- Accession Number
- 2004-5-54
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-54
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Physical Description
- 23 photographs : b&w (11 negatives) 13 x 18 cm or smaller
- Date
- 1915-[ca. 1966]
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of copy photographs documenting the military career of Jack Aarons in England, Egypt, and Palestine during the First World War and at military parades in Toronto after the Second World War. There is also a photograph of the inerior of the Murray House catering kitchen on Steeles Avenue about 1966.
- Subjects
- World War, 1914-1918
- World War, 1939-1945
- Places
- Egypt
- England
- Palestine
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2008-1-7
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2008-1-7
- Material Format
- graphic material (electronic)
- Physical Description
- 5 photographs : b&w and sepia (tiff)
- Date
- [ca. 1914]-1942
- Scope and Content
- This accession consists of five scanned photographs of David Hart and his father Alfred E. Hart in military dress. Three of the photographs feature Alfred during the First World War in an army uniform and one photograph features Alfred in his uniform standing with David in a naval dress on the street in Toronto. The final photograph is of a victory parade on Yonge Street after the First World War (original source: the City of Toronto Archives, fonds 1568, Item 314). The photograph features Brodey Draimin Fur Co. in the background and was originally published in the Toronto Star.
- Administrative History
- Alfred E. Hart was in the Canadian infantry during the First World War and fought in four major battles. He was the owner of the Brodey Draimin Fur Company, located on Yonge Street in Toronto. His son, David, was in the Naval Home Guard, Royal Regiment, during the Second World War.
- Use Conditions
- Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
- Descriptive Notes
- Related material note: see oral history 375 for David Hart's account of his wartime experiences.
- Subjects
- Canada--Armed Forces
- World War, 1914-1918
- World War, 1939-1945
- Name Access
- Hart, David
- Hart, Alfred E.
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2015-1-1
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2015-1-1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Date
- 1917-1964
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of records documenting Samuel Berger and his family. Included is Sam's marriage certificate, wedding invitation, naturalization certificates, and pay book and discharge papers from the First World War. Also included is a copy of the birth certificate for Sam's wife, Rebecca (nee Rotenberg) and a newsclipping of the obituary for Rebecca's father, Lazar Rotenberg.
- Custodial History
- The records were in the possession of Goldie Berger, the daughter-in-law of Samuel Berger and wife of Leonard Berger.
- Administrative History
- Samuel Berger enlisted in the Canadian army in Oct. 1918. He was discharged in Dec. 1918. He married Rebecca Rotenberg in 1917.
- Subjects
- Canada--Armed Forces
- World War, 1914-1918
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2015-3-6
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2015-3-6
- Material Format
- multiple media
- Physical Description
- 5 cm textual records and other material
- Date
- [ca.1890]-[ca. 1940]
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of personal records of Hyman (Ben) Benjamin, and records documenting Arthur Benjamin's military service. Records include ca. 30 photographs of three generations of the Benjamin family, Rosh Hashanah greeting cards, Hyman Benjamin's birth certificate and first aid certificate. Records also include correspondence between several branches of the Canadian government and Arthur's mother, Annie, regarding the circumstances of Arthur's death; his grave site and his army pension.
- Custodial History
- The records were donated to the Archives by Nancy Rose, daughter of the great-nephew of Hyman (Ben) Benjamin.
- Administrative History
- Hyman "Ben" Benjamin (ca. 1884-1969) was born in Leeds, England to Lazuras and Annie Benjamin. He married Hilda (Holds) Benjamin, and they immigrated to Canada in 1911. He worked as a car mechanic. They had two daughters, Laura (b. 1911) and Florence (b. 1912).
- Arthur "Abraham" Benjamin (ca. 1882-1917) was Hyman Benjamin's brother. He immigrated to Toronto from Leeds some time after 1911 and worked with Hyman as a car cleaner. He joined the 198th Battalion of the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in 1916, and was killed in the First World War.
- Use Conditions
- Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
- Subjects
- Canada--Armed Forces
- World War, 1914-1918
- Name Access
- Benjamin, Arthur, 1882-1917
- Benjamin, Hyman, 1884-1969
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Address
- 42 St George Street
- Source
- Landmarks
In 1919, Mr. Mendel Granatstein commissioned Benjamin Brown and Robert McConnell to design a three storey Classical Georgian style house located at 42 St. George Street. The house contained a unique feature -- a retractable roof used on Sukkoth. In 1947, the house was acquired by the University of Toronto and was used for a variety of purposes until it was demolished in 1999. The Bahen Centre for Information Technology now stands in its place.
- Address
- 42 St George Street
- Time Period
- 1919-1999
- Scope Note
- In 1919, Mr. Mendel Granatstein commissioned Benjamin Brown and Robert McConnell to design a three storey Classical Georgian style house located at 42 St. George Street. The house contained a unique feature -- a retractable roof used on Sukkoth. In 1947, the house was acquired by the University of Toronto and was used for a variety of purposes until it was demolished in 1999. The Bahen Centre for Information Technology now stands in its place.
- History
- Mr. Mendel Granatstein was a member of one of the early Jewish families of Toronto. In 1895, he founded M. Granatstein and Sons, Ltd., a junk dealing company, and by the early 20th century, he had become one of the most prosperous Jews in Toronto. Mr. Granatstein was also a community leader, having a hand in the foundation of Beth Jacob Synagogue.
- Category
- Architecture
- Residences
- Source
- Landmarks
- Level
- Item
- ID
- Item 4294
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Level
- Item
- Item
- 4294
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [1925 or 1926]
- Physical Description
- 2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)
- Scope and Content
- Identified third from left: William Shankman.
- Notes
- Photo by Midland Press Agency, 520 Suffolk St., Birmingham.
