rolfe
The Toronto Star Archives
