Joseph Sheard Parkette

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted September, 2006

This small park on the east side of Sheard Street a block east of Yonge Street was once the land of Joseph and Sarah Sheard. A 1986 Toronto Historical Board plaque in the park has this to say:

Plaque coordinates: 43.660351 -79.381928

This is the site of the homestead of Joseph and Sarah Sheard which they cleared from the forest, and where they raised their seven children. Joseph Sheard (1813-83) arrived in York (Toronto) in 1833, a penniless immigrant from Yorkshire and rose from carpenter to prominent politician and architect. As Foreman of Public Works, he refused at great personal risk, to build the gallows to hang Lount and Matthews, two of the leaders of the 1837 rebellion. Sheard, leading proponent of the August Civic Holiday (now Simcoe Day) served as an alderman for many terms and was Mayor of Toronto 1871-72. He helped design the first Parliament Buildings of Canada and erected many notable Toronto buildings including the former Cawthra Mansion, Bay and King Streets, considered to have been Toronto's finest house.

Related Toronto plaques
House of Industry
Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews

More
Parks and Recreation

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted May 15, 2011
To GGdtr of Joseph Sheard ... Would u have any other info re Sheard family .. I'm trying to piece family hisory on very little info .. Alice and Jack ..

Posted March 10, 2011
my name is michael frank sheard in hull east yorkshire im trying to close any gaps in my family history can you help i know joseph came from yorkshire was it leeds or hull or castleford thank you m f sheard

Posted March 19, 2010
I am the Great Granddaughter of Joseph Sheard, I can get you more information, I would just like to know what you would like this information for.

Posted October 24, 2009
I am researching the Sheard family history and would like to know where I can obtain more info on this Joseph Sheard

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