Learn a little of Toronto's history as told through its plaques.

Harold Town

Photos by Alan L Brown - September 2006

If you were to walk into this small Harold Town Park on the north side of Church Street you will come across a 1992 Toronto Historical Board plaque. Here's what it says:

Harold Barling Town was an artist of great gifts, legendary wit and large achievement. He loved this city and spent his whole life here, much of it at work in the Studio Building northeast of this park. A graduate of the Ontario College Of Art in 1944, he soon began to win acclaim, across Canada and abroad, for his drawings, prints, collages, paintings, murals and sculpture. He was a central figure in Painters Eleven, the group which helped establish abstract art in Canada in the 1950's. A prolific and incisive writer, Town wrote articles for magazines and newspapers, books for children and monographs on the painters Albert Franck and Tom Thomson. The Order Of Canada (1966), honorary degrees and many awards confirmed the esteem that he and his work enjoyed. His ambitious spirit enlivened and enriched his times.

Related Toronto plaque page
Studio Building

Related Ontario plaque page
Tom Thomson 1877-1917

Plaque Location Co-ordinates: 43.672605 -79.386220

More Arts pages

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Posted May 19, 2010
Harold town is a distant relative of mine. After my husband and I parted company, I changed my name to my mother's maiden name (Town). When I retired I had good intentions of making a family tree history to see if I could determine how we are related. I haven't done very much about that yet - I'm still trying to put my immediate Town family tree together. I would be interested to know if Harold Town is a first, second or what generation here. Did his father come directly from England? His great grandfather?
Pauline Town, Mississauga
townmail@post.com

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