Article Index
Over the past few years. PSICAN/Toronto Ghosts has received several ghost reports from the Lawlor Ave, Toronto, area. For the sake of background and for future references, this report covers the historical aspect of the Lawlor Ave area and some general information from witness reports.
Lawlor Avenue as it is today runs generally north/south from Kingston Road to Gerard Avenue in the area of Toronto that was formerly East York. It is the fourth street west of Victoria Park Avenue and is generally referred to as being in the “Upper Beaches”. It is a quiet residential area with mostly double homes with a few singles. This is an aerial photo of the area from Google Maps:
This Lawlor Ave, in East York (did not become part of Toronto until 1998. Prior to 1900 there was a Lawlor Ave that was in the Queen W and Bloor West area (Ward 6 Division 2)
Research in early times should consider this problem and verify correct location. East York was incorporated in 1924 and prior to Toronto amalgamation was merged with Leaside.
The terrain is generally unremarkable and is typical for an urban area of Toronto. There appear to be no ravines, streetcar traffic (with the exception of the Kingston/Lawlor interchange), or subway in the area. A couple of homes are made into rooming houses.
The event report found here:
involves general poltergeist activity and a female apparition.
The dwelling at 169 Lawlor, according to internet search, is used for a talent search business. The property a 1 Lawlor Avenue is an apartment/Condos building called “The Beeches”
This home is at 195 Lawlor Ave. and is the image is from:
http://www.juliawarren.ca/printable.php?property_ID=11
This home, from http://www.gracehomes.com/14a_read.php?ltl=412288, is at 64 Lawlor Ave.
Trimark Sales and Marketing is located at 10 Lawlor Ave. and is a food broker service. Circles Beauty Salon is located at 8 Lawlor and 4 Lawlor is Naughty Tangles Beauty Salon. These businesses are at the Lawlor/Kingston interchange. Adam Beck Community Center is at 79 Lawlor, about halfway up the street on the east side. 944 Kingston Ave, at Lawlor, is Bumps, a maternity clothing store. Contemporary novelist Peter Robinson lives at 30 Lawlor Ave. (source:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401500501.html ). Paula Battenburg, of 211 Lawlor Ave, is a reflexology practitioner.
One Plus One Films, aka Robert DeLeskie, is located at 112 Lawlor Ave. Tony Molesworth Entertainment, 49 Lawlor Ave, is an entertainer who provides magic, comedy, and music—see his website at tonymolesworth.com . Event planner Maggie Harmant is at 199 Lawlor Ave. The existence of persons and businesses closely related to media, as represented by several Lawlor addresses, must be taken into consideration when researching paranormal reports in this area. This is not to say that these people an organizations are hoaxers, but media connected persons have been known to attempt to profit from paranormal reports and additionally, are known to statistically be exceptionally sensitive and prone to experience unusual events.
The history of the people in the area is at the same time typical and tragic.
Toronto Star March 18 1930
Toronto Star April 6 1931
Toronto Star January 2 1934
Toronto Star July 17 1935
Toronto Star August 13, 14 1935
Toronto Star September 25 1935
July 23 1940
Missing and presumed dead in war June 11 1943 I believe this says 128 Lawlor
March 16 1944
Peter Arthur Easton 205 Lawlor (married) Killed in Action June 20 1944
21 July 1944
August 10 1944
April 5 1945
Toronto Star newspaper reports on a few Lawlor Ave people in its Pages from the Past archive.
