Description: 

642-644 Church Street is a 2.5 storey Italianate and/or Gothic Revival style building located at the southwest corner of Church Street and Hayden Street. 642-644 Church Street was constructed in 1881/1882 and first occupied by 1882/1883.

Originally residential, the ground floors of 642-644 Church Street have been renovated for commercial use. This includes a storefront addition on 644 Church Street and the removal of its original entrance and ground floor bay window. This storefront addition likely dates to the early-to-mid 20th century, albeit it has been modernized over time. The upstairs of 642-644 Church Street apppear to potentially be in use as residential space(s) as of early 2022.

642-644 Church Street is representative of the 19th century residential development of Church Street (between Carlton Street and Bloor Street East). 642-644 Church Street is also representative of a discernable trend of buildings on Church Street which were originally residential, but underwent ground floor commercial modifications during the early-to-mid 20th century.

The architect and/or builder of 642-644 Church Street is not known at present. However, archival materials - presently inaccessible to the public due to COVID-19 pandemic-related closures - may be able to identify these parties.

The exterior of 642-644 Church Street was originally of a yellow brick construction. The exterior brickwork has been painted. 

642-644 Church Street was constructed on former Park Lot 7. Park Lot 7 was granted to Commissary John McGill on 4 September 1793. This section of Park Lot 7 was initially surveyed for residential development in the 1840s and 1850s.

Prior to the construction of 642-644 Church Street in 1881/1882, the southwest corner of Church Street and Hayden Street was the site of a nursery garden during the 1870s and early 1880s.

Prior to 1890, 642-644 Church Street was known as 578-580 Church Street. 

During the late 20th century (1970s-1990s), the Toronto Historical Board identified 642-644 Church Street as being of interest for heritage designation. However, 642-644 Church Street was not added to the heritage register at this point in time. For more information regarding this, please see this City of Toronto Archives record: https://gencat.eloquent-systems.com/city-of-toronto-archives-m-permalink.html?key=1624829

First Occupants: 

The first occupants of 642-644 Church Street were: 

642 Church Street: Robert G. A. Paton and family.

644 Church Street: Charles Philip Sparling and family.

Robert G. A. Paton and Family:

Between 1882/1883 and 1903/1904, 642 Church Street was home to Robert Graham Alex (G. A.) Paton (1830-1903) and his family.

Robert G. A. Paton was born in Falkirk, Scotland in 1830. He was married to Jemima Paton (1830-1898). Jemima Paton was born in New York in 1830 to a Scottish family. Robert and Jemima Paton had at least 10 children — 5 daughters and 5 sons — per the 1871 Census of Canada. The Paton family were Presbyterian.

For many years, Robert G. A. Paton worked at the Toronto Customs House. During the early 1880s, he was an Officer at the Toronto Customs House. By the late 1890s, Paton was the Chief Locker at the Toronto Customs House. Robert G. A. Paton was also a member of the Caledonian Society and the York Pioneers Society. 

Robert G. A. Paton died in Toronto in March 1903. 

Charles Philip Sparling and Family:

Between 1882/1883 and 1886/1887, 644 Church Street was home to Charles Philip Sparling (1851-1934) and his family. Charles Philip Sparling was born in 1851 in Toronto. 

In 1873, Charles Philip Sparling married Amelia Elliott (1852-1928). Charles and Amelia Sparling had 8 children — 4 daughters and 4 sons — born between 1875 and 1891.

As of the early 1880s, Charles Philip Sparling was a bookkeeper at Rowsell, Hutchinson, & Company — a law bookselling and publishing firm based at 74-76 King Street East. He was also a charter member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and served as its recorder (secretary) and treasurer for many years; a council member of the Toronto Astronomical and Physical Society; and an elected member of The Royal Society of Canada and The Canadian Institute.

Charles Philip Sparling died in Toronto in November 1934.  

