The Snowy Night Neil Young Was Conceived
Plus: segregated nightclubs, a new Brockton Village project, and more...
I’m currently hard at work on a big new piece, but since this weekend gave us a combination of Valentine’s Day and a big blizzard, I thought it would be a good time to share a little chapter from The Toronto Book of Love…
It was the last winter of the Second World War. The first week of February 1945. Far away in Europe, the Nazi war machine was crumbling; the Soviets were closing in on Berlin; the Americans would soon be crossing the Rhine. The war would be over in just a few months. The Big Three — Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin — were already at Yalta, meeting to decide what the world would look like when the fighting was finally done.
Scott Young was one of the people doing that fighting. He was a reporter by trade — he would eventually author dozens of books and co-host Hockey Night in Canada for a while. He first went to Europe to cover the war for the Canadian Press. His dispatches were published in newspapers all over Canada. But he soon joined the Royal Canadian Navy instead, serving as a communications officer.
The war was taking a toll, though; Young was suffering from chronic fatigue and losing weight at an alarming rate. So, he was sent back to Canada for tests. That meant he would get to make a brief visit home to Toronto, where he could spend a little time with his wife, Rassy, and their toddler, Bob.
When he got home, he found the city covered in snow. That winter was a terrible winter — one of the worst in the entire recorded history of Toronto. One infamous blizzard in December killed twenty-one people: one died in an overturned streetcar on Queen Street, more than a dozen suffered fatal heart attacks from shovelling half a metre of snow. All winter long, the temperature barely ever climbed above freezing, so the snow just kept piling up as the blizzards kept coming. By the time Young came home at the beginning of February, Toronto had already seen more than a metre and a half of snow.
There was yet another big storm coming. As the city braced itself for the blizzard, the Youngs spent the day visiting with friends who lived in a little house near Eglinton Avenue and Mount Pleasant. It was far on the outskirts of the city back then; a long way from downtown in the days before the subway. And so, as the storm descended, the Youngs decided to stay over. They dragged a mattress downstairs and set it up on the dining room floor.
Scott Young wrote about that night in his memoir: “I remember the street in Toronto, the wild February blizzard through which only the hardiest moved, on skis, sliding downtown through otherwise empty streets to otherwise empty offices.”
The Youngs’ love story wouldn’t last forever. In the coming years, they would often fight; she drank, he had affairs. In the end, he fell in love with another woman and Rassy discovered their letters. Scott took their sons to an Italian restaurant on King Street and told them their parents were getting divorced. But on that stormy winter night in 1945, they were happy. A young wife and her new husband home on leave from the war.
“We were just past our middle twenties,” Young remembered, “and had been apart for most of the previous year.... We were healthy young people, much in love, apart too much. It was a small house and when we made love that night, we tried to be fairly quiet, and perhaps were.”
Nine months later, the war was over; peace had finally come. Scott Young was back home again. When Rassy went into labour, a neighbour drove them down to the fancy new wing of the Toronto General Hospital. It was early in the morning of a warm November day when the baby came. They named him Neil.
He would grow up to become one of the most famous rock stars in the world.
You can learn more about The Toronto Book of Love here.
You can find Scott Young's memoir, “Neil and Me”, through the Toronto Public Library here. You can read more about Neil Young's early life in “Young Neil: The Sugar Mountain Years” by Sharry Wilson here. I first heard about this night in a review of "Rock and Roll Toronto: From Alanis to Zeppelin" by Richard Crouse and John Goddard, which is available here.
Thanks so much to everyone who has made the switch to a paid subscription! Your support is currently allowing me to do a deep dive into some of the history of tariff tensions between Canada and the U.S. (which I’m hoping to make the subject of my next post). It’s only thanks to the heroic 4% of readers who support the newsletter with a paid subscription that The Toronto Time Traveller is able to survive. If you’d like to make the switch yourself, you can do that right here:
I’ll Be Sharing Some Love Stories in Brampton This Week!
I sadly had to postpone my talk about The Toronto Book of Love and the city’s romantic past at the Tollkeeper’s Cottage after last weekend’s big snowstorm (which feels like so many blizzards ago now), but I’ll be sharing some stories from it again this week thanks to the Brampton Historical Society!
