Toronto Orphanages and Day Nurseries
Did you know that orphaned boys as young as 7 years of age could be hired out to work in the late 19th century ? And that a third of their wages could be used to pay for their keep in the Toronto Boys' Home?
The Boys' Home 2nd Annual Report, 1861. BR
In the 1890's staff at the East End Day Nursery charged about ten cents a day to board children so that mothers could support their families by going out to work in laundries or as domestic servants.
East End Day Nursery, Dundas St. E. north side, between Sackville & Sumach Streets?. Photograph, ca 1903?. Reproduced in East End Day Nursery 12th annual report, 1904, p. 4. S51 and T11846
The Girls' Home and Public Nursery, which opened in 1863, provided shelter for girls up to the age of 14. Girls as young as 12 could be apprenticed for a term ending at age 18.
The Girls' Home, 229 Gerrard Street East. Photograph. 59th Annual Report 1915. Papers of the Orphans' Home and Female Aid Society. L 30
Please visit our new virtual exhibit, Toronto Orphanages and Day Nurseries. to see more photographs of Toronto homes for orphaned boys and girls.
13 thoughts on “Toronto Orphanages and Day Nurseries”
I believe my paternal grandmother and 5 siblings were residents of both the Boys Home and Girls Homes and am trying to verify and find any records or journals. Help would be greatly appreciated!
Their surname was Trainer – Jessie Sophie Fanny Charles and William
I believe my Grandmother was a resident here on Gerrard Street.
Her name was Florence Lillian Herbert..If there are any records of her being there can you inform me as where I would obtain them..Thank you for your help.
Dear Ms. DeBoer:
I have sent you a private email but received no response. Do you have any idea when your grandmother was a resident of the Girls’ Home? This would help to narrow the search. Hope to hear back from you.
Kathryn
Can you tell me anything about Dora Wood, age 7, who was listed in 229 Gerrard Strret East in the 1911 Canada census.
Thanks,
Martyn
My mother and her sister were residents of the orphanage at 229 Gerrard St as listed in the 1921 Census. Their names were Rhoda Webber and Ann Webber at the time. Rhoda was adopted out to a woman
named Ethel Cowling, and Ann was adopted out as well, to Newmans (?)
If anyone has any history on them, I sure would appreciate knowing.
Thankyou
David.
The top photo is this not the Carmelite Orphanage for Girls at 108 Harrison St. Looks identical in the 1950 and 1960’s
I too am looking for any records of my grandmother who resided at the Girls’ Home. She shows up on a census record as being an “Inmate” at the home in 1901. If you can locate any records of her or the reason she was there would be greatly appreciated. Her paren’ts apparen’tly divorced and went on to live 2nd lives while leaving her and her sister at the home. Their names were Mabel Elizabeth Gilmore and her sister was Emily Gilmore ages 3 and 5 in 1901.
Yes, this is the Carmalite Orphanage at 108 Harrison St. run by the Carmalite nuns in 1950’s and 1960’s. 1964 closed orphanage and only had daycare as of todate 2016
Carmilite Orphanage 108 Harrison Ave, Class Action for horrific abuse, 24 years to settle (longest case in Canada history) with Carmilite and Catholic Children’s Aid Society – Class Action girls won case which finally ended 2013. Even through won, it was an insult compared to the verbal and psychical abuse we suffered from these nuns. Unbelievable our system still allows these same nuns (eg: Sister Agnes) to continue working for our most vulnerable day care children and elderly home. Catholic Church refused to acknowledge they were involved when Bishop asked these nuns to operate.
I am looking for information for Leslie J.Lee. He lists 229 Gerrard Street E Toronto as his address in 1931. I see it was a girls home at that time. I’m wondering if he may have been a staff person?
Interesting piece written here about Harrison Street Convent, I spent one year with this group about 1952 or so. Will never forget that period of my life. I was 9 or 10. There was also a summer camp we were bused to in Scar. for 2 months. Any idea where I can find more history regarding the orphanage.
I am looking for my grandmothers records, i am unsure of which home she was raised in. She always said she was raised in an orphanage in down town toronto (1924). Who would i contact to find her records? thank you.
David Davies I think we might be cousins. My father had 2 sisters, Ann & Thelma Webber. They were placed in a Toronto orphanage after their mother died in 1919. My father lived for several years in a foster home, a Cowling family. Please get in touch with me.