Later Occupants and Uses:  

Please note the following list is not exhaustive of all former occupants and uses of 642-644 Church Street and aims to provide a general overview. Dates are also approximate.

Circa 1889/1890:

642 Church Street: Robert G. A. Paton — Customs House official — and family.

644 Church street: Herbert Parmelee — owner of The Parmelee Roofing and Paving Company, which was based at 10 Adelaide Street West.

Circa 1894/1895:

642 Church Street: Robert G. A. Paton — Customs House official — and family.

644 Church Street: John M. Smith — foreman at Rowsell, Hutchinson, & Company — law booksellers and publishers (see Charles Philip Sparling's section for more information on this company.) 

Circa 1899/1900:

642 Church Street: Robert G. A. Paton — Customs House official — and family. 

644 Church Street: Vacant.

Circa 1904/1905:

642 Church Street: Hugh Major — an engineer.

644 Church Street: Robert J. Griffith — an agent. 

Circa 1909/1910:

642 Church Street: Carrie Howells — a dressmaker.

644 Church Street: Earl Cherry — a traveller. 

Circa 1911/1912:

642 Church Street: Carrie Howells — a dressmaker.

644 Church Street: Russell J. Hay — massage parlour.

Circa 1913/1914/1915:

642 Church Street: George H. Watson — a messenger at the Canadian Bank of Commerce. 

644 Church Street: Martha E. Bee — confectionery shop.

Circa 1919/1920:

642 Church Street: Alfred Plumb.

644 Church Street: Martha E. Bee — confectionery shop. 

As of 1921, four of the Bee sisters — Martha, Margaret, Jessie, and Joan— resided at 644 Church Street. Margaret (born 1882) was the youngest of the four sisters who were living here in 1921, whereas Joan (born 1864) was the oldest.  The Bee sisters were all born in Ontario. Their father was from Scotland, whereas their mother was from Ireland. 

Circa 1929/1930:

642 Church Street: William Evans — chauffeur at Toronto Hydro. 

644 Church Street: Martha E. Bee — confectionery shop. 

Circa 1939/1940:

642 Church Street:  Walter Feeder and Frank Lyons.

644 Church Street: Thomas Birch — grocer. 

Circa 1949/1940:

642 Church Street: William Hooper — construction worker at Godson's. 

644 Church Street: Thomas Birch — grocer.

Circa 1959/1960:

642 Church Street: No Data

644 Church Street: Hugh's Salon (hairdressers) and Harvey Aiken. 

Note: Hugh's Salon occupied multiple floors of the building per a 1953 advertisement in The Globe and Mail.

Circa. 1968/1969:

642 Church Street: The Hundred Antiques and Frank H. Crane.

644 Church Street: Dary's Coiffures & Boutique.

Note: The Hundred Antiques first appears at this location in the early 1960s and was also based in 640 Church Street during this period. An advertisement from 1962 has been included with this entry. 

1998 to 2018:

Between 1998 and 2018, 642-644 Church Street's ground floor housed Spirits. Spirits was a popular neighbourhood pub which also offered live entertainment, such as karaoke and open mic nights. Further research is required to determine whether Spirits had a significant connection to Toronto's LGBTQ communities and/or the Church-Wellesley Village. Further research is also required to determine at what point in time Spirits consolidated the two buildings' ground floors. 

Present Day:

642 Church Street: Vacant ground floor commercial unit with what appears to potentially be tenanted upstairs residential unit(s).

644 Church Street: A & W restaurant franchise on ground floor with what appears to potentially be tenanted upstairs residential unit(s). 

Potential Redevelopment:

640, 642, and 644 Church Street have been purchased by Shiu Pong. Shiu Pong is a sizable developer and real estate company. As of mid-January 2022, no redevelopment plans have been made publicly available. However, it is possible this site may undergo redevelopment in the future. Steps should be taken to ensure on site heritage resources are not lost during redevelopment. 

(Research by Adam Wynne)