Eric Very
@ekvery.bsky.social
I like local history, cycling, coffee, quiet streets, and making connections—between people, places, and ideas.
Working on the waterfront.
Working on the waterfront.
Made this map while researching my neighbourhoods early history. It's a composite of an 1797 and 1837 map, which reveals some familiar and lost routes in the west end.
More about the history here: brockton-history.ca/2025/10/18/e...
More about the history here: brockton-history.ca/2025/10/18/e...
October 19, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Made this map while researching my neighbourhoods early history. It's a composite of an 1797 and 1837 map, which reveals some familiar and lost routes in the west end.
More about the history here: brockton-history.ca/2025/10/18/e...
More about the history here: brockton-history.ca/2025/10/18/e...
The cormorants are occupying Sherborne Slip. Wonder what they are feasting on over here?
September 10, 2025 at 4:29 PM
The cormorants are occupying Sherborne Slip. Wonder what they are feasting on over here?
Thank for this. A great review of a great book.
Always interesting to see the list of neighbourhoods that were part of the 1908 "Shacktown Relief Fund," which raises funds for mostly food and fuel for families in these neighbourhoods.
Always interesting to see the list of neighbourhoods that were part of the 1908 "Shacktown Relief Fund," which raises funds for mostly food and fuel for families in these neighbourhoods.
September 4, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Thank for this. A great review of a great book.
Always interesting to see the list of neighbourhoods that were part of the 1908 "Shacktown Relief Fund," which raises funds for mostly food and fuel for families in these neighbourhoods.
Always interesting to see the list of neighbourhoods that were part of the 1908 "Shacktown Relief Fund," which raises funds for mostly food and fuel for families in these neighbourhoods.
Centennial Pavement. First time noticing one of these on Toronto's sidewalks
May 28, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Centennial Pavement. First time noticing one of these on Toronto's sidewalks
Had a great time walking around Brockton Village for @janeswalk.bsky.social. Glad the rain held off and thanks to everyone who came out!
May 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Had a great time walking around Brockton Village for @janeswalk.bsky.social. Glad the rain held off and thanks to everyone who came out!
Change doesn't come without risk.
Looking forward to the next stretch of the Waters Edge Promenade opening
Looking forward to the next stretch of the Waters Edge Promenade opening
April 30, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Change doesn't come without risk.
Looking forward to the next stretch of the Waters Edge Promenade opening
Looking forward to the next stretch of the Waters Edge Promenade opening
Love this! A little flower pop up by the Bellwoods Sakuras.
April 30, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Love this! A little flower pop up by the Bellwoods Sakuras.
Good find. The 1920 article makes it sound so very novel. But you're right, a by-law making Leader Lane one-way passed July 2, 1901.
By-law 4108 remains the law of the land!
By-law 4108 remains the law of the land!
April 30, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Good find. The 1920 article makes it sound so very novel. But you're right, a by-law making Leader Lane one-way passed July 2, 1901.
By-law 4108 remains the law of the land!
By-law 4108 remains the law of the land!
March 1920.
City introduced its first on-street parking restrictions and six one-way streets downtown
City introduced its first on-street parking restrictions and six one-way streets downtown
April 30, 2025 at 1:29 AM
March 1920.
City introduced its first on-street parking restrictions and six one-way streets downtown
City introduced its first on-street parking restrictions and six one-way streets downtown
But gotta admire the sheer girth of the building. Toronto's largest 19th century office building.
April 30, 2025 at 12:51 AM
But gotta admire the sheer girth of the building. Toronto's largest 19th century office building.
A hazy view when it was new, off in the distance. At 7 stories wasn't able to rise above the church steeples to make a real impact on the skyline.
April 30, 2025 at 12:47 AM
A hazy view when it was new, off in the distance. At 7 stories wasn't able to rise above the church steeples to make a real impact on the skyline.
On September 13, 1791, days before Simcoe would leave England for Canada, the machinery of Empire was finishing breaking up Indigenous land.
Read about the summer that reshaped Ontario in my latest post:
brockton-history.ca/2025/04/21/1...
Read about the summer that reshaped Ontario in my latest post:
brockton-history.ca/2025/04/21/1...
April 23, 2025 at 12:57 PM
On September 13, 1791, days before Simcoe would leave England for Canada, the machinery of Empire was finishing breaking up Indigenous land.
Read about the summer that reshaped Ontario in my latest post:
brockton-history.ca/2025/04/21/1...
Read about the summer that reshaped Ontario in my latest post:
brockton-history.ca/2025/04/21/1...
In the summer of 1791, Augustus Jones carved a line through forest and swamp. That survey turned Indigenous land into British property—and drew the edges of Brockton.
📍 Read the full story:
🔗 brockton-history.ca/2025/04/21/1...
#TorontoHistory #BrocktonVillage #1791Survey
📍 Read the full story:
🔗 brockton-history.ca/2025/04/21/1...
#TorontoHistory #BrocktonVillage #1791Survey
April 22, 2025 at 12:40 PM
In the summer of 1791, Augustus Jones carved a line through forest and swamp. That survey turned Indigenous land into British property—and drew the edges of Brockton.
📍 Read the full story:
🔗 brockton-history.ca/2025/04/21/1...
#TorontoHistory #BrocktonVillage #1791Survey
📍 Read the full story:
🔗 brockton-history.ca/2025/04/21/1...
