Director's Cut: 1914 Album - Archdiocese of Toronto property record

One of my favourite items in our archival holdings is a photo album from 1914 featuring exterior shots of many of the churches in the Archdiocese of Toronto. We've shared several photographs from this album in various posts.


Collage of photos previously scanned from PH 31P/227AL. Includes: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Toronto (01); St. Mary's Parish, Toronto (03); St. Anthony's Parish, Toronto (04); Holy Family Parish, Toronto (06); St. Helen's Parish and rectory, Toronto (07); St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto (08); St. Cecilia's Parish, Toronto (11); St. Patrick's Parish, Toronto (13); House of Providence, Toronto (17); Loretto Academy, Toronto (19); St. Stanislaus Parish, Toronto (21); Sacred Heart Orphanage, Sunnyside, Toronto (22); St. Michael's Cathedral rectory, Toronto (23); St. Michael's Cathedral, Toronto (24); St. Michael's School, Toronto (25); St. Clare Parish, Toronto (29); St. Ann's Parish, Toronto (35); St. Joseph's College School, Toronto (37); St. Catharines School, St. Catharines (40); St. Joseph's College School and Convent, Toronto (43); and St. Paul's Parish and rectory, Toronto (45).

This photo album was commissioned in 1914 and reflects the geographical boundaries of the Archdiocese at that time. Each page consists of one representative photograph of the building, mounted on a fabric backing. Buildings include churches, schools and institutions owned by or associated with the Archdiocese of Toronto. The album is not a comprehensive property survey, however, as some of the existing churches within the city of Toronto and the majority of rural churches were not photographed for this project. In total, there are 45 black & white or sepia tone photographs.

How PH 31P/227AL is being preserved.

ARCAT Staff Photo

Typewritten in blue ink on the fabric support of each print is the name or location of the photographed building. To enhance the long-term preservation of the photographs, the album was taken apart and the photos were placed in individual archival sleeves. Unfortunately the original cover was not photographed before it was discarded, but included the title "Archdiocese of Toronto, CANADA".

This album is credited to Pringle and Booth of Toronto, and was apparently a feature of the waiting room at the former location of the Chancery Office at 355 Church Street. When the offices were moved to our current location at 1155 Yonge Street, someone wisely decided that this album should be preserved in the Archives.

Here are a few of the photographs from outside the city of Toronto that we had not scanned until now:

St. Gregory the Great Parish, Oshawa

PH 31P/227AL (31)
ARCAT Photo Collection

St. Ann's Parish, Penetanguishene

PH 31P/227AL (27)
ARCAT Photo Collection