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Archival description
Larry Becker fonds
CA ON00386 Fonds 70 · Fonds · [ca. 1800]-1998

Fonds consists of a wide range of records documenting the history of Toronto, Ontario, Canada between about 1800 and 1998, as well as the nature of collecting and collectors. Among the records included are about 23 m (or about 90 boxes) of diverse textual records that range from parchment property records and rare books to early Toronto newspapers and diverse Toronto business catalogues; about 1,300 photographs that range from 1870s albumen prints of life at Fort York and late nineteenth century cartes-de-visit to amateur snapshots of twentieth century life; about 6,500, mostly Edwardian, postcards; about 4,000 transit tickets and transfers documenting public transit from horse-drawn streetcars to late-twentieth century subways; about 170 prints and posters, mostly from diverse publications such as Canadian Illustrated News in the 1870s and Picturesque Canada in 1882; about 300 philatelic records postmarked from 1832 York to 1990s Toronto; about 300 Victorian chromolithographic advertising cards; about 115, mostly Edwardian, advertising blotters; about 200 mid-twentieth advertising matchbooks; and extensive, diverse ephemera. Following Mr. Becker's collecting habits, the materials are arranged into 16 series according to format (e.g., photographs, postcards, stamps, prints & drawings, newspapers) and/or according to subject matter (e.g., sports, militaria, education, property records, advertising). Material is still being acquired and processed, so this description will change over time. Fonds is comprised of the following series: Series 306, Larry Becker sports collection. -- 1869-1997 Series 327, Larry Becker photographs. -- [ca. 1850-1990] Series 329, Larry Becker property records. -- 1824-1991, predominant 1824-1910 Series 330, Larry Becker postcards. -- [189-]-[199-], predominant 1905-1930 Series 340, Larry Becker militaria. -- 1857-1996 Series 470, Larry Becker advertising collections. -- [188-]-[199-], predominant 1885-1925 Series 496, Larry Becker prints, drawings, and documentary art. -- 1870-1997 Series 546, Larry Becker philately. -- 1832-1990 Series 547, Larry Becker public transportation collection. -- 1880-1995 Series 600, Larry Becker education collection. -- 1826-1996 Series 636, Larry Becker atlases, plans and maps. -- 1800-1990 Series 640, Larry Becker broadsides, posters and handbills. -- 1892-1994 Series 654, Larry Becker library and rare books. -- 1833-1997 Series 655, Larry Becker newspapers. -- 1838-1996 Series 682, Larry Becker business records. -- 1882-1997 Series 756, Larry Becker Canadian National Exhibition collection. -- 1864-1997

Becker, Larry
Strathy Smith fonds
CA ON00386 Fonds 1128 · Fonds · 1918-1993

Fonds consists of approximately 3,000 negatives, most of which were taken by Earnest Edgar Strathy Smith and his colleagues at Canada Pictures Ltd., the studio he founded in 1946. The majority of the images in this fonds document the development of Canada's first subway system, in Toronto. The remaining images consist of views of Toronto in the 1940s and 50s, and a group of images that Smith copied from an unconfirmed source (possible the National Archives of Canada) also documenting Toronto in the first half of the 1890s. The original arrangement of all images (generally chronological and by project number) has been maintained. The Yonge Street Subway construction photographs, consisting of approximately 2,400 negatives commissioned by the TTC and produced by Canada Picture, are significant for their extensive coverage of this development in urban mass transit. They document the building of the Yonge Street Subway beginning with the letting of the contract on July 7, 1949, and recording the excavation of Yonge Street, the construction of the underground tunnels, the laying of the track, the building of the stations, and the exterior and interior of Toronto's new subway cars. There are photographs of the tours of the subway which were arranged for visiting journalists and dignitaries, which included Metro Councillors and the Governor General of Canada, Sir Rupert Alexander. There are also 75 photographs documenting the official opening of the subway on March 30, 1954, showing crowds and dignitaries, including Metropolitan Toronto Chairman Fred Gardiner and Mayor of Toronto Alan Lamport, attending the opening ceremonies at the Davisville Station. The Toronto Views, 1940s-1950s series consists of about 400 photographs documenting Toronto streets and prominent buildings in the post-war period, including some that have been demolished such as Government House at Chorley Park, the Armouries on University Avenue, and the neo-classical Land Registry building. The 1890s series consists primarily of copy negatives of about 160 historic photographs documenting Toronto sites and buildings, including the Don Valley Brick Works, the Library at the University of Toronto, Osgoode Hall, City Hall (1899-1965), and the Legislature at Queen's Park while under construction and after completion. Fonds consists of the following series: Series 381, Yonge Street Subway construction photographs Series 380, Toronto views, 1940s and 1950s Series 379, Miscellaneous views, 1890s

Smith, Strathy, 1918-1993
CA ON00386 Fonds 1137 · Fonds · 1898

Fonds consists of photographs taken by the firm of A. A. Gray & Company which document the lithography, engraving, and photography departments of the Toronto Lithographing Co., 459-467 King Street West, Toronto. The photographs provide interior views which show the equipment and the employees including artists, engravers, typesetters, press and camera operators, and men and women at the cutting and folding machines. There are also photographs documenting employees in offices and in the bicycle storage area.

Toronto Lithographing Company