The Toronto Book of Love explores the history of the city through fascinating true tales of romance, marriage and passion. From the scandalous love affairs of the city's early settlers to the prime minister's wife partying with rock stars on her wedding anniversary, Toronto has been shaped by crushes, jealousies and flirtations. In his talk, we'll explore some of these stories, as well as exploring the evolution of Toronto's ever-changing attitudes toward love.
When: Thursday, February 20 at 7pm.
Where: Heart Lake Presbyterian Church (25 Ruth Avenue in Brampton), hosted by the Brampton Historical Society.
How Much: $5 for guests; $30 for an annual membership.
I Was The First Guest on a Brand New Podcast!
I’m very honoured to have been the guest on the very first episode of a new podcast. The Human Interest Hour has “interviews with historians, musicians, filmmakers, poets, politicians, Internet personalities, tradespeople, and more.” It’s the work of Alex Southey, who is also the creator of Your Worst Song... with Alex Southey, in which he “chats to a new Canadian band/artist every Monday about the WORST song they've released — and a whole lot more.”
You can listen to my appearance wherever you get your podcasts (including Spotify below) or catch a little clip of it here.
QUICK LINKS
The best of everything new in Toronto’s past…
SEGREGATED NIGHTCLUB NEWS — In a post for Spacing, Cheryl Thompson (who you might remember from last year’s Festival of Bizarre Toronto History event about Henry Box Brown) wrote about the history of segregated nightclubs in Toronto. “If you’ve never heard about nightclub segregation, it started in the 1930s and continued through the 1960s and 1970s. It is not a remote history.” Read more.
NEW BIOGRAPHIES NEWS — Natasha Henry-Dixon (who you might remember from the 2023 Festival of Bizarre Toronto History event about the myth of Mary Mink) is writing a series of seven new biographies on Black people enslaved in Upper Canada for The Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Her first was about the life of a woman whose name is unknown. “The names and sexes of about one-third of the enslaved Black people in Upper Canada do not appear in extant documents; for many, this information may never have been recorded.” Read more.
The second new biography tells the story of Chloe Cooley, whose resistance to her enslavement at Niagara was one of the pivotal moments in Canadian history. “Chloe Cooley is known because of a single 1793 incident that led to the confirmation of slavery as a legal institution in Upper Canada and set in motion its gradual abolition.” Read more.
BROCKTON VILLAGE NEWS — Eric Sehr has just launched a fascinating-sounding new project, uncovering the history of the Brockton Village neighbourhood in the west end. As he explains on his new site, Brockton: A Lost Village, he stumbled across an old sketch of the area from the middle of the 1800s — so early, he didn’t think anything like it existed. “By writing and sharing stories about Brockton and its evolution, I hope to connect my neighbours with the larger historical forces that shaped this neighbourhood, Toronto, and Canada itself and find the stories this forgotten sketch hold.” Read more.
MORE FUTURE OF OLD CITY HALL NEWS — In the last edition of the newsletter, I wrote about the uncertainty over the future of Old City Hall. One of Toronto’s most beloved and spectacular historic sites is set to become vacant in a couple of months with no clear plan for what happens next.
In The Toronto Star this week, Edward Keenan wrote about the building’s past, the impact it has had on our city, and the idea of turning it into a museum of Toronto history. “Old City Hall is a monument to the kind of vision and ambition that built the city up. Its impending vacancy is a monument to how we’ve allowed the city to become rundown. A city museum would be a magnificent use for it.” Read more.
One sliver of good news did, at least, emerge out of City Council earlier this month:
(Click to open on Bluesky.)
And Sean Marshall added some ideas on Bluesky about what could be done to share some of the building’s history while it sits in limbo:
(Click to open on Bluesky.)
MARKET NEWS — In other news to come out of City Hall this month, Council voted to approve the designation of Kensington Market as a Heritage Conservation District. Sarah MacMillan wrote about it for the CBC. Read more.
…and in The Toronto Star last month, Ben Cohen shared more about what the designation will mean for the neighbourhood and why it took a decade to secure. Read more.
