Please note this page is under construction as of May 2022.


Description:

1337 King Street West is a 2.5 storey Edwardian Foursquare house located on the south side of King Street West between Cowan Avenue and Dunn Avenue in the Parkdale neighbourhood of Toronto. 1337 King Street West was constructed in 1907/1908.

First Residents - Isaac Lennox and Family:

Between 1907/1908 and 1909, 1337 King Street West was home to Isaac Lennox and his family. Isaac Lennox (1843-1924) was an influential figure in the history of Parkdale. His April 1924 obituary provides the following biography:  

"Parkdale Mourns Esteemed Citizen. Isaac Lennox, Who Died Saturday, Had Been Prominent in Civic Affairs. Worker for Temperance.

Residents of Parkdale will today tender a public funeral service to Isaac Lennox, one of the pioneers of the district, who died in the General Hospital on Saturday after an illness of three weeks. 

The later Mr. Lennox, who was in his eighty-second year, came to Toronto 48 years ago from Innisfil, Simcoe County, where he was born in 1842. After a stay in Toronto of two or three years, he removed to Parkdale, and in 1879 entered the lumber business on West Lodge Avenue. Subsequently, he added dealing in real estate to his other activities. Meanwhile he evinced an interest in municipal poltiics and in 1884 was elected a Councillor of Parkdale. In 1889, when Parkdale was annexed to the City, he held the position of Reeve of the Parkdale Town Council. For several years after the annexation, he represented Ward 6 as Alderman in the Toronto City Council. 

The cause of temperance was one which appealed to Mr. Lennox, and he was an eager worker on its behalf. He was also known as an active member of the Methodist Church. When he first came to Toronto, he joined the Metropolitan Church, but for many years past he had been a prominent member of the Parkdale Methodist Church, where the public funeral service will be held at 2 o'clock today. In politics, he was a Conservative, and as such took part in a number of local campaigns. His years of public service were recognized at the time of the formation of the Parkdale Pioneers, when he was elected honorary President of the organization.

Mr. Lennox was a widower, his wife, who was formerly Miss Mary Stibbard of Eglinton, having passed away about seven years ago. He Is survived by two sons, Edgar and William, both of Toronto, Mrs. L. L. Brown of Brooklyn, N. Y. and Miss Myrtle of Atlantic City, N. J., and four brothers, John of Weston (who is 90 years old), James of Cookstown, Dr. Levi of Detroit, Michigan, and Rev. Lambert Lennox of New York."  (The Globe (Toronto), 21 April 1924, page 11). 

The Lennoxes later resided at 92 Spencer Avenue in Parkdale. 




Later Residents and Uses: 

Please note the following list of former residents and uses is not exhaustive and aims to provide a general overview. Dates are also approximate.


1909/1910 to 1921/1922:

Between 1909/1910 and 1921/1922, 1337 King Street West was home to Frederick Burnett (1870-1940) and his wife Gertrude Burnett (1875-1940). Originally from Bowmanville, Frederick Burnett was an eminent Canadian gas engineer. He served as the proprietor of the Economical Gas Apparatus Construction Company and "erected some of the largest gas plants in the Dominion" (The Globe and Mail, 22 July 1940, 4). Burnett was frequently consulted by both Canadian and American gas companies. Later, Burnett entered the mining industry and served on the board of directors for Dome Mines and God's Lake Gold Mines. Frederick Burnett died in Toronto in 1940. 

Mid-1920s to Early-to-Mid 1930s:

During the mid-1920s through early-to-mid 1930s, 1337 King Street West was home to William H. Chinn. Chinn was a barber by trade. He died in 1932.

Mid-1930s:

During the mid-1930s, 1337 King Street West was vacant.

Early 1930s:

During the early 1940s, 1337 King Street West was home to Annie Hall.

1950s to early 1960s:

During the 1950s to early 1960s, 1337 King Street West was home to George Dowker. Dowker was a technician at the Insurance Company of North America.  

Mid-to-Late 1960s:

During the mid-to-late 1960s, 1337 King Street West was home to Felix Gartner.


Redevelopment: 

In May 2022, the Parkdale United Church Foundation announced plans to redevelop 1337-1339 King Street West with a 10-storey plus mews affordable housing project. This proposed redevelopment includes the demolition of 1337 King Street West. 

(Research by Adam Wynne)