Durie Road in Streetsville has an indirect connection to the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917. But we have to follow the thread a bit to knit the story together. Alexander Durie was born in Toronto in 1866, and in 1886 he married Mary (Minnie) Armstrong. In 1896, they moved to Clarkson along with their…
Vimy is a name that rings proudly through Canadian history. Even for those who may not know the story of what, when and why, most connect the word Vimy with remembrance and sacrifice, even 104 years later. The Battle of Vimy Ridge took place from April 9 to 12, 1917, as part of the Arras…
The Thompson family were staunch Loyalists, with strong military traditions. In 1808 Cornelius Thompson, Rebecca’s husband, travelled to York from New Brunswick with Stephen Jarvis, and applied for a land grant in Upper Canada. Cornelius received 480 acres in Toronto Township (historic Mississauga) – Lots 33 and 34 in Concessions 3 & 4, SDS. In…
March 21 marked World Poetry Day. UNESCO first adopted World Poetry Day in 1999, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression. World Poetry Day is the occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, and to foster the convergence between poetry and…
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Traditionally it is a time to gather and enjoy each other’s company – perhaps something that we have gained a new appreciation for over the past year. I remember St. Patrick’s Day last year. A small family gathering, green things, laughter, uncertainty as the news of the pandemic unfolded around us….
Welcome to our 40th installment of “Ask a Historian”. Join Historian Matthew Wilkinson on our YouTube channel for our next episode of “Ask A Historian” on Thursday March 11, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. This week Matthew welcomes renowned architect Michael Spaziani, Principal at MSAi (Michael Spaziani Architect Inc.), as they explore the last 40 years…
Our story has a bit of a mystery: a wonderful obituary, a surname with multiple spellings, and children baptized in two different faiths at the same time. Certainly there is a story to be explored. Catherine Dinan was born in County Clare, Ireland, on February 16, 1844. At the age of 3, in 1847 and…
Formerly known as First Line East, Cawthra Road was officially named for the famed Cawthra family in 1958. Seems simple enough. Patriarch Joseph Cawthra obtained a Crown Grant for Lot 10, Concession 2, SDS, here in historic Mississauga in 1808. Part of the property remained in the Cawthra family until 1974. The Cawthra family was…
Victor Alexander Vignale was born in Trinidad, in the British West Indies, in 1894. His father, Raphael Vignale, was a successful cocoa planter. The Vignales were a large family, with Raphael and his wife Adelaide having 10 children. Part of the family came to Canada in 1913, including parents Raphael and Adelaide, together with children…
This week is Heritage Week in Ontario, and there are a number of programs celebrating our local, provincial and national heritage. In 1985, the Province of Ontario identified the third week of February as Heritage Week as a way “to stimulate awareness of heritage resources and heritage-related issues within their communities, and to honour the…