Description: 

313 Sherbourne Street is a 2.5 storey Gothic Revival house located on the east side of Sherbourne Street approximately 25 meters north of Gerrard Street East. 313 Sherbourne Street was constructed in 1873/1874.   

313 Sherbourne Street is a fine example of mid-to-late 19th century Gothic Revival residential architecture. Of particular note is the decorative frieze composed of Gothic trefoil arches around the bay window. The exterior of the building has been painted light blue-grey.

As of 2023, 313 Sherbourne Street is the only surviving houseform building on the east side of Sherbourne Street between Gerrard Street East and Carlton Street. This section of Sherbourne Street — facing Allan Gardens — was historically a desirable block and home to many influential and wealthy Toronto families.   

Research is ongoing to identify the architect and/or builder of 313 Sherbourne Street. 

313 Sherbourne Street is located within the boundaries of the Cabbagetown Northwest Heritage Conservation District — presently under study. 

Prior to 1890, 313 Sherbourne Street was known as 277 Sherbourne Street.   

In mid-2023, 313 Sherbourne Street experienced a fire as a result of squatters in the vacant property. 

First Occupants - Anna Maria Thorne and Family:

313 Sherbourne Street was originally home to Anna Maria Thorne (1804-1881) and several of her adult children.The Thorne family were the founding family and eponym of Thornill. The Thorne family also owned the neighbouring home at 311 Sherbourne Street which had been constructed prior to 313 Sherbourne Street. 311 Sherbourne Street has since been lost to demolition and now contains a 4-storey office building. 

Anna Maria Thorne was born Anna Maria Wilcocks-Lodge in Great Blakenham, Suffolk, England in 1804. Her parents were Colonel John Wilcocks-Lodge (1767-1850) and Anna Maria Merriman (1776-1860). The Wilcocks-Lodge family emigrated to Canada during the early 19th century (prior to 1831). Anna Maria's parents settled in the Cobourg area.  

In February 1831, Anna Maria Wilcocks-Lodge married Benjamin Thorne. The marriage occurred at St. James Cathedral and was conducted by Bishop Strachan. Between 1831 and 1846, Anna Maria and Benjamin Thorne had 9 children — 3 daughters and 6 sons. 

Benjamin Thorne (1794-1848) was born in Sherborne, Dorset, England. In 1821, Benjamin emigrated to Canada and opened a business with William Parsons. In 1822, he purchased part of the lease to Purdy's Mill and entered into the flour milling business. This made Benjamin Thorne very wealthy during the 1820s and he eventually purchased multiple mills and farms in what is now Ontario. By 1824, Benjamin Thorne was able to purchase stock in the Bank of Upper Canada and received a directorship position within the institution.  

In 1828, Thorne and William Parsons petitioned the government for a post office near their mill. Early names that were considered included: Atkinson's Mills, Purdy Mills, and Thorne's Mills. Eventually, the name Thornhill was chosen — after Benjamin Thorne.  


The Thornes were members of the Family Compact. In 1829, Thorne donated land in York Mills to construct an Anglican Church. Construction on the church (Holy Trinity Church, York Mills) was completed in February 1830 and Bishop Strachan officiated the opening ceremony. As noted above, the following year, in February 1831, Bishop Strachan officiated Benjamin Thorne's and Anna Maria Wilcocks-Lodge's marriage.

Benjamin Thorne died in 1848. Following his death, Anna Maria Thorne relocated to Toronto to be closer to her adult children. 

At least four of her adult children resided at 313 Sherbourne Street at various points during the 1870s and 1880s: 

Anna Maria Thorne (1833-1921) 

Catherine Thorne (1839-1917) 

Charles Edward Thorne (1843-1927): A manufacturing agent at Philips, Thorne, & Company, a wholesale china, glassware, and earthenware company based at 23 Front Street East.

Horace Thorne (1844-1913): A barrister at Watson, Thorne, and Smellie, a law firm based on York Street near Osgoode Hall.

 

Edina Campbell (born c. 1861) — a servant — also resided at the property as of the 1881 Census of Canada.

Anna Maria Thorne died on 23 October 1881. 

 

Later Occupants and Uses:


David and Annie McGee:

From 1886 until 1919 (± 1 year), 313 Sherbourne Street was home to David and Annie McGee. David McGee was the Secretary of the Canadian Landed Credit Company. The Canadian Landed Credit Company was a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway. David McGee died in 1914/1915 and his wife continued to reside at the property until 1919 (± 1 year).


Donald S. Corlett: 

From 1919 to 1929, 313 Sherbourne Street was home to Donald Corlett. He was a real estate agent at Corlett & Corlett, a real estate firm based at 296 Dundas Street East.


British Israel House (British-Israel World Federation):

From December 1929 until the COVID-19 pandemic (2019-2023), 313 Sherbourne Street was home to the British Israel House. The British Israel House was operated as the Canadian and Ontarian chapter of the British-Israel World Federation. 

The British-Israel World Federation is an Anglo-Israelist (British-Israelist) eschatological and apocalyptic organization that was founded in 1922. Anglo-Israelism emerged during the 1840s and sought to provide divine legitimacy to Anglo-Saxon Imperial rule through literal intetpretation of Old Testament Biblical texts. Other core tenets of the organization are that the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic peoples of the British Isles are one of the lost tribes of Israel, that the British Royal Family are descendants of the Biblical King David, and that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will establish the British as God's chosen people. 

The British-Israel World Federation emerged as an amalgamation of over 80 different Anglo-Israelist organizations following World War I. There was an increased interest in Anglo-Israelism following the British conquest of Jerusalem in 1917. At its height, there were between 30 000 and 2 000 000 followers, including high-ranking members of the British Royal Family. At its height, the organization held property on Buckingham Gate and Trafalgar Square in London. The British-Israel movement has been waning since the 1960s.

Anglo-Israelism and the British-Israel World Federation have been branded as racist, anti-Semitic, and white supremacist by various contemporary scholars, including the Critical Dictionary of Apocalyptic and Millenarian Movements. It has also been identified as a progenitor of the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan Nations. The author of the British-Israel World Federation Constitution was Reuben H. Sawyer (1866-1962). Sawyer was also a founder and leader of the Oregon Ku Klux Klan.  

A photograph of the opening ceremony of the British-Israel House has been included above.

For more information on British Israelism, please see this Critical Dictionary of Apocalyptic and Millenarian Movements article (here) and the attached sources.
 

Ongoing Land Assembly:

313 Sherbourne Street is part of a development-related land assembly. This assembly also includes the adjacent office building at 311 Sherbourne Street. 

(Research by Adam Wynne.)