25 Second Street - Charles Page and Sarah Williamson Page House

The house at 25 Second Street was constructed in 1907 for the Page family.

Charles Page was born on 13 Nov 1849 in England. He emigrated to Canada in 1857, and married Sarah Williamson from Smiths Falls, Ontario, circa 1874, and together they raised 5 boys. They settled in Toronto, where Charles was involved in the family dry goods store with his father, Charles, and his brothers Josiah and John at 194-204 Yonge St. When his father retired in the mid 1880’s, he and his brothers continued on with the business, selling Ladies’ Furnishings & Fancy Goods The family’s decision to sell Ladies’Furnishings & Fancy Goods was probably influenced by the women in the family, including Sarah, who likely would have been involved in the family business. In 1905, Charles & Sarah retired from business and purchased the lot at 25 Second St. where their house was built in 1907.

Sarah died of cancer in November 1913, and Charles in 1915 of pneumonia. They are both buried in the Page family plot at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.

Included in this exhibit is a picture of the Page house in 1914, alongside a small cottage which they also owned. This picture was donated by Marion D. Rourke who lived in the cottage with her family at the time. We also include a view of Second Street looking south to the lake, with the Page cottage on the left.