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Historical Gray-Dort Inn in Toronto
Posted on Monday, April 13 @ 09:43:04 EDT by im_an_elf |
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To begin this article I have to begin with an apology. A computer crash lost this picture deep in a folder and subsequently lost who the kind person was that sent it to me. So if you recognize this picture and you are the one who sent it to me, please contact me by phone or email so I can thank you properly. Nevertheless, "Ye Gray-Dort Inn" was in Weston, York which is now part of Toronto. Alfred V Devins is listed in the 1921 Toronto Directory as owner of 370 Main N.
Telephone Office sign just to right of pole.
The sign in bottom left " To The Weston Golf and Country Club " If you have any other information regarding this establishment, please contact me and I can add it to this story and provide the proper credit. Thanks.
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Average Score: 0
Votes: 0
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Re: Historical Gray-Dort Inn in Toronto (Score: 1)
by Martin on Saturday, January 09 @ 16:10:21 EST
(User Info | Send a Message) | Dear Gray-Dort enthusiasts,
Is it possible to get a print of the photo of the Gray-Dort Inn, or a higher-resolution image of the picture that appears on your site (or alternately, did you ever manage to re-establish who sent you the image in the first place?)? As a member of the Weston Historical Society I am interested in tracking down images from the town’s past. As it is I can provide some background on the Inn, but I will have to dig through what details that I have at home for the particulars concerning this hotel that used to stand at the north end of Weston.
The building has undergone a number of name changes. It was prior to this time The Russell House, run by William Bourke. It also was known as Bourke’s Hotel during that period. It became the Gray-Dort Inn (or Ye Gray-Dort Inn) in the 1920’s and later became The Weston Hotel, and ultimately The Shamrock Hotel before being demolished in the late 1960’s to make way for an expanded St. Phillips Bridge.
The hotel may be part of an earlier hotel, or it may have replaced an earlier hotel on the site. Certainly, there was a hotel at this location at least as early as 1850. At that time it was The Farmer’s Home Inn, run by John McDonough, and it then became Chapman’s Inn, run by Patrick Chapman (from 1852 to at least 1864). It’s history after that is a bit more unclear. It may have become The Weston Hotel (not to be confused with the later Weston Hotel) which was run by Henry Russell. This is speculation, but as the hotel was run by a man named Russell, and was located at the north end of Weston in 1878, and thereafter a structure called The Russell House exists (run by William Bourke from at least 1890), leads one to suspect that there is a link.
As to the age of the structure depicted, it is certainly the same building that bore the name The Russell House (dating at least back to the 1880’s), and which would later be demolished as the Shamrock Hotel. As mentioned, the building may have been older, with additions, or it may have replaced the earlier building. Certainly it bears architectural similarities to two other Weston area hotels that were modified in the 1870’s from earlier hotels/taverns; The Central Hotel/nee Little’s Tavern, and The Eagle House/nee Bellis (or Bellas) Tavern.
I’ve attached an image of the structure taken at a later date. I have a better copy of the image, but I have to retrieve it off of disc at home. I’ve only seen one other image of the building bearing it’s Gray-Dort signage, and that was when one of our members managed to purchase a postcard off of ebay. As far as I can recall it’s a different picture than the one on your site.
I hope you can get back to me with regard to the photo. I can be reached via the Weston Historical Society at westonhistoricalsociety@rogers.com
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Martin Proctor, co-archivist
P.S. – I’ll try to dig up an ad for the Gray-Dort car that appeared in the local newspaper, the Times and Guide, while I’m hunting for the other data.
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