The Villages Within

Book excerpt: The Villages Within is an irreverent version of Torontos past that will not improve anyones knowledge of history, but its fabrications and exaggerations may provide an amusing insight into the lives of those who built the town of York. It is an expos of historical untruths, a book that no school should ever permit its students to read. Discover Lord Dorchesters unusual method of staying warm while his underwear froze during his first winter in Canada. Learn about Elizabeth Simcoes struggle with the intoxicating evils of gooseberry wine. During the War of 1812, why did Laura Secord deliver a cow to James Fitzgibbon in the dead of night? Why did the residents of York fear an American invasion in 1813, even though they needed their dollars to support the towns tourist industry? Why did the colonists, who never bathed at the best of times, become truly revolting in 1837? In a more serious vein, this book chronicles the history and architecture of the Kings West District, the Kensington Market, and the proudly tacky Queen Street West. The narrative details the events in the life of the old St. Andrews Market, allowing those who visit the area today to appreciate its rich heritage.