alternate front page carasol grid – Tollkeepers Cottage

a charming, registered heritage house open to the public at the corner of Bathurst Street and Davenport Road in Toronto. We are one of the few remaining examples of a Tollhouse on nineteenth century roads. See the unique vertical plank construction, and hear about the lifestyle of a working class family.

Open Saturday 12-5pm First Sun of each month 1-4pm

Come to visit the oldest tollhouse surviving anywhere in Canada, when roads were muddy and farmers paid to go downtown amid great hardship to market. See how one tollkeeper’s family lived, up to nine people, crowded, without electricity or running water. Examine their tools, their cookware, their clothing and bedding as our all-volunteer staff take you on a tour back in time to mid-nineteenth century Toronto. View the huge, rough planks that came from a single giant pine tree, a testament to the ancient forests of that time. Look out from here, as they would have, at one of the oldest roads in Ontario, a vestige of the last ice age.

JANE AND THE BLUE WILLOW PRINCESS
Sunday November 30 at 2 pm: Reading and book launch with author Catherine Little
Catherine's fourth book commemorates the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth and introduces children to this beloved author.
Jane Austen fans may remember that she lived for the first 25 years of her life in a rectory at Steventon in southern England. This is the place where Jane, between the ages of 19 and 23, drafted her first three novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey. After this, her father retired and moved the family to Bath.

The rectory was torn down in the 1820s, with nothing remaining apart from an iron pump to identify its location. In 2011, a dig uncovered its foundations. Apparently, thousands of metal, glass and ceramic objects were excavated during the dig, including pieces of Willow pattern China, which was very popular during the eighteenth century. The pattern was inspired by designs imported from China. It was produced between the 1780s and 90s by Thomas Minton and Thomas Turner of Caughley by transfer printing - the design was printed onto a sheet of thin tissue paper and then applied to earthenware or porcelain - a technique in use from 1750 in Birmingham. Spode, Royal Worcester, Adams, Wedgwood, Davenport, Clews, Leeds and Swansea followed.

Catherine reports that she was inspired to write a story based on this discovery of the beautiful blue and white Willow pattern found in this location.

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EXTENSION OF THE PHOTO FIESTA
to Monday December 8.
Voting by visitors will be held on Cookie Day, Saturday December 13.

In order to allow more people to try their hand at winning the grocery gift certificate donated to us by Fiesta Farms, we are extending the deadline into December. Now you have a chance to wander the grounds, view the garden and take some glorious shots of the Cottage from the outside. Inside shots may be taken whenever we're open on Sundays November 9 or December 7; and on all Saturdays until the end of the day December 7. Photo entries will be displayed in the Cottage as they are submitted until December 13, Cookie Day.

All photos must be sent to our email tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com by Monday December 8.

Want to participate? Let us know at tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com and we'll let you know "the rules". Please remember if your photo includes an identifiable person, they will need to give us their permission, as photos will be displayed in hard copy and online.

On Cookie Day, December 13, all visitors will get a chance to VOTE for their favourite shot and determine the winner (you do not have to be present to win).

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NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS
NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER ARE YOUR MONTHS TO ENSURE YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR JAN-DEC 2026

The Tollkeeper's Cottage, operated by the non-profit group, the Community History Project, receives almost no support from government sources (we are not part of the city's system of heritage buildings). That is why your commitment is so important to our dedicated and hard working volunteers. Every member counts in helping us to maintain this unique building of early vertical plank construction, so that its story may survive.

Membership is still $20. for an individual and $35. for a family, for which you will receive a tax receipt, a welcoming space to connect with other history enthusiasts, a chance to spend meaningful time in many ways, including gardening, providing tours, writing, giving Talks and an opportunity to vote and shape what happens.

NEW MEMBERS Complete the form at the Cottage. Fee is by cash or e-transfer.
RENEWING MEMBERS Come to the Cottage or email us.

COMING IN DECEMBER.....

GHOSTLY TALES will be here again on Saturday December 6 at 7 pm. More info and RSVP in the December newsletter.

and pick out a bag of cookies, freshly baked by our members.

EAST ANNEX WALK Thanks to our new walk leader, Deborah, for guiding us on an interesting tour of this area of the Annex. We saw the "quintessential Annex" (and first) house on Madison Avenue, stood where Taddle Creek once ran, saw the spot where Sir Frederick Banting lived, and learned about Canada's first female computer scientist and PhD, Beatrix Worsely.

PHOTO FIESTA
David Raymont calls this charming entry to our contest TOLLKEEPER WINDOW. We can imagine being there in 1860!

THE BARREL, is Pam Parker's intriguing submission to the contest.

We are waiting for more photos that we can put on display at the Cottage! Good luck to all our participants!

COOKIE DAY Saturday December 13 from noon - 4 pm. Stop by to chat with old friends and pick out a bag of cookies, freshly baked by our members.