Henry Scadding

author

Henry Scadding

1813–1901

A 19th-century Toronto clergyman, teacher, and local historian, he helped preserve the city’s early stories in books that are still remembered today. His writing blends firsthand memory, scholarship, and a deep affection for the place where he spent most of his life.

1 Audiobook

Toronto of Old Collections and recollections illustrative of the early settlement and social life of the capital of Ontario

Toronto of Old Collections and recollections illustrative of the early settlement and social life of the capital of Ontario

by Henry Scadding

About the author

Born in Dunkeswell, England, on July 29, 1813, he came to Upper Canada as a child and grew up in the York-Toronto area. He studied at Upper Canada College and later at St John’s College, Cambridge, then returned to Canada to build a career as an Anglican clergyman and educator.

He taught at Upper Canada College and in 1847 was appointed rector of Holy Trinity Church in Toronto, a post he held for many years. Alongside his church work, he became known as a scholar and collector with a strong interest in local history and the people who shaped early Toronto.

He is best remembered for historical works such as Toronto of Old and later collaborations on Toronto’s past and present. Because he wrote with both research and personal knowledge of the city’s early generations, his books remain valuable to readers interested in Toronto’s beginnings.