Postal History Corner

Friday, December 3, 2010

1967 Toronto Capital City of Ontario

In 1867 the United Province of Canada joined New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to form the Dominion of Canada. The old United Province of Canada was divided into two provinces, Ontario and Quebec. Toronto became the capital of the province of Ontario in 1867.

Legislative Assembly Buildings

1) 1867 - 1893 : Front Street

The Parliament Buildings on Front Street which had housed the Upper Canada and Province of Canada legislative bodies were used for the Ontario Legislative Assembly until the Ontario Legislative Building at Queen's Park was opened in 1893.

Front Street Parliament Buildings

From 1893 : Queen's Park

The site of the new assembly building was the land formerly known as King's College. The King's College building on that site was demolished and replaced by the Queen's Park building. It is interesting to note that the King's College building was an insane asylum before its demolition.

Ontario Legislative Assembly building (c. 1890)

Ontario Legislative Assembly building 1952

House of Assembly Post Office

The House of Assembly post office handled government mail as well as mail deposited in the Queen's Park mail box. Some of the cancellations and postal markings in use from 1906 to 1967 are shown below:

1906

House of Assembly to Altoona, Pa., August 21, 1906

1907

Correspondence from Member of Legislative Assembly M.H. Hoyle
House of Assembly (duplex cancellation) to Orono, March 24 1907
Free franking privileges did not extend to provincial legislatures

House of Assembly Ontario duplex

Printed on the reverse of the envelope

1917

Provincial Treasurer to Sudbury, March 16, 1917

Illustrated Back

1918

Office of Inspector of Factories, Shops and Office Buildings, December 3, 1918

1926

House of Assembly machine cancellation, May 3, 1926

1931

Double circle machine postmark (green ink) February 26, 1931

1937

Registered mail from the House of Assembly, November 9, 1937
5 cents forward letter rate for 2 ounce letter + 10 cents registration fee

House of Assembly circular date stamp:

Stamps with perforated initials "LA" (Legislative Assembly):

Dated Registration handstamp:

Treasurer Province of Ontario wax seal:

1938

March 16, 1938

1948

July 25, 1948

1951

House of Assembly to Nassau, Bahamas, October 30, 1951
St. Joseph's College was across the street from the legislative assembly

1965

House of Assembly, Toronto local, January 27, 1965
39 cents paying 4 cents local postage + 35 cent registration fee

1967

House of Assembly meter, May 4, 1967
From Robert Welch, The Provincial Secretary and Minister of Citizenship

Toronto Capital Centennial Stamp

The stamp commemorating Toronto as the capital city of Ontario, designed by Harvey Prosser, was issued on September 28, 1967.

Essays