Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques
2004 - Now in our 15th Year - 2019
To see what's new on this site, you can visit the Home Page
Looking at this page on a smartphone?
For best viewing, hold your phone in Landscape mode (Horizontal)
The Landscape: Scadding's Property
Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted June, 2016
Here on the Bridgepoint Hospital site attached to a wall at the northern end of the site can be found this plaque. Here's what it says:
Coordinates: 43.66704 -79.35526 |
 |
The early town of York sat on the lakeshore just a few kilometres to the southwest of these grounds. It was established in 1793 by the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe. Simcoe hope to attract settlers to York from England and the United States. He offered 81 ha land grants to those who agreed to take an oath of loyalty to the King of England. These lots extended from Lot Street (now Queen) north to Bloor, and from the Don River to the Humber River.
This site includes some of the property that Simcoe granted to his own estate manager, John Scadding, in 1796. Scadding built three houses on the land over the years. One of these - the oldest surviving house in Toronto - was moved in 1879 to the Canadian National Exhibition grounds, where it remains today.
After Scadding's death in 1824, the family kept the property here and purchased more adjoining land. In 1856, the Town of York became the rapidly growing City of Toronto. City Council, in need of land to build a new hospice and jail, allocated £14,000 to buy about 50 ha of the Scadding land.
Plans begin right away for the House of Refuge, a hospice for the "poor, needy, and disabled," and the Toronto (Don) jail, a progressive "reform" jail. These two facilities would soon operate together as a self-sufficient compound. There were residences for the staff and a working farm. The inmates grew oats, potatoes, carrots, and peas, and raised chickens, turkeys, sheep, and pigs.
Related webpages
town of York
John Graves Simcoe
John Scadding
Related Toronto plaques
The Scadding Cabin, 1794
The Don Jail 1859-1864
Here is a map and a list of all the plaques on the Bridgepoint Hospital site. Links to the plaques can be found below.
Links to plaques on the Bridgepoint Hospital site
History of the Bridgepoint Hospital Site
Doctors & Nurses
The Evolution of Healthcare Services
The Exercise Yards at the Don Jail
The Gate House at the Don Jail
The Governor's House at the Don Jail
Life: A Mosaic Tile Mural
Riverdale Hospital
Here are the visitors' comments for this page.
(none yet)
Here's where you can send me a comment for this page.
Note: Your email address will be posted at the end of your comment so others can respond to you unless you request otherwise.
Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours (usually much sooner).
Note: As soon as I have posted your comment, a reply to your email will be sent informing you.
To send me your comment, click [email protected].
Thanks
Webmaster
Note: If you wish to send me a personal email, click here.