#TorontoHistory #BrocktonVillage #1791Survey
Fun little project. Using census data, historical maps this article reconstructs the Black presence in 19th-century West Toronto, exploring where people lived, worked, and why Brockton may have been a place they passed through rather than settled
Read more brockton-history.ca/2025/03/16/m...
Read more brockton-history.ca/2025/03/16/m...
March 16, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Fun little project. Using census data, historical maps this article reconstructs the Black presence in 19th-century West Toronto, exploring where people lived, worked, and why Brockton may have been a place they passed through rather than settled
Read more brockton-history.ca/2025/03/16/m...
Read more brockton-history.ca/2025/03/16/m...
One of the ways I'm trying to tell stories about my neighbourhood's early history is through maps. This map shows an untold story of racial discrimination in Toronto’s first
transit system. See the full story History mapped out: brockton-history.ca/2025/02/26/d...
transit system. See the full story History mapped out: brockton-history.ca/2025/02/26/d...
February 27, 2025 at 4:49 PM
One of the ways I'm trying to tell stories about my neighbourhood's early history is through maps. This map shows an untold story of racial discrimination in Toronto’s first
transit system. See the full story History mapped out: brockton-history.ca/2025/02/26/d...
transit system. See the full story History mapped out: brockton-history.ca/2025/02/26/d...
It's been a long time since I put my mapping skills to work. Had fun making a series to better tell this story.
Let me know what you think!
Let me know what you think!
February 20, 2025 at 4:44 PM
It's been a long time since I put my mapping skills to work. Had fun making a series to better tell this story.
Let me know what you think!
Let me know what you think!
On closer inspection that the sketch is from 1853, not 1855, as described by LAC Archives.
There is a sneaky line right there, which definitely makes it look like 1855 from a distance.
There is also a second sketch. I'm waiting to be digitized. Not sure if it is a copy or refinement.
There is a sneaky line right there, which definitely makes it look like 1855 from a distance.
There is also a second sketch. I'm waiting to be digitized. Not sure if it is a copy or refinement.
February 18, 2025 at 4:57 PM
On closer inspection that the sketch is from 1853, not 1855, as described by LAC Archives.
There is a sneaky line right there, which definitely makes it look like 1855 from a distance.
There is also a second sketch. I'm waiting to be digitized. Not sure if it is a copy or refinement.
There is a sneaky line right there, which definitely makes it look like 1855 from a distance.
There is also a second sketch. I'm waiting to be digitized. Not sure if it is a copy or refinement.
Other thought was a "Museum of Empire. This city was obsessed with Empire for 200 year. People love the Empire Podcast. Could weave in the city's history and take a critical look at Empires, which fought over this land for centuries. Also an excuse to get the building all dressed up again.
February 4, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Other thought was a "Museum of Empire. This city was obsessed with Empire for 200 year. People love the Empire Podcast. Could weave in the city's history and take a critical look at Empires, which fought over this land for centuries. Also an excuse to get the building all dressed up again.
The Textile Manufacturing Company is still in business. Was operating nearby at Dufferin and Dupont but seems to have recently (2021/22) moved up to Vaughan.
Makes hockey laces!
textilemanufacturingcompany.com/textile-manu...
Makes hockey laces!
textilemanufacturingcompany.com/textile-manu...
January 10, 2025 at 4:00 AM
The Textile Manufacturing Company is still in business. Was operating nearby at Dufferin and Dupont but seems to have recently (2021/22) moved up to Vaughan.
Makes hockey laces!
textilemanufacturingcompany.com/textile-manu...
Makes hockey laces!
textilemanufacturingcompany.com/textile-manu...
The building was built originally for the Dovercourt Twin Mills in 1884. Shurly and Derrett Ltd. later purchased the facility and operated it until 1924, when they sold to the Textile Manufacturing Company. But Derrett was still involved, as seen selling the building in 1933.
January 10, 2025 at 3:49 AM
The building was built originally for the Dovercourt Twin Mills in 1884. Shurly and Derrett Ltd. later purchased the facility and operated it until 1924, when they sold to the Textile Manufacturing Company. But Derrett was still involved, as seen selling the building in 1933.
Correct. Jacobs wanted to "encourage small-time entrepreneurs to come up with answers."
December 24, 2024 at 5:06 PM
Correct. Jacobs wanted to "encourage small-time entrepreneurs to come up with answers."
Experimenting with mapping the history of Brockton Village. Starting with a map of ownership of Park Lots in 1798.
Any preference on the style?
Both maps show the same information. Tried to be creative with the blue map, which uses the 1851 Brown Map as a base.
Any preference on the style?
Both maps show the same information. Tried to be creative with the blue map, which uses the 1851 Brown Map as a base.
December 22, 2024 at 11:26 PM
Experimenting with mapping the history of Brockton Village. Starting with a map of ownership of Park Lots in 1798.
Any preference on the style?
Both maps show the same information. Tried to be creative with the blue map, which uses the 1851 Brown Map as a base.
Any preference on the style?
Both maps show the same information. Tried to be creative with the blue map, which uses the 1851 Brown Map as a base.
Winter Fest Toronto .
December 1, 2024 at 9:47 PM
Winter Fest Toronto .
This one looks damn good in the December twilight
December 1, 2024 at 9:31 PM
This one looks damn good in the December twilight
Last ship of season? Federal Yukon coming from Montreal
December 1, 2024 at 9:27 PM
Last ship of season? Federal Yukon coming from Montreal