Description:

119 Church Street is a 4-storey Edwardian building located at the northeast corner of Church Street and Ditty Lane. 119 Church Street was constructed in 1910/1911 and was later consolidated with 121 and 123 Church Street.

The architect and/or builder of 119 Church Street is not known at present, however archival resources — presently inaccessible to the public due to COVID-19 pandemic-related closures — may be able to identify these parties. 

Please note that further research is required to determine whether the fourth storey (presently obscured behind a large billboard) is original to 119 Church Street — and if not, at what point it was added.

Of additional note is that the extant Edwardian building at 119 Church Street is the second building to be located on this site. The earlier building was a mid-19th century house that was home to a number of prominent individuals in the 19th century, including: Dr. William Canniff (1830-1910) — a physician and surgeon, public health pioneer, and Toronto's first permanent Medical Officer of Health — during the late 1860s and early 1870s; and Dr. Emily H. Stowe (1831-1903) — Canada's first female physician, Canada's first female school principal, and a founder and leader of Canada's suffrage movement — and her family during the mid-1870s to mid-1890s.

First Occupant: 

119 Church Street first housed George Sparrow & Company — a firm which designed and manufactured appliances and equipment for hotel and industrial kitchens, laundries, etc. George Sparrow & Company was based at 119 Church Street between 1910/1911 and 1934. Following George Sparrow & Company, 119 Church Street housed the Hobart Manufacturing Company Ltd from 1934 until 1947/1948.

Later Occupants and Uses: 

1934-1947/1948:

From 1934 until 1947/1948, 119 Church Street housed the Hobart Manufacturing Company Ltd. The Hobart Manufacturing Company Ltd. also manufactured kitchen appliances and equipment.

Circa 1949/1950:

In circa 1949/1950, 119 Church Street housed Adam's Trade-In — a pawn shop and second hand store. 

Circa 1959/1960:

In circa 1959/1960, 119 Church Street housed Mitchell Houghton Ltd. — retailers of office furniture and supplies; and J. W. Barrington & Son — manufacturers of leather goods and saddles. 

Circa 1967/1968:

In circa 1967/1968, 119 Church Street housed Western Store Equipment Ltd. — a storage facility.  

Circa 1972:

In circa 1972, 119 Church Street housed McBrien Office Furniture.

1975-2022:

Since 1975, 119-123 Church Street has housed the flagship location of Henry's — a Canadian chain of camera and photography stores. Henry's is planning to close this flagship location in the summer of 2022. 

(Research by Adam Wynne)