83 King Street West

From Reminiscences of an Old Boy

TELL OF THE MUSIC HALL CORNER AND THE BANK OF COMMERCE CORNER (published December 29, 1921)

“To come back to the corner of Sydenham and King, where the present Bank of Commerce now stands, my earliest recollection of this corner is of an old ruined stone building that had been destroyed by fire. I think that it too was once a hotel, and that Charlie Moss, who seems to have been a perambulating hotel keeper, was the occupant at the time it was burned down, and that the owner of it was a Mr. Everett. Edward Knowles, father of W. E. S., at any rate became the owner of the property, and rebuilt it. For some years Gilmore Hopkins kept a drug store downstairs, and for many years the upstairs was the home of the Mechanics’ Institute, where they had their library and reading room. Duncan McMillan also had a photograph gallery in the north end, and was the librarian.”

“Wm. Powell, Richard Doidge, Cain & Laing were each in their turn occupants of the building as grocers. Powell’s moved from there to their present location, corner of King and Main, and later a Mr. Adams, I think his name was, occupied the place as a grocery store, and W. E. S. Knowles had his law office upstairs. Again the building was destroyed by fire. I remember that it was and exceedingly cold night, and that the firemen were some of them completely encased in ice before they subdued the fire. That was the only time is his life it was said that Dr. James Ross who lived next door was ever seen by anyone outside of his own family minus his collar and tie. R. T. Wilson then became the owner of the property, and built the present Bank of Commerce building. Mr. Knowles moved to the Laing Block and from there to the present law offices of Lawrason & Robinson. Dr. Lauchland’s surgery and home has been occupied by physicians from time immemorial. The first doctor I remember being there was Dr. James McMahon.”