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Man has watch stolen on Duke Street

The crime blotter in the 8 December 1883 edition of the Toronto World details a “very drunk” man being robbed of $3 and a silver watch.

Source:

• Story – The Toronto World, 8 December 1883

House unoccupied

The 1856 Brown’s Directory lists 23 Duke Street as unoccupied.

Source:

• Directory – Toronto Public Library (http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?R=DC-1454403)

Sir William Campbell dies

Sir William Campbell died on 18 January 1834. He had been bedridden for some time, and, under his doctor’s orders, subsisted only on snipe (a small, delicate bird found on the lakeshore) during his last days.
Campbell’s funeral at St James was an impressive affair. It was a shared service with Roswel Mount, and the oration was given by the Rev. John Strachan.

Sources:

• Funeral – J. R. Robertson – Landmarks of Toronto1 – 1894 – p. 235
• Snipe – Walter Henry – Trifles from My Portfolio 2 – 1839 – p. 112.
• Image – Toronto Public Library (http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMDC-PICTURES-R-6713&R=DC-PICTURES-R-6713&searchPageType=vrl)

Allan MacNab Sr. living at Duke Street Location

An 1807 list of individuals who have been granted crown land (republished in Landmarks of Toronto) lists an Alan McNabb as the tenant of Maria Willcocks’ Duke Street lot in that year. This is Sir Allan Napier MacNab’s father, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War. After settling in York with fellow Loyalists, the elder MacNab continually faced financial woes. MacNab operated on the fringes of York Tory society, never quite attaining the degree of respectability enjoyed by many of his peers.

His son, however, rose to become one of the most notable and colourful residents of the town. A student of John Strachan, MacNab fought in the War of 1812. He was knighted in 1838 for helping put down Mackenzie’s Upper Canadian Rebellion. MacNab was a central figure in the expansion of Canada’s railroads, and served as the Premier of Canada West from 1854 to 1856.

Source:

• Resident – John Ross Robertson – Landmarks of Toronto v. 5 – 1908 – p. 545
• Biographical Info – Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Sir Allan Napier MacNab (http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio.php?id_nbr=4565)

Photograph depicts Masco Electric Company facilities

A photograph dated to 1952 depicts the Masco Electric Company’s Duke Street facilities. There is an extension on the west side of the house that was left behind in 1972 when Campbell House was moved to its present location at Queen Street West and University Avenue.

Source:

• Photograph – Toronto Public Library (http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMDC-PICTURES-R-2794&R=DC-PICTURES-R-2794)