June 2016 - Toronto ON
Always wanted to see this and just happened upon it on Saturday in our rambles. It was closed for a wedding, so I will have to go back to see the museum.
Established and funded in 1848 by local brewer Enoch Turner, Toronto's first free school educated the children of the area's many poor immigrants from 1849-1859.
Corktown was originally settled by working class immigrants in the early 1800's. Many of these families came from the County of Cork in Ireland, which explains how this neighbourhood became known as Corktown.
Most Corktown residents found employment at one of the local breweries or brickyards.
I was curious about this name Enoch, which we don't hear nowadays.
From the Hebrew name חֲנוֹך (Chanokh) meaning "dedicated". In Genesis in the Old Testament this is the name of both the son of Cain and the father of Methuselah, and the supposed author of the apocryphal Books of Enoch.
Historians believe that Henry Bowyer Lane (1817-1878), an English architect who worked in Canada from about 1841 to 1847 designed both the schoolhouse and Little Trinity Church at the same time. He was also responsible for several other important Toronto buildings including the City Hall and St. Lawrence Market.
Click here to see Little Trinity Church which is next door.
Side entrance.
Closed as a school in 1859, Enoch Turner Schoolhouse has had a chequered history remaining in continuous use through the years. Until the 1960s it was a Sunday school and Parish hall for nearby Little Trinity Church which, in 1869, added the West Hall. It became a Boer War recruitment centre in 1899, a serviceman's home away from home during two World Wars, a soup kitchen serving 1500 people a week in the"Dirty Thirties", a Little Trinity Church Neighbourhood youth clubhouse in the 1950s and a temporary meeting place after the church's fire. In the 1960s, it was home to concerts, community youth programs and performing and visual arts events. Then, in a sad state of disrepair, the building was in danger of being torn down.
Enter architect Eric Arthur and local citizens who lovingly saved and restored it for Governor General Roland Michener to open as an historic site and museum in 1972. Now one of the oldest, continuously operated buildings in Toronto, Mr. Turner's schoolhouse remains a unique architectural and historical treasure.
Some of the old homes along Trinity.
The old schoolhouse is a beauty. Good that it was saved.
ReplyDeleteSo so lovely!
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Thanks for stopping by my blog and your words of advice. We have one balcony now but once the unit we want becomes available we will have two. I hope I'm not taking too much garden art but as you said I can always pass it on to a good home a you plan to do with yours.
ReplyDeleteNeat school house by the way.
Love the details on the door. Glad the building with so much history was saved and restored!
ReplyDeleteA gem and so glad its been preserved. the side doors are beautiful with those big ornate hinges.
ReplyDeleteOh, County Cork, I thought maybe for corking bottles (or uncorking bottles). My family is also from County Cork.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post. The green line in the Corktown sign may be a hint to the Irish founders. All your photos show so many details of historic times, great shots.
ReplyDeleteVery charming photos and interesting info. I especially love the doors!
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful treasure! The details are fabulous. Thanks Jackie to sharing and I hope that you return soon.
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