Elton Crescent in Long Branch is named after J.O. Elton, reeve of Long Branch and brother of architect Gresely Elton
A May 12, 2016 Globe and Mail article is entitled: “Fewer listings in Toronto’s housing market make for a bitter spring.”
During a May 5, 2013 Jane’s Walk in Long Branch in southern Etobicoke in Toronto led by Mike James and Jaan Pill, we learned that Gresley Elton was the architect who designed Parkview School at 85 Forty First Street. The school was built in the late 1950s to accommodate large numbers of Baby Boomers starting school in those years. At the above-noted Jane’s Walk we also learned about key architectural details – as illustrated in the photo from the front of Parkview School – that are characteristic of Elton’s work. Jaan Pill photo
The article includes a photo with the following caption: “This house at 5 Elton Cres., with an asking price of $1,559,800, has been transformed from a bungalow into two stories built around a central atrium.”
J.O. Elton and Gresley Elton
Sid (Suit) Olvet has noted that Elton Crescent is named in honour of J.O. (“Jack”) Elton, who was reeve of Long Branch before the legendary Marie Curtis.
J.O. Elton was the brother of Gresley Elton, an architect who designed many buildings – including schools, churches, and a public library – in Long Branch, years ago.
Jane and Sid (Suit) Olvet learned of our May 5, 2013 Jane’s Walk through the Jane’s Walk website. Jane’s father was Gresley Elton, who designed many buildings in Long Branch including the building in the background of this photo at Marie Curtis Park near the mouth of Etobicoke Creek. Jane Olvet’s parents originally met each other in the early 1900s at the tennis court that used to exist at the Long Branch Park resort that dates from the late 1800s. Jaan Pill photo
A current project, that I am working on from time to time – a draft of 10,000-plus words is in progress – involves the writing of A History of Long Branch (Toronto) – Draft 4 featuring brief, evidence-based glimpses of the history of Long Branch.
With regard to Jane’s Walk, an upcoming Jane’s Walk next door to Long Branch will take place on Saturday, May 28, 2016:
The Jane’s Walk website provides the following quick overview of the above-noted May 28, 2016 walk:
Small Arms Building – Then and Now
Additional photos of Gresely Elton’s architectural details
Additional photos of Gresely Elton’s work are available at a post entitled:
I owe many, many thanks to Suit Olvet, who has enabled me to revise an earlier version of the above-noted post; my first version included an erroneous statement about who Elton Crescent is named after.
In a May 14, 2016 email message (which he has given me permission to post), Suit Olvet wrote:
Hi, Jaan,
While Gresley Elton designed many buildings, including schools, churches and a library in Long Branch, Elton Crescent is not named after him.
It was named in honour of his brother, J.O. (“Jack”) Elton, who was reeve of Long Branch before legendary Marie Curtis. We have a promotional oval, like a coaster, from his 1941 campaign to be elected to council.
Jack was in the food business for over 60 years, including as a partner of the Weston brothers. Co-founder of the Red and White grocery chain, among other innovations he created the Brim brand of coffee –“Good to the last drop!” — that sold well for years.
I was a pallbearer at his funeral in St. Agnes Anglican church, designed by his brother Gresley, Jane’s father. Jane and I were married there.
Jack planned to live to 100. At the end, living in the upscale Rotary Laughlin Centre in Toronto where George Weston would visit him, he claimed he had achieved his goal and died. He had miscalculated by a small margin.
Keep up the good work, Jaan.
-Suit
Hi Suit
Good to read your message. Thank you for your kind words about my work as a blogger.
With your help, the post is now accurate. Without your helpful information, I would have made an assumption, and the reality that assumptions are subject to error would have escaped me.
I can see from this case how easy it is for errors to occur. In this case, I had not even been aware that fact-checking would be in order.
I owe you many thanks!
Best,
Jaan