Description:

25 Homewood Avenue is a 2.5 storey Second Empire house located on the east side of Homewood Avenue approximately 50 meters south of Maribeth Avenue in Toronto. 25 Homewood Avenue was constructed in 1872/1873. 

Constructed in 1872/1873, 25 Homewood Avenue was one of the very first houses built on Homewood Avenue and is representative of the earliest residential development of the street. 25 Homewood Avenue is also the only extant example of the Second Empire style of architecture on Homewood Avenue.

25 Homewood Avenue was formerly known as 25 Pembroke Street North. Pembroke Street North was renamed Homewood Avenue in 1877/1878.  

25 Homewood Avenue has undergone some modifications, including the exterior being painted and a second floor window being enlarged to allow access to a balcony. The property was originally a single-family home, which has since been renovated into rental units.

The Early History of Homewood Avenue:

Homewood Avenue presently runs north-south between Carlton Street and Lourdes Lane in Toronto. The street bisects former Park Lot 5. Park Lot 5 was granted to the Hon. William Osgoode (1752-1824) - the first Chief Justice of the Town of York - on 4 September 1793. After the Hon. Osgoode left the Town of York in 1798, Park Lot 5 was transferred to David W. Smith, who was the Surveyor General and a close friend of Lt. Gov. John Graves Simcoe. In 1819, William Allan (c. 1770-1853) purchased Park Lot 5 and subsequently constructed the Moss Park Estate, which was completed in 1828. In 1846, William Allan gifted the north 50 acres of the Moss Park Estate to his son George William Allan (1822-1901) as a wedding gift. Subsequently, in 1846-1847, George William Allan commissioned the construction of Home Wood — a red brick Gothic mansion designed by Henry Bowyer Lane. Home Wood was situated near the present-day intersection of Homewood Avenue and Lourdes Lane. The Home Wood Estate remained home to the Allan family until 1863. Following 1863, Home Wood served as a private residence until 1912 at which point it was converted to use as the Wellesley Hospital by Dr. Herbert Bruce. The original Home Wood mansion was demolished in 1964 during an expansion of the hospital. Of additional note is that George William Allan donated Allan Gardens to the City of Toronto in 1858 with the horticultural gardens subsequently opening to the public in September 1860.

Homewood Avenue - originally known as Pembroke Street North - first appears in the City of Toronto Directories in the 1873 Edition. The name Homewood Avenue first appears in the City of Toronto Directories in the 1878 Edition. The above-described Home Wood estate served as the eponym of Homewood Avenue. Constructed in circa 1872/1873, 25 Homewood Avenue is representative of the early residential development of Homewood Avenue.

Homewood Avenue historically provided access to several small, dead-end residential streets, including: Montague Place; Suffolk Place; Maribeth Avenue (formerly Pembroke Place and Hurst Place); and Maitland Place. Montague Place and Suffolk Place were both demolished, whereas Maitland Place and Montague Place are extant. Maitland Place originally was a dead-end street, but was later extended west to Jarvis Street where it aligns with Maitland Street. Unfortunately, Maribeth Avenue has lost all of its 19th and early 20th century houses to demolition and redevelopment in recent years. The name Montague lives on with Montague Parkette, which exists on the former site of the Montague Place.

The northeast corner of Carlton Street and Homewood Avenue contains one of Toronto's early apartment buildings - the Sheldrake (1 Homewood Avenue) - which was constructed in 1928. Additionally, following World War 2, a discernible development trend emerged on Homewood Avenue. The original 19th and early 20th century streetscape along the west side of Homewood Avenue was almost wholly demolished to facilitate the construction of residential towers and townhouse complexes, whereas the east side of Homewood Avenue retained much of its original 19th and early 20th streetscape. This includes the highrise tower at 40 Homewood Avenue, which was completed in 1971 and was one of Toronto's first purpose-built condominium towers. This development trend also saw the demolition of the above-mentioned Montague Place and Suffolk Place.