- Subjects
- Orchestra
- Theaters
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
- Places
- Birmingham (England)
- Accession Number
- 1987-9-5
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Harold S. Kaplan fonds
- Architectural projects series
- Loew's Theatre (189 Yonge St., Toronto) sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- ID
- Fonds 27; Series 1-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Harold S. Kaplan fonds
- Architectural projects series
- Loew's Theatre (189 Yonge St., Toronto) sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 27
- Series
- 1-1
- Material Format
- architectural drawing
- textual record
- Date
- 1913-1959
- Physical Description
- 57 drawings : pencil on tracing paper, blueprints and other reproductions ; 72 x 114 cm or smaller
- 1 cm of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Built in 1913, Loew's Yonge Street Theatre and Winter Garden Theatre complex was the flagship of Marcus Loew's Canadian theatre chain. The theatres were designed by Thomas Lamb as a "double-decker" theatre, with the Winter Garden located seven-stories above the street-level Yonge Street Theatre. This was the only double-decker theatre built in Canada and one of less than a dozen built internationally. The design was considered economical in that it provided a greater amount of seating on a given piece of real estate while allowing the theatre operator to present the same daily show in two theatres. The shows included both vaudeville acts and silent movies.
- In 1928, there was a major fire on the site and the Winter Garden Theatre was closed due to the decline in popularity of vaudeville. By 1930, the Yonge Street Theatre was solely a movie theatre, equipped for sound movies. Over the years it gradually fell into disrepair, but continued as a movie theatre until 1981. It was renamed the Elgin Theatre in 1978.
- In 1981, the Elgin and Winter Garden were purchased by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, and in 1987 the foundation began a two and half year, $30 million restoration of the theatres. The theatres re-opened in Dec. 1989 exclusively for theatrical productions.
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of seating plans, blueprints of structural details, and floor plans, sections and elevations for successive alterations (to the entrance, lobby, basement, etc.) of the theatre. The sub-series includes a copy of a city building permit dating from 1934 for renovations carried out by Loew's Theatres Engineering Division. Some of the blueprints date from the original construction of the theatre in 1913.
- The sub-series is organized into 9 sub-sub-series, corresponding to project dates of 1913, 1919, 1934, 1939, 1949 (two projects), 1952, 1957 and 1959. The earliest materials, such as those from 1913 and 1919, were not created by Kaplan & Sprachman, but were no doubt used as reference materials for their work at the theatre.
- Please note that the blueprints of structural details such as columns and roof reinforcing beams may apply to the theatre complex as a whole, including the Winter Garden Theatre.
- Notes
- Title is derived from the formal titles of the drawings.
- Name Access
- Lamb, Thomas
- Elgin Theatre (Toronto)
- Winter Garden Theatre (Toronto)
- Subjects
- Theaters
- Physical Condition
- Some drawings are torn & damaged.
- Some are discoloured or damaged by deteriorating pressure-sensitive tape.
- Places
- Yonge Street (Toronto, Ont.)
- Accession Number
- 2003-6-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Harold S. Kaplan fonds
- Architectural projects series
- Loew's Uptown Theatre (Toronto) sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- ID
- Fonds 27; Series 1-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Harold S. Kaplan fonds
- Architectural projects series
- Loew's Uptown Theatre (Toronto) sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 27
- Series
- 1-2
- Material Format
- architectural drawing
- graphic material
- Date
- 1919-1968
- Physical Description
- 132 architectural drawings : pencil (some on tracing paper, some hand col. using pencil crayon), blueprints and other reproductions ; 76 x 106 cm or smaller
- 5 photographs : b&w ; 44 x 55 cm or smaller
- Admin History/Bio
- One of sixteen theatres in Canada designed by the well-known architect Thomas W. Lamb, the Uptown Theatre opened in 1920 as a movie and vaudeville theatre of almost 3000 seats, and was later the first theatre in Toronto equipped for sound movies. In 1960 the Uptown's main auditorium was destroyed by a major fire. Kaplan & Sprachman participated in the theatre's subsequent renovation.
- In 1969 the Uptown was split into a five screen theatre through conversion of the theatre's balcony, backstage and basement areas. The Uptown was closed and demolished in late 2003 following the 28th Annual Toronto International Film Festival after the cinema operator, Famous Players, decided to close it and other theatres rather than comply with an Ontario Human Rights Commission order to make the theatres fully wheelchair-accessible.
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of seating plans, blueprints of structural details, floor plans, sections and elevations for successive alterations (to the entrance, lobby, escalator, etc.) of the theatre, as well as several photographs of the Uptown's entrance and auditorium. The sub-series includes a number of hand-coloured drawings of the main auditorium dating from 1962, with paint and fabric samples attached, apparently associated with the re-building of the auditorium following the fire of 1960. The sub-series also includes a set of photo-reproductions of Thomas Lamb's original 1919 plans for the theatre, acquired by Kaplan & Sprachman in 1960.
- The sub-series is arranged in 9 sub-sub-series corresponding to project dates of 1919, 1936, 1945, 1949, 1960, 1962, and 1968. The final sub-sub-series relates to work done by Kaplan after the dissolution of Kaplan & Sprachman.
- In several cases, a sub-sub-series includes drawings and plans from earlier projects, used as reference materials for the current project.
- Name Access
- Lamb, Thos. W. (Thomas White), 1871-1942
- Uptown Theatre (Toronto, Ont.)
- Subjects
- Theaters
- Physical Condition
- Some drawings torn or water-damaged. Some are discoloured or damaged by deteriorating pressure-sensitive tape.
- Places
- Toronto (Ont.)
- Accession Number
- 2003-6-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions