Swansea Historical Society - Preserving & Promoting Our Unique History

Welcome to the Swansea Historical Society

The Swansea Historical Society preserves and promotes the history of the former Village of Swansea that was amalgamated by the City of Toronto in 1967.

The Swansea Historical Society was started in 1985 by a group of people who were interested in preserving and promoting the unique history of the Swansea area. The Society is a registered charity, and all of its work is done by a group of dedicated volunteers.

Upcoming Events

Our speaker for November will be Ken Stark discussing both the natural and human history surrounding the Grenadier Pond.

This presentation will begin with the geological formation of the Pond during the last ice age and chronical the early settlement and urban development which occurred around it. As the jewel of High Park, Grenadier Pond supports a variety of flora and fauna some of which is unique to the region. And as with any body of water there is an element of risk to its users: a summary of the unfortunate accidents and tragedies of the last 100+ years will be discussed as well as a few interesting stories from the past involving Grenadier Pond as a central character.

News

The Swansea Historical Society is actively welcoming new members!

The SHS is a charming group where you can learn more about our local history and uncover surprising details that contextualize many aspects of this neighbourhood’s physical and social character. Explore our website and bookmark your calendars for our upcoming in-person meetings!

Our 2024-25 programme begins at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024,
at the Swansea Town Hall, 95 Lavinia Ave.

Volunteer!

Elizabeth and Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe (Bob and Susan Roden) at Canada 150 celebrations, July 1, 2017.

The Swansea Historical Society is a registered charity – and all of its work is done by a small group of dedicated volunteers. We can always benefit from more help and fresh ideas!

Previous experience is not a requirement, and you don’t have be an expert in local history in order to participate. We have some vacancies that need to be filled listed here. In addition to filling jobs with ongoing responsibilities, we are also happy to welcome people on-board as “Executive Members Without Portfolio”, who may be asked to participate in specific initiatives from time to time.

Please give some thought as to how you could contribute even a small amount of your time and talent, and let us know of any ideas you might have. Or, perhaps you know of someone you would like to recommend (with that person’s permission) for a position on the Executive. Read more about Volunteering at the Swansea Historical Society.

Donate to the Swansea Historical Society

We are grateful for any financial support our members can provide. The Swansea Historical Society is a registered charity, qualified to issue tax receipts for donations. You can now donate to us in order to help fund events such as Walk The Six West and other great historical events.

We are pleased to announce that the Swansea Historical Society can now accept payments electronically. This e-transfer approach can be used to make donations to the Society, pay membership fees, purchase publications, etc. We invite you to give it a try.

View our donate page to find out more.

About Swansea

Located in the west end of Toronto, Ontario in Canada, the community of Swansea is bounded by High Park on the east, the Humber River on the west, the railway tracks on the south, and a line 110′ south of Bloor St. W. on the north. The Village of Swansea existed as a separate municipality from 1926 until 1967, and in many respects it still retains a village atmosphere. Read more about the history of Swansea. and Where Exactly is Swansea, Toronto?

Herne Hill, now Woodland Heights, circa 1999 - view from south of the Queensway, looking north with Ellis Ave on the left and Grenadier pond / High Park on the right. — The black and white photo header on this site features a view of Herne Hill, now Woodland Heights, circa 1900 (Toronto Library). This colour photo from 1999 is approximately the same view from south of the Queensway, looking north with Ellis Ave on the left and Grenadier pond / High Park on the right. View them side-by-side.

Historical Advocacy

In its advocacy role, the Society seeks to raise awareness of potential developments that threaten the historic fabric of the community. Read more about the Society.

22 Deforest Road, also known as the William Smith House about 1900 and 2016. Standing in the “before” picture are the two daughters of Wm. Smith, Ethel and Ada. This house was built in the Victorian style for William Smith circa 1895, and was designed by local architect John Gemmell. The large lot ran from Kennedy to Runnymede, and included a grassed tennis court, cherry and currant orchards, extensive vegetable and flower gardens, bee hives and oak trees. Smith’s descendants still live in the house. Source: Toronto Library (before) and Swansea Historical Society (after). Move the slider left or right to see the difference over a century makes!
View more Swansea “Then and Now” photos

Historical Publications

The Society has produced several publications on local history, including a monthly Newsletter, postings on Twitter and Instagram social media, and an annual Community Calendar featuring historical photographs.

Historical Events

The Society’s events are always open to the public and anyone interested in the history of the area, as well as current developments, is encouraged to join us in our activities. Monthly meetings at Swansea Town Hall include informative and entertaining talks by invited guest speakers on a variety of subjects. Guided walking tours introduce participants to lesser-known aspects of Swansea and area. We also list upcoming community events.

Swansea Historical Archives

The Swansea Historical Society Archive collection in Swansea Town Hall is used by researchers and students as a source of information, and it is also used by people who want to learn about their family connections in Swansea or trace the history of their properties. And if you have old photographs and memorabilia of the Swansea area including Bloor West Village, High Park, and the Humber River, please let us know!

Get Involved!

There are many ways to get involved! View our events page to see what’s new, volunteer , visit, follow us on Twitter and Instagram – we’d love to hear from you.