First Occupant(s): 

25 Homewood Avenue was first home to The Hon. Nathaniel Allan Gamble (1817-1884) and family, who resided here from 1872/1873 until 1875. 

The Gamble family were Scottish-Canadian and early settlers in the Town of York (now the City of Toronto), York County, and Simcoe County. In 1798, the Gamble family constructed a farm on the east side of Yonge Street. 

The Hon. Nathaniel Allan Gamble was the 3rd son of Nathaniel Gamble (1764-1836) and Susanna Jane Mercer (1780-1856). This branch of the Gamble family were likely (distant) relatives of the prominent Allan family. William Allan (1772-1853) — a prominent early citizen and landowner in York — married Leah Tyrer Gamble (1790-1848) in 1809. This branch of the Gambles were also noted to have been early Presbyterians in Toronto. 

The Hon. Nathaniel Allan Gamble was born on the family's Yonge Street farm in 1817, inherited the farm upon the death of his father, and resided there until 1859. The Hon. Gamble was commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1856 and simultaneously served as the quartermaster for the 12th Battalion of Militia Volunteers.

Between 1860 and 1872, the Hon. Gamble resided in Newmarket and operated a brewery. He returned to Toronto in 1872/1873 and took up residence at 25 Homewood Avenue (then 25 Pembroke Street North).

The Hon. Nathaniel Allan Gamble married  Matilda Sproule (1839-1934) in 1872. The couple had 1 daughter: Bertha Gamble (1873-1954). The Gambles later lived at 554 Church Street. The Hon. Nathaniel Allan Gamble was an early member of the York Pioneers Society (now the York Pioneer and Historical Society).

The Hon. Nathaniel Allan Gamble died of malarial dysentery and a urinary infection in Toronto on 18 November 1884.  

Later Occupants and Uses:  

Circa 1875/1876:

In circa 1875/1876, 25 Homewood Avenue was home to Joseph Powell. Joseph Powell was a tea merchant. 

Circa 1876/1877 to 1914/1915:

Between circa 1876/1877 and 1914/1915, 25 Homewood Avenue was home to James Elbridge Underwood (1829-1903), his wife Chastina Underwood (née Whitcomb) (1829-1918), and their family. 

The Underwoods were originally from New Hampshire in the United States. The Underwoods arrived in Canada between 1870 and 1872. In Toronto, James Elbridge Underwood was employed as a sewing machine agent (a representative of sewing machine manufacturers).

James and Chastina Underwood had 4 daughters who were born between 1862 and 1872. 

Circa 1919/1920:

In circa 1919/1920, 25 Homewood Avenue was home to William Lewis. William Lewis was a carpenter.

Circa 1929/1930:

In circa 1929/1930, 25 Homewood Avenue was home to George H. Raven. George H. Raven was a carpenter.

Circa 1939/1940:

In circa 1939/1940, 25 Homewood Avenue was home to Marie Briggs and Minnie Briggs. Minnie Briggs was a saleslady at Woolworth's. 

Circa 1949/1950:

In circa 1949/1950, 25 Homewood Avenue was home to Marie Briggs. 

Circa 1959/1960:

In circa 1959/1960, 25 Homewood Avenue was home to James L. Tiller. James Tiller was an employee at Burroughs Furniture. 

Circa 1968/1969:

In circa 1959/1960, 25 Homewood Avenue was home to George Lum. No further information about George Lum is available at present.

Present Day (January 2022):

As of January 2022, 25 Homewood Avenue is divided into a number of rental units. 

Recent / Ongoing Sale (17-31A Homewood Avenue): 

In August 2021, 17-31A Homewood Avenue were listed as for sale for $12 million. It is probable that this site will eventually be pursued for redevelopment. Steps should be taken to ensure that on site heritage resources are not lost during potential redevelopment. 

(Research by Adam Wynne)