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The Chinese in Early 20th Century Toronto: 396 Church Street – Sui Wah’s Laundry

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City of Toronto Archives, Series 372 s0372_ss0033_it0367

390-396 Church Street 1938

 

Google Maps 2011

390-396 Church Street 2011

 

Sui Wah resided at 396 Church Street starting from 1895, when, at that time, the establishment, a laundry, was named after him. In 1904 the laundry changed names to the “Chong Hong, laundry.” A neighbouring building in the 1930’s eventually became the W. York laundromat, but was most likely not Chinese owned. Other spellings in various directories include “Wah-Sui”, “Sul Wah” and “Sin Wah”. At the time religion was also recorded in the tax assessment, and as opposed to Roman Catholic or Church of England designations, his faith was labelled as “Chinese”.

Sui Wah lived alone under landlord Petros Constantinide. During his tenancy the value of the property decreased significantly by several hundred dollars, which may be caused by decreasing the size of the lot artificially.

 

Works Cited

City of Toronto. Tax Assessment Rolls. Ward 3 Division 2 (1894). Reel 103, Location 264736:73.

City of Toronto. Tax Assessment Rolls. Ward 3 Division 2 (1901). Reel 147, Location 264736:39. Microfilm. Pg. 27.

City of Toronto. Directories (1894). Reel 39.

City of Toronto. Directories (1895). Reel 40.

City of Toronto. Directories (1899). Reel 44. Microfilm. Pg. 119.

City of Toronto. Directories (1900). Reel 46. Microfilm. Pg. 116.

City of Toronto. Directories (1901). Reel 47. Microfilm. Pg. 114.

City of Toronto. Directories (1904). Reel 50. Microfilm. Pg. 125.

1938. Dept. of Public Works Photographs, Toronto. 390-396 Church Street. Fonds 200, Ser. 372, Subser. 33, Item 367. City of Toronto Archives. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.

“390 Church Street, Toronto, ON.” Google Maps. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.

The Chinese in Early 20th Century Toronto: 337 Bathurst Street

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According to the research conducted by Valerie Mah and the records found within the City Directory of the Toronto Archives, Mr. Gee Lee became a tenant of 337 Bathurst Street in 1900. Within the wood building lived two residents. Mr. Lee ran a laundry in the downstairs space of 337 Bathurst Street, while a Mr. James Thompson lived upstairs. The 18 x 145 square foot laundry is kept under Mr. Lee’s name until 1913, for in that year the City Directory simply states 337 Bathurst Street is a Chinese Laundry. As of 1913 on, it is unclear if Mr. Lee still lives there or if the laundry was taken over by someone else.

 

1950 Bathurst Street

This is 337 Bathurst Street in 1951. Photo is taken from the Toronto Archives

 

In the Toronto Archives, the city Fire Insurance Plans reveal that from 1899-1924, this address remains the same and the building is still made of wood. Both 335 and 337 Bathurst Street are owned by the Lawson sisters, Caroline and Mary. Both sisters are single and of Catholic faith. In 1902, Mary Lawson is living in the apartment above, while Mr. Lee is still operating the laundry. 335 Bathurst Street is rented to Mr. William Clean, a belt maker. The house has three residents, and according to The City Assessment Roll of 1902, all are of Catholic faith. The neighbourhood appears to be inhabited by the working class. The City Assessment Roll of 1902 reveals the occupation of the residents, they are as follows; book keeper, clerk, belt maker, laundry owner and shoe maker. Skipping ahead a few years to 1951, 337 Bathurst Street is still an active address and now a grocery store. Today this address is currently part of a park.

 

 

 

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337 Bathurst Street 2014.

 

 

Works Cited

City Fire Insurance Plan (1899, 1903, 1913, 1924); Toronto Archives Website

City of Toronto Assessment Roll: Ward 4 Division 2 1902 (1901 for tax year 1902), Reel 155, Toronto Archives

City of Toronto Directory: Year, 1899, 1900, 1902, 1906, 1913; Toronto Archives

Mah, Valerie. The Bachelor Society: a look at Toronto’s early Chinese community from 1878-1924. MA Thesis. 1978. Print.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Chinese in Early 20th Century Toronto: 139 Queen St. W

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According to Valerie Mah’s The ‘Bachelor’ Society, in July 1900, a Chinese resident was listed at 139 Queen Street West. At that time, 139 Queen St. West was a laundromat. The building itself was owned by Edward and Margaret Hodgekinson, and they rented the location to Charlie Mark. 139 Queen St. West was part of Ward 3 in Division 4.

 

Works sourced:

139 Queen St. West. City of Toronto Assessment Rolls. Toronto: 2002. Microfilm.

The Chinese in Early 20th Century Toronto: 189 St. Patrick St (now 608 Dundas St. W.)

