Came across this image of the Red Lion Inn in Toronto at the Archives of Ontario. The photo is from 1886 and shows a building well into its eighth decade according to this blog post of just a few months ago. Built in what was then the country, it was the first stage coach destination on the western route out of the capital, then named York, located around what is now Yonge and Bloor. It would have been about 2 miles to the NNW of the slightly older Playter’s Tavern.
What I like about the photo is how it likely displays three or four additions to what Roberts describes as the original Upper Canadian government approved standard layout Georgian wooden frame structure with the front door centered between two main floor windows and beneath the center window on the second floor. There would have been a chimney at each end of the building, though in the photo the one farther from the photographer could have been rebuilt when the next taller extension was built. The announcement of its opening was set out in a notice in the Gazette of June 13, 1808:
Beefsteak and Beer House. — The subscriber informs his friends and the public that he has opened a house of entertainment next door to Mr. Hunt’s, where his friends will be served with victualing in good order, on the shortest notice, and at a cheap rate. He will furnish the best strong beer at 8d. New York currency per gallon if drank in his house, and 2 s. 6d. New York currency taken out. As he intends to keep a constant supply of racked beer, with a view not to injure the health of his customers, and for which he will have to pay cash, the very small profits at which he offers to sell, will put it out of his power to give credit, and he hopes none will be asked. N.B. He will immediately have entertainment for man and horse. Daniel Tiers. York, 12th January, 1808.
Not sure what entertainment for the horse suggested. I expect the original tavern would have looked a lot like the brick-built Fryfogel’s Tavern near New Hamburg in Perth County, under 100 miles but a couple of decades of settlement to the west. Like Fryfogel’s, the Red Lion had a ballroom and also served government administrative purposes as a district polling location in elections.
[Original comments…]
Emily – March 4, 2012 3:00 PM
http://thepetitfour.com
How very cool! Have you heard of the The Night Train to Detroit (http://nighttraintodetroit.com)? Amy is a historical blogger about the city and its connections to everything in the region (so Canada obviously plays a heavy role!) and she’s just started this series called Drunk History Night – a night about all things historical, Detroit, and drinking. The photos and stories she finds are always incredibly interesting. I thought you might like to check it out!
Ed Carson – March 4, 2012 8:41 PM
Two things: 1) I was going to comment on the use of a United State’s money and remembered Toronto’s old name was York, so never mind; and B] Almost 2 shillings for a growler? Were buckets or bottles that rare?
Alan – March 4, 2012 9:07 PM
You were right the first time, Ed. That would have been NY state currency they were looking for. At that time, Toronto would have imported much of its material goods from here in Kingston at the east end of the Lake or more likely the nearer US south shore of the lake. I was interested in the reference to “best strong beer”. Fits in with my Albany ale theory.
Alan – March 4, 2012 9:20 PM
In 1808 there was no standard Upper Canadian currency. It had only existed as a separate entity since 1791. If you look at this 1801 letter from the Anglican priest here in Kingston to his boss, the Bishop of Nova Scotia (1,000 miles to the east), you will see some sense of how dependent early Toronto was economically. New York also had a pound.
Ed Carson – March 5, 2012 9:11 AM
But this advertisement dates from twenty-five years after such money had been exchanged for US dollars(1 US=1000 continentals; 1 continental= 8 New York shillings. Yes, the money was pretty much worthless.)
Alan – March 5, 2012 11:23 AM
I think on both sides of the border before the 1820s and 1830s there may have simply been a lack of cash. Contract and debt based dealing, as the ad wishes to avoid, allowed for later settlement as opposed to how cash works. So if he is going after coins, the NY ones were likely the most useful to him. Must have been a very different world.
Gary Gillman – March 5, 2012 8:54 PM
Nice photo: many buildings on the west side of Toronto still look like that.
Gary
Alan – March 5, 2012 9:20 PM
"Many"? But there wouldn’t be wooden 200 year old ones, would there? The Horseshoe is 53 years younger. There does seem to be one private house left from the era.
Gary Gillman – March 7, 2012 8:34 AM
But many just look like that, I didn’t mean they were built at the same time, but building styles endure for a few generations sometimes. Queen Street West and some of the side streets offers numerous examples and north of it and also around Davenport going west from Bathurst. It just looks very familiar, except for the white colour. Horseshoe probably originally looked very similar but there’s been some renovation over the years I think, especially the cladding.
Gary
Alan – March 7, 2012 9:06 AM
Well that is quite right. I am lumbered for working in the heritage law world sometimes. Have a look at Kingston’s Queen’s Inn from 1839 and you see a beefier version of the same thing in Limestone.
Gary Gillman – March 8, 2012 9:56 PM
Indeed. Many fine old buildings in Kingston.
Gary
Ed Carson – March 13, 2012 10:15 AM
Speaking of Albany ale: Food, Drink and Celebrations of the Hudson Valley Dutch by Peter G.Rose esp. pgs. 42 and 43 The Kingston mentioned is 90 miles south of Albany was known as Esopus or Bevierwyck pre-British.