Listen to the Voice of Truth and Reason

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Here's a Tumblety advertisement from his Toronto days. It was a half-page ad in "The Canadian Almanac & Repository of Useful Knowledge", 1859—
http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/TRUTH2020REASON.jpg

Regards,

Simon

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

This is King Street East, Toronto, 1860. The building on the left is the St Lawrence Hall. Tumblety's office at No. 111 was in the row of buildings opposite.

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/KING20STREET20TORONTO.jpg
Regards,

Simon

[Wolf Vanderlinden]

Hi Simon.

This is indeed a picture of King Street East looking west and that's the St. Lawrence Hall, however, 111 King Street was/is not opposite the Hall (the building is still there). 111 King Street East is on the south side of King (the same side as St. Lawrence Hall) and is only a couple of doors down from the intersection of Church and King. It is, in fact, opposite St. James Cathedral and so the two names may have been confused.

In case anyone wonders if the street has been renumbered and 111 was originally opposite the Hall the answer is no. King Street wasn't numbered until 1856 and 111 has always been in its present location.

Wolf.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Wolf,

Thanks for that.

I just found a later ad for McCrosson & Co at 111 King Street East which gives its location as "opposite St James Cathedral".

So much for Tumblety's directions.

Regards,

Simon

[Wolf Vanderlinden]

Hi Simon.

I'll add that Tumblety's address in Montreal in September of 1857 was listed as "No. 18 Great St. James Street, nearly opposite the St. Lawrence Hall, a few doors below the post office." The St. Lawrence Hall in Montreal was an hotel and as Tumblety maintained his business in Toronto while in Montreal perhaps he later confused the two St. Lawrence's with St. James's.

I'll also add that years ago, before I discovered where Tumblety's office was in Toronto, I guessed that it would likely be on King Street, because that was the main business strip and all the best businesses were located there in the mid 1850's. The St. Lawrence Hall was at the heart of this strip and I knew that the closer Tumblety was to it, the more prestigious his business would appear. In effect, then, 111 King Street East was a prime location and Tumblety would have appeared as a successful businessman.

Wolf.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Wolf,

Thanks for the extra info.

Do you know anything about a book written by Tumblety in 1857 with the whacky title—

"Be wise before it is too late: call, without delay, and see the Indian herb doctor! : at No. 18, Great St. James's Street, (opposite the St. Lawrence Hall,) Montreal, C.E."

There's a copy in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Collection at the University of Toronto.

Regards,

Simon

[How Brown]

Wolf:

Thanks for the additional information,pardner.:kiss:

[Wolf Vanderlinden]

Hi Howard.

My pleasure.

Simon.

I've heard of the pamphlet but have not seen it. In fact I didn't know there was a copy of it here in Toronto. The last time I checked the U of T collections, and this was some ten years ago, I didn't find any mention of it.

Wolf.