SOVEREIGNTY NEWS — For TVO, Jamie Bradburn takes a look back at the birth of NAFTA and the debates in the 1980s over free trade with the United States and the impact it might have on Canadian sovereignty. Read more.
SWEET & SOUR NEWS — For Canada’s History magazine, Koby Song-Nichols writes about the campaign to save Toronto’s first Chinatown from the wrecking ball — and how local Chinese-Canadian restaurateurs like Jean Lumb used cuisine as part of that battle. Read more.
BAT FLIP NEWS — The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame announced its new class of inductees for 2025. The list features a couple of Toronto names: author of the greatest bat flip of all-time, José Bautista, and team Canada coach, Greg Hamilton. Read more.
TORONTO HISTORY EVENTS
ANDREW HUNTER: IT WAS DARK THERE ALL THE TIME
February 19 — 6pm — Bloor/Gladstone Library
“Join us at Bloor/Gladstone for an author reading from Andrew Thomas Hunter, author of "It Was Dark There All the Time: Sophia Burthen and the Legacy of Slavery in Canada" a book that explores Sophia Burthen's account of her arrival as an enslaved person into what is now Canada sometime in the late 18th century. Andy Tom Hunter (Andrew Hunter/Billy Flowery Allen) is an author, artist, activist and necromancer, their 2022 critically acclaimed book It Was Dark There All The Time: Sophia Burthen and the Legacy of Slavery in Canada (Goose Lane Editions) was praised by numerous scholars and award winning authors, including: Lawrence Hill, bestselling author of The Book of Negroes.”
Free!
BEING BLACK ON KING
February 19 — 7pm — Online — Heritage Toronto
“Discover the Black history that spans Toronto’s King Street East: from the first Underground Railroad site excavated in Canada, to one of Toronto’s first soul food restaurants whose name, design and atmosphere surfaced the history of slavery in the US and Canada, while also celebrating the community leaders who risked everything to ensure freedom.”
Free!
BEING PRIME MINISTER: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH CANADA’S LEADERS
February 20 — 6pm — Toronto Reference Library
“Author J.D.M. Stewart presents his book, `Being Prime Minister`, taking us behind the scenes to see what our prime ministers were like as people like us. The talk provides humorous anecdotes and other insights into Canada's leaders: everyone from Sir John A. Macdonald to Justin Trudeau - examining them through the prisms of travels, family, pets, sports, privacy, celebrity and dealing with the demands of the job. Participants will gain insights into what Canada's leaders were like as they dealt with the demands of being prime minister. His new book: 'The Prime Ministers ' is coming out this fall.”
Free!
THE LETTERS: POSTMARK PREJUDICE IN BLACK AND WHITE
February 20 — 7:30pm — Montgomery’s Inn — Etobicoke Historical Society
“Author Sheila White will present from her book, The Letters: Postmark Prejudice in Black and White, a biographical novel about the courtship and marriage of her white mother and black father in 1947. Set in Nova Scotia and Toronto, the novel references characters and events significant in Canadian history, among them The Halifax Explosion; No. 2 Construction Battalion and its chaplain, Rev. Captain Dr. William Andrew White, who was the author's grandfather; internationally acclaimed classical singer Portia White, and civil rights icon Viola Desmond.”
Free for members; annual memberships are $25.
CURATORIAL TOURS OF BLACK DIASPORAS TKARONTO-TORONTO
February 22 — 1 & 3pm — Museum of Toronto
“Join us at Museum of Toronto for a curatorial tour of the Black Diasporas Tkaronto-Toronto exhibition. Led by a member of Museum of Toronto, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at this exhibition while learning about the importance of oral histories and community archives.”
$10 recommended admission.
BLACK DIASPORAS TKARONTO-TORONTO
Until February 22 — Wed to Sat, 12–6pm— Museum of Toronto
“Black Diasporas Tkaronto-Toronto presents films and archives told and created by over 100 Black Canadians. More than 500 personal narratives document the rich histories that have shaped the spaces and places of contemporary Toronto. Visitors are encouraged to take time for intimate listening and viewing in areas throughout the show. They will discover personal stories from across multiple generations, highlighting the depth of Black history in this city and across Canada, and representing over 20 countries that represent this city’s Black diaspora. Visitors are also encouraged to share their origins if they wish, highlight moments of Toronto’s history that aren’t noted here, and identify events, organizations or even food that exists in Toronto because of Black histories.”