Maude and Percy Whitford resided at 98 Lawlor after their wedding in July 1922
Mrs R J Salmon lived at 112 Lawlor in June 1927
Corner of Lawlor and Gerrard (on Gerrard 100 ft from the corner) was sold by H E Warrington to Realty Bond Corporation
John Eagles, age 28, of 213 Lawlor was burned working on a hydro pole (not at his home) in 1930
108 Lawlor (on the west side of the street) wa sold to Ethel and John McPherson by H R Cooper 1930
177 Lawlor was sold to Nelson Caron by DB McCunn (could be McCann—typing unclear) 1930
205 Lawlor was sold to Harry Consith by F Lipson 1930
169 Lawlor resident John Williamson won a cash prize 1930
183 Lawlor sold to Elizabeth Ruddle by R Arthurs 1931
159 Lawlor sold to Harry W Rushby by H Davidson 1931
AW Lewis was seen at the Toronto General Hospital for a broken hand—lives at 54 Lawlor Ave 1931
78 Lawlor resident was Mrs M Smithies 1931
66 Lawlor sold to Cornelius Droog by Arthur Cannon 1931
Audrey McPherson 108 Lawlor lacerated her hand at work 1931
H Smith injured a hand at work-lived on Lawlor but number not given 1932
Donation to Fresh Air Fund from M Hoare, 215 Lawlor 1932
Mr and Mrs Painter held a 25th Wedding Aniv. Party at 180 Lawlor and collected donations for the Fresh Air fund 1932
W F Duke 126 Lawlor was an Enumerator for the vote in 1934
Ed Rowe fell from a window of his home fracturing his foot. Lives on Lawlor but no number given. 1934
Joseph Sorton of 84 Lawlor was in a car accident 1934
17 year old Arthur Odell was robbed while delivering a prescription order. He lives at 156 Lawlor 1935
Albert Glibbery of Lawlor (no number) burned his hand 1935
Robert Fountain, age 12, nearly drowned off Scarboro Beach. Lives at 54 Lawlor 1935
William Brooke of Lawlor (no #) injured his elbow at work 1935
Ross and Tommy Murray of 25 Lawlor donated to Santa Claus Fund 1935
Bob Reid, age 11 of 9 Lawlor was awakened by explosion in a shop on Kingston Road 1936
Carl Ward lived at 34 Lawlor 1936
154 Lawlor for rent (six rooms and bath and garage) 1936
William J Bryars 43 years old of Lawlor (no #) had his stomach pumped and then was arrested for attempting suicide 1937
GH Wallace donated 20,000 sq foot lot on Lawlor to parks department for playground 1937
A praying mantis was found on the porch of 207 Lawlor 1937
Richard Grover injured shoulder in hockey—lives on Lawlor February 6, 1939
Dec 21 1943
John Fluarty of Lawlor Ave, age 42, admitted to hospital with a fractured left leg and possible internal injuries after a car crash at Kingston and Vic Park October 3 1939
Mrs Marjorie Willis of Lawlor Ave hurt in toboggan crash and injured her spine February 21 1940
Mildred Lorraine Graham, daughter of M/M Stephen J Grahamof Lawlor married Ross Edward Kwint12 Aug 1940
WO William Gordon Attewel l197 Lawlor Serving in military and gravely ill September 20 1941
Donald Page of Lawlor charged with careless driving after collision November 1 1941
Arthur Henry Odell, son of M/M Bertram Odell of Lawlor married Dorothy Pearl Norris
November 8 1941
Toronto Star, 1942
Phyllis Evelyn Groves and Sgt Robert Lee August 19 1943
May 29 1943
October 14 1944
Freed from POW status May 19 1945
Freed from Nazi Prison May 26 1945
All of this (considerable amount!) of information is included here not only as a way to get to know the current and past residents of Lawlor Avenue, but also as a tool for researchers. It is important to have access to historical information when researching reports of hauntings. One of the reports from PSICAN lists a ghost the witnesses have dubbed “Sophie”. So far as these historical articles can attest, nobody of that name is significantly associated with any address on Lawlor. She may be the ghost of a female resident, but it not likely to have actually been named “Sophie”. Perhaps someone with a report will find their address associated with a newspaper article here and the research provided will give clues to the actual identity of the “resident ghost”.
Hauntings research is so much more than simply sitting in a dark room. Before anyone even attends the actual site of a report, much must be done to learn about the general area and the specific location. Teams need to be chosen based on skill/specialty and availability. A good working knowledge of the statistical information on the type of haunting that has been reported must be gained. If a witness is fortunate enough to have seen an apparition, historical research such as the above is very valuable as a chance to match what the witness saw with the photos available. If there is EVP (electronic voice phenomena) or direct communication with an proposed entity, the information gleaned can be compared to known people and events documented through history not only to check that it (the communication) is factual, but also as a tool to help choose what questions to ask when collecting EVP.
As more areas become known as “hot spots” (areas where more than one report originate) more of these comprehensive articles can be logged. The Toronto Star “Pages of the Past” and genealogical websites such as Ancestry.com have become terrific tools not only for history and genealogy as they were intended, but also for paranormal research.