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The residential building was located on what is now Dundas St. W. at Dennison Rd. It was owned by Joseph O’Patterson from 1899 to 1901. This building was a wooden building that stayed wooden for more than twenty years according to fire insurance plans. During the time frame of 1899 to 1901 the building had different tenants. Spark Williams lived in this building with two adults from the end of the 19th century until 1900. In 1903, a new name shows up on the tax records: George Hutchington. Mr. Hutchington lived with three other people, none of them children. A factor that did stay the same was that all of the residents throughout the years observed were listed as Protestant. The building has since been torn down, and it is currently a vacant business place, but the upper floor is home to about twenty tenants, the majority of them being students. This building is two blocks away from the heart of Toronto’s Chinatown and is currently owned by a Chinese immigrant.

Works Cited

Assessment Roll: Ward 4 Division 2 1899. Toronto Archives.

Assessment Roll: Ward 4 Division 2 1900. Toronto Archives.

Assessment Roll: Ward 4 Division 2 1901. Toronto Archives.

Goads Fire Insurance Plan: Central Toronto (1899); Toronto Archives Website

Goads Fire Insurance Plan: Central Toronto (1924); Toronto Archives Website

The Chinese in Early 20th Century Toronto: 69 1/2 Queen Street West

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According to the book called The Chinese in Toronto from 1878 by Arlene Chan, in 1902 this address was operated as a Chinese Tea shop along with other tea shops such as Lee Chong Yung at 154 York street, Yee Quong Teas at 1561/2York Street, and Kwon Yong Loy at 85-87 Queen Street East. This tea shop was owned and operated by Quong Ying Yune. It was part of Toronto’s first Chinatown back (1878-1960). Currently, the Thompson Building in the Sheraton Centre is on the location of the former tea shop.
References:
1. Chan, Arlene. The Chinese in Toronto from 1878: from outside to inside the circle. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2011. Print.
2. Qiu, Paul . “Changes to Toronto’s Chinatown: Toronto’s First Chinatown and Downtown Chinatown | CCNC Toronto Chapter.” Chinese Canadian National Council Chapter . N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. .

The Chinese in Early 20th Century Toronto: 175 St. Patrick St. (1899) (now 567 Dundas St. W.)

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In a July 1900 letter to Rev. Mackay noted in Valerie’s Mah’s Bachelor Society , 175 St. Patrick Street was an address associated with early Chinese immigrants to the city of Toronto. 175 St. Patrick Street was located at the intersection of what is now Dundas Street West and Kensington Road. In 1899, according to tax documents, eight people were residing in this brick residence, three of them children, suggesting it to be a residence for multiple people, possibly immigrants. It was owned by Robert Crates, but the main tenant was Robert McLelland.  It is possible that some of the other residents may have been Chinese since the location was relatively close to where old Chinatown used to be. In 1901 the ownership of the building changed hands. Robert McLelland became not only the tenant but the taxable owner as well of the building. The number of residents did not change. This building has since been torn down and is now part of a public housing complex only a block away from the heart of Chinatown at Spadina St. and Dundas St. W.

Works Cited

Assessment Roll: Ward 4 Division 1 1899, Toronto Archives.

Assessment Roll: Ward 4 Division 1 1900, Toronto Archives.

Assessment Roll: Ward 4 Division 1 1901 Toronto Archives.

Goads Fire Insurance Plan: Central Toronto (1899); Toronto Archives Website

Goads Fire Insurance Plan: Central Toronto (1924); Toronto Archives Website

The Chinese in Early 20th Century Toronto: 133 Argyle

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Based on the information obtained about this address from the City of Toronto Archives/City Directory, in 1900, 133 Argyle was owned by James and Heffer, however the tenant was Charlie Louie. When Louie was at this address, according to the Toronto Assessment Rolls, he was conducting a laundry business.  The Assessment Rolls also indicate that Louie was identified as a 41 year old Christian man and was the only person living at the address. He had no family members with him. Twenty years later (1920), Charlie was still doing the laundry business at this address.
The images below shows Argyle Street in the early 20th century.

Argyle1906

133Argyle St

The Chinese in Early 20th Century Toronto: 202 St. Patrick Street

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Toronto Chinese Catholic Centre (present)

Toronto Chinese Catholic Centre (present)

 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (present)

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (present)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

202 St. Patrick Street in Toronto, Ontario is currently a community centre for those of Chinese heritage.  The Toronto Chinese Catholic Centre is connected to a Chinese Roman Catholic Church entitled “Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church”.  However, 202 St. Patrick Street was not always a community centre.  Through the assistance of the City of Toronto Archives, I was able to conclude that the location was actually a Roman Catholic school in the early 1900s. In fact, the location was not even known as “202 St. Patrick Street”.  Pre-1900s to 1920’s, the street St Patrick was called Williams Street and the lot number was 208.  William Street intersected with Caer-Howell Street (now Elm Street) and Anderson Street (now Dundas St. West).  The name of the school is referenced in the maps as “St. Patrick’s School”, however, in other records, the name is disclosed.