Free! (Donation suggested.)
THE LETTERS: POSTMARK PREJUDICE IN BLACK AND WHITE
February 25 — 2pm — Mount Pleasant Library
“Author Sheila White will discuss and read a passage from her newly published biographical novel, The Letters: Postmark Prejudice in Black and White which depicts and reflects upon the relationship of her parents --her mother from a traditional Nova Scotia family, her father a member of a prominent Black family-- in the face of racism and pervasive bigotry during the late 1940's.”
Free with registration!
THE RISE OF ORGANIZED CRIME: HOW PROHIBITION ENRICHED GANGSTERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER
February 25 — 6pm — Toronto Reference Library
“Interested in true crime? Toronto Reference Library will be hosting a monthly True Crime Series of panel discussions with some of Canada's top crime writers, starting in February. This month panelists: Trevor Cole: Author of The Whisky King (a Globe and Mail Book of the Year) recounting the life and crimes of Rocco Perri, one of Canada?s leading bootleggers. Nate Hendley: In addition to moderating this panel, Nate will give a presentation about American gangsters Al Capone and Dutch Schultz, who came to power by supplying illicit alcohol.”
Free!
BLACK HISTORY MONTH: THE LONG ROAD TO COMMEMORATION
February 26 — 6:30pm — Online — Toronto Public Library
“Based on her past experience serving as President of the Ontario Black History Society (22 years), Rosemary Sadlier will share about the long struggle to have Black History Month commemorated in Toronto, Ontario and ultimately Canada. As the driving force behind securing the commemoration of February as Black History Month at all levels of government, she secured August 1st as Emancipation Day municipally in 1995 and provincially in 2008 with a national declaration recently passed now making this a national commemoration in Canada.”
Free with registration!
MEMORIES FROM NORTH TORONTO OF YESTERYEAR
February 26 — 7pm — Northern District Library — North Toronto Historical Society
“Using archival material including voice recordings, photographs and maps, long-time North Toronto Historical Society board member Alex Grenzebach will paint a picture of life in the former Town of North Toronto over 100 years ago – from swimming in the Don River to fetching free milk. Featured will be recordings of the reminiscences of a number of fascinating early residents, ranging from a neurosurgeon to an Anglican Canon. Come and enjoy stories of life in a tight-knit community when life moved at a slower pace. A brief Annual General Meeting will precede the presentation.”
Free, I believe!
MEET, GREET AND STORIES WITH TORONTO CITY COUNCILLOR HOWARD MOSCOE
March 7 — 6pm — Toronto Reference Library
“Former City Councillor Howard Moscoe will recount some of the hilarious episodes of his 32 years in Toronto municipal politics, describe the upstanding and ornery characters who have crossed his path, and read passages from his book, Call Me Pisher: A Madcap Romp Through City Hall. You’ll be enthralled by Howard’s unorthodox pranks, political maneuvers, and backroom dealings to pressure City Council to advance the public interest.”
Free!
WISH YOU WERE HERE (POSTCARD EXHIBIT)
Until May 25 — Toronto Reference Library
“Get your stamps ready and explore the world of vintage postcards! Before cell phones or social media, you could literally post your whereabouts for loved ones back home with a dizzying variety of these visual souvenirs. You might have a postcard or two on your fridge, and collectors might have hundreds of them from years past. But it’s hard to match the more than 26,500 postcards preserved in our Special Collections. We’ve pulled out over 100 of our favourites for this exhibition — many are being displayed for the first time. Get an up-close look at Toronto landmarks, old street views and some scenes beyond our city. You’ll even find postcards made of unexpected materials like silk and leather. What will you discover in these bits of history from the first half of the 20th century?” Guided tours on Tuesdays at 3pm.
Free!
Very cool. I lived a couple hundred feet from there about 25 years ago, and I had no idea. I see on street view the house has been horribly renovated since that photo, but at least it hasn't been torn down and replaced. Yet.