author
Henry Scadding
1813–1901
An Anglican clergyman, teacher, and early Toronto historian, he helped preserve the city’s memories in books that still shape how its past is remembered. His writing joined firsthand recollection with a deep love of local history.
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About the author
Born in Dunkeswell, Devon, on July 29, 1813, he came to Upper Canada with his family as a child in 1821. He was educated at Upper Canada College and later at St John's College, Cambridge, before returning to Canada and being ordained in the Church of England.
He spent much of his working life as a clergyman in Toronto, most notably at the Church of the Holy Trinity, and he was also known as a teacher and scholar. Alongside his church work, he developed a lasting interest in the history of York and Toronto at a time when many early memories of the city were in danger of being lost.
He is best remembered for books such as Toronto of Old and for other historical writings that gathered stories, documents, and local traditions from early Toronto. Henry Scadding died in Toronto on May 6, 1901, leaving behind a rich record of the city’s first generations.