Description: 

81 St. John's Road is a 2.5 storey Queen Anne Revival house located on the south side of St. John's Road between Laws Street and Evelyn Avenue in the Junction neighbourhood of Toronto. 81 St. John's Road was constructed in 1891 and designed by architect Abraham B. Pipher. The builder was Joseph Galloway. 


81 St. John's Road was one of the very first houses built on the south side of St. John's Road and is representative of the early residential development of the street.

Multiple mechanics liens were tkaen out against local architect Abraham B. Pipher and builder Joseph Galloway during the construction of 81 St. John's Road.


81 St. John's Road is located less than 30 meters southwest of the boundary of the Junction (Phase I) Heritage Conservation District. 


Prior to the annexation of the Junction in 1909, 81 St. John's Road was known as 81 Louisa Street. 



Architect - Abraham B. Pipher:

The architect of 81 St. John's Road was Abraham B. Pipher.

The Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada: 1800-1950 provides the following biography of Abraham B. Pipher:


"Abraham B. Pipher was active in the village of West Toronto Junction, which was then centered around the intersection of the present Keele Street and Dundas Street West in Toronto, Ont. A brief biography of Pipher appeared in 1891, and noted that " For the past four years Mr. A.B. Phipher has made his headquarters at Toronto Junction, and during that time has prepared plans for, and superintended the construction of some of the best buildings in the town. For upwards of 18 years Mr. A.B. Pipher has been a contractor and architect" (Saturday Globe [Toronto], 25 July 1891, 4). He moved to the United States in 1892 and was active in Buffalo, N.Y. as an architect until after 1900 (Buffalo City Directory, 1896, 1205; U.S. Federal Census, 1900, New York State: Erie County: Buffalo City, Ward 5, District 45, Sheet 5A). By 1910 he had returned to Ontario, taking up residence in Aurora and advertising his services as "Architect and Builder" (Aurora Banner, 8 April 1910, 4). There, he built (and presumably designed) at least three houses on Temperance Street and on Rueben Street, and continued to work in the town until at least 1914 (advert. Aurora Banner, 18 Sept. 1914, 1). Pipher later died at Buffalo, N.Y. on 24 February 1930."



Builder and Original Resident — Joseph Galloway / First Owner — William Galloway: 

The builder and first resident of 81 St. John's Road was Joseph Galloway, whereas the first owner was William Galloway. 

Further research on the Galloways is ongoing. 


Later Residents: 


1892-1895:

Between 1892 and 1895, 81 St. John's Road was home to Reverend Robert Philip McKim (1859-1936) and his family. 


Born on 29 June 1859, Reverend McKim was the eldest son of Robert McKim (1825-1892) and Isabella Meredith (1827-1910). Both of his parents were Irish immigrants to Canada. His father was a veteran of the Crimean War. 


Reverend McKim graduated from Wycliffe College in 1890, entered the ministry in 1892, and was ordained as a priest in 1893. His first appointment was as curate and pastor of St. John's West Toronto Anglican Church — which formerly existed across the street at what is now Malta Park. St. John's West Toronto Anglican Church opened at this location in 1881 and moved to its present location at 288 Humberside Avenue in 1923. 


Reverend McKim served at St. John's West Toronto Anglican Church from 1893 until 1895 after which he moved to St. John, New Brunswick.


Reverend McKim married Alice Maude Taylor (1860-1942) in June 1882. The McKims had 9 children — 6 daughters and 3 sons — between 1883 and 1900.


Reverend McKim and his family remained in New Brunswick until his retirement in 1934 at which point they returned to Toronto. Reverend McKim died in Toronto on 29 May 1936.


1896/1897:

In 1896/1897, 81 St. John's Road was home to John Hope. John Hope owned Hope & Company, a harness making company at 83 Dundas Street West. 


1899/1900:

In 1899/1900, 81 St. John's Road was home to John F. Holden and Oscar B. Holden. John F. Holden was an agent at the Great North Western Telegraph Company. Oscar B. Holden was a clerk at the Canada Cycle & Motor Company Ltd (also known as CCM).


1909/1910:

In 1909/1910, 81 St. John's Road was home to William McLaughlin and William J. McLaughlin. William McLaughlin appears to have been retired, whereas William J. McLaughlin was a travelling salesman. 



1914/1915:

In 1914/1915, 81 St. John's Road was home to William Carr and family. William Carr was a switchman at the Canadian Pacific Railway.


1919/1920:

In 1919/1920, 81 St. John's Road was home to Samuel Mitchell. Samuel Mitchell was an electro finisher.


1929/1930:


In 1929/1930, 81 St. John's Road was home to Edward G. Breen, Clara M. Thompson, and John Thompson. Edward G. Breen was married to Clara M. Thompson. Edward G. Breen was a compositor at F. N. Burt Company, whereas John Thompson was a foreman at Swift's. 



1939/1940: 

By 1939/1940, 81 St. John's Road appears to have been divided into three units. The residents included: Clara M. Thompson — the landlady — and her family; Edward W. Reaney — a pressman at Burt Business Forms; and Thomas Wheeler — a foreman at the Harris Abattoir. 


1949/1950:


In 1949/1950, 81 St. John's Road was home to the Thompson family, as well as George Anderson. 


1959/1960:


In 1959/1960, 81 St. John's Road was home to the Thompson family.


1969 to 2022:


From 1969 to the present day (early April 2022), 81 St. John's Road has been owned by the Cook family. The Cook family purchased the house for $31 300 in 1969. The Cook family put 81 St. John's Road up for sale in late March 2022. 


At Risk: 
 

81 St. John's Road has been in a dilapidated condition for a number of years. In late March 2022, the property was put up for sale for $1.89 million. The real estate ad notes the appeal of the property to "contractors, developers, and investors." Steps should be taken to ensure 81 St. John's Road is not lost to demolition in the future.  

(Research by Diana Fancher (West Toronto Junction Historical Society) and Adam Wynne))

• Builder - A.B. Pipher