 

Even in the early 1900s, the school (along with other prominent establishments, like the “Planning Mill”) was one of the few brick-built structures in the area.  Most houses near the school were wooden .  The school and church were able to build an additional cathedral beside “Our Lady of Mount Carmel” by the year 1913, the reason is unknown.  By 1913, the school was now considered as lot 202 but the street name was still Williams Street.

 

1989

1989

 

1913

1913

 

1924

1924

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessment Role Findings

202 St. Patrick Street was classified as “separate school” in the 1901 Assessment Roles.  This is important because it was not considered a public establishment, thus the taxation rate was paid differently.  The owner name is indicated by 1914.  “J. Hall” who lives at 28 Duke Street was considered the owner of the school at the time.  As the 1922 Assessment Role indicates, “J. G. Hall” seems to keep the building through the 1920’s as well.

 

The size of the lot was 79×126 meters.  This lot size remains unchanged from 1901 through 1922 showing a lack of additions made to school over the years.  Another indication that the building was not added to is the “Value of the Building”.  The “Value of the Building” remains at $4000 throughout the years 1901 through 1922.  However, the “Value of Land” began to increase substantially.  The land cost grew from $3160 in 1901 to $8690 in 1913.

 

The number of tenants is always listed as “X” indicating there is nobody who was living at 202 St. Patrick Street at any point of its establishment.  Another (rather obvious) side note is that the school is labelled “Exempt” when mentioning livestock or crop production.

The Chinese in Early 20th Century Toronto: 636 Yonge Street

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According to the city of Toronto directories, 636 Yonge Street, was non-existent in 1880 and in 1900. However, in the 1920 City Directories, the address appeared, as did the name of tenant. Based on the city directories, at this address a Chinese Laundry business was being operated by Sam Wo, the tenant of the address at the time. More information on this address was not found on the City Assessment Rolls of 1920, but it was found for 10 years later (1930). In 1930, this address was still being operated as a Chinese laundry by Sam Wo, who at the time, was 52 years of age. The owner of the address at the time was ‘Mcwhimmery William’. On the assessment rolls it showed that Sam Wo’s religion was identified as ‘Chin’.
There were no specific old pictures found of this address, however, the uploaded pictures here just show how yonge st looked like in 1912 and in 1934. These pictures were taken online from ‘Toronto’s amazing intersection at Yonge and Front Streets’: http://tayloronhistory.com/2013/03/25/torontos-amazing-intersection-at-yonge-and-front-streets/
Yonge St1912

yongeSt1930s

The Chinese in Early 20th Century Toronto: 956 Queen Street West

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990 Queen St West (1917)956-52 Queen St W (2014)

Provincial Lunatic Asylum (CAMH today)

 

Wu Chong was a tenant at 956 Queen St. West, owned by James Hunter, and operated a laundry mat from that location. According to the Toronto Street Directories, the property was listed under Sells H & Sons, assumed to be Hunter & Sons, in 1889 and “Wer. Chong” became a tenant in 1890. The name “Wer. Chong” may be an interpretation of his name by the person filling out the assessment. According to the Assessment Roll of 1900 and Valerie Mah’s “The Bachelor Society”, there is only one person listed under this address, meaning that Wu Chong was either a bachelor or working and sending money home to his family in China. It can be confirmed that Chong operated from that establishment from 1890-1917. However, beginning in 1917, the establishment is listed in the Toronto Directory as “Chinese Laundry”, which may have still been operated by Chong. The property is located across from what was then known as the Provincial Lunatic Asylum (known today as the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)). The appearance of the shop can be assumed to be similar to the properties shown in the photo above of 990 Queen St West in June of 1919. The location is currently occupied by the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) and will be replaced by condominiums as part of a redevelopment plan.

Works Cited:

Assessment Roll (1900) Ward 5 Division 1; City of Toronto Archives.

Mah, Valerie. The bachelor society: a look at Toronto’s early Chinese community from     1878-1924. MA Thesis. 1978. Print.

Provincial Lunatic Asylum (June 1973). Public Works Photographs. Series 372, Item 69. City of Toronto Archives.

Toronto Directory (1889-1917); City of Toronto Archives.

990 Queen St W (June 17, 1919). Public Works Photographs. Series 372, Item 811. City of Toronto Archives.