Open Saturdays starting
from 12am to 5pm.

NEW also open the first Sunday

of each month from 1pm  -4pm eg

Nov 2, 2025 

EVENTS AT THE COTTAGE
(newsletter)

Mending Days: Save Your Clothes!
Our mending service is a huge success.
Keep cherished garments off the landfill. Menders also teach you to repair clothes.
Drop your item at the Cottage:
Sat 11:00–4:00 or Sun 1:00–4:00. Nov 2
Collect when repairs are complete.
For repair lessons, email:
tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com

ECOFAIR TORONTO
WE WILL HAVE A BOOTH THERE!
Sunday November 2 from 11-4 pm
Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Street

Come explore, learn and shop at this annual and free green event, featuring all things sustainability! Lots of exhibitors to help you to minimize your carbon footprint by reducing and reusing. Visit our booth where you'll find a selection of our new knitted winter wear and ornamental animals. We will provide string games and make holiday ornaments!

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THE DAVENPORTAGE
Saturday November 8 about 4 pm
Where hardy canoeists attempt to recreate the journey of voyageurs along the old portage route of Gete-Onigaming (Davenport Road) to the exhortations and raucous enthusiasm of passersby.
Come welcome them to their rest stop at the Tollkeeper's Cottage!

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JANE AND THE BLUE WILLOW PRINCESS
Sunday November 30 at 2 pm: Reading and book launch with author Catherine Little
Catherine's fourth book commemorates the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth and introduces children to this beloved author.
Jane Austen fans may remember that she lived for the first 25 years of her life in a rectory at Steventon in southern England. This is the place where Jane, between the ages of 19 and 23, drafted her first three novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey. After this, her father retired and moved the family to Bath.

The rectory was torn down in the 1820s, with nothing remaining apart from an iron pump to identify its location. In 2011, a dig uncovered its foundations. Apparently, thousands of metal, glass and ceramic objects were excavated during the dig, including pieces of Willow pattern China, which was very popular during the eighteenth century. The pattern was inspired by designs imported from China. It was produced between the 1780s and 90s by Thomas Minton and Thomas Turner of Caughley by transfer printing - the design was printed onto a sheet of thin tissue paper and then applied to earthenware or porcelain - a technique in use from 1750 in Birmingham. Spode, Royal Worcester, Adams, Wedgwood, Davenport, Clews, Leeds and Swansea followed.

Catherine reports that she was inspired to write a story based on this discovery of the beautiful blue and white Willow pattern found in this location.

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EXTENSION OF THE PHOTO FIESTA
to Monday December 8.
Voting by visitors will be held on Cookie Day, Saturday December 13.
In order to allow more people to try their hand at winning the grocery gift certificate donated to us by Fiesta Farms, we are extending the deadline into December. Now you have a chance to wander the grounds, view the garden and take some glorious shots of the Cottage from the outside. Inside shots may be taken whenever we're open on Sundays November 9 or December 7; and on all Saturdays until the end of the day December 7. Photo entries will be displayed in the Cottage as they are submitted until December 13, Cookie Day.

All photos must be sent to our email tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com by Monday December 8.
Want to participate? Let us know at tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com and we'll let you know "the rules". Please remember if your photo includes an identifiable person, they will need to give us their permission, as photos will be displayed in hard copy and online.

On Cookie Day, December 13, all visitors will get a chance to VOTE for their favourite shot and determine the winner (you do not have to be present to win).

NEW MEMBERSHIPS AND RENEWALS -
- Thank you to  the
people who  renewed their memberships.
 There are many more of you out
 there and we'd like to see you
 continue your support.
And those of you who are not
 members yet--no time like the present
to start! It's
 only $20. for an individual
 and $35. for a family, and
it's tax deductible! Cash,
cheque (to the Community
History Project) or e-transfer. 

Here are some of the other tours we do:
Seaton Village 
  – including its Black history
the West Annex 
  – with Jane Jacob’s house
the Christie Pits area 
  – Koreatown, unusual houses, the Riot
Tarragon Village 
  – with Baldwin and George Brown
Wychwood Park 
  – with or without turtles
Casa Loma – with very grand stables
If you would care to join us for
 a guided walk through Seaton Village,
 the West Annex, or many other
 interesting areas nearby,
 send us a message at
 tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com to be
 added to the list of those we 
contact when a walk or two are imminent!

Our walks are for anyone interested.
 As we conduct these walks 
as part of our efforts to
 support the operation of
 the Tollkeeper's Cottage,
 we suggest a donation of $10.

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COMMUNITY HISTORY PROJECT 
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2024-25
Thank you to our members for an
 interactive Annual General Meeting,
 where we passed the new Constitution 
and celebrated our Ontario Trillium Grant.
 We wish our hard-working
 board another successful year!
 

COMMUNITY HISTORY PROJECT
ACTIVITIES ...

Send us a note to be put on

our list or keep watching here.

 

WE HOPE TO BE WALKING WITH YOU SOON!
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