Toronto of the 1940s

Toronto of the 1940s was place defined by war and its aftermath. Although I've tried to limit the number of photographs that depict subject matter specifically related to war so as to avoid overlap with other posts, many of these images nevertheless reveal the effort taking place at home and overseas, whether it be people shopping with ration coupons, the co-mingling of propaganda and advertising or new housing projects built to accommodate soldiers returning home from Europe.

Although not a period that saw sweeping changes on the skyline, along with the war effort, the 1940s is likely best known for the waves of immigration that got underway during the latter part of the decade. According to Carl Benn's The History of Toronto: An 11,000 Year Journey, 78 per cent of the city's population was of British decent in 1941. In the years that followed, Toronto saw the arrival of massive numbers of people from throughout Eastern and Southern Europe, which lead to a profound shift in the city's cultural makeup. Needless to say, the diversification of the population kept up, and multiculturalism has become the hallmark of contemporary Toronto.

1940

Sunnyside Pool and Beach

Fruit and Vegetable Stand

Entrance to the QEW

1941

CN Telegraph Office

Aerial View of Old City Hall

1942

Miss Worker Beauty Contest

Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings

Christie's Crackers Ad

1943

Duchess Street

Union Station

Eaton's

War Savings Stamps

1944

Island Airport

Milkman on the Toronto Islands

1945

Imperial Bank of Canada Building

Jolly Miller Tavern

Scholes Hotel

Broadview Hotel

Winston Park Blvd.

VE-Day

Ve-Day

1946

Adelaide near Yonge

1947

Toronto Road Map

Parkdale Theatre

Dominion Grocery Store

The Eglinton Theatre

The Eglinton Theatre Interior

1949

Subway Construction Gets Underway on Yonge St.

Subway Construction

Check out more of the series below:

• Toronto of the 1920s
• Toronto of the 1930s
• Toronto of the 1950s
• Toronto of the 1960s
• Toronto of the 1970s
• Toronto of the 1980s

Photos from the Wikimedia Commons, Toronto Archives and Ontario Archives.