About

Brockton: A Lost Toronto Village is a project dedicated to uncovering the history of one of Toronto’s forgotten communities. Brockton emerged in the 19th century, was formally established as a village in 1880, and was annexed by the city of Toronto just four years later, in 1884.

This project bridges the present and the past, connecting today’s vibrant neighbourhood with the 19th-century people, processes, and forces that shaped its transformation. From its origins as Indigenous traditional territory to its taking as British imperial land, market gardens, and eventually a thriving urban neighborhood, Brockton’s story reflects the larger forces that shaped Toronto into the city it is today.

Here, you’ll find a collection of stories, maps, and images that bring Brockton’s lost history back to life. This site will also aims to serve as an accessible home for the unpublished or hidden work of past Brockton Village researchers, as well and a source for future historians —bringing it all together under one roof.

About the Author

Eric Sehr is a project manager and urban planner with an interested in Toronto’s history, suburbs, and 19th century city building. A life-long resident of Toronto’s west end, he has called Little Portugal/Brockton home since 2013.

In 2023, Eric was invited to by the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society to deliver the annual Toronto History Lecture. A millennial who never quiet figured out the 140-characters thing, he has been blogging on and off since 2007 about cities and history. He has written at Toronto Shaped and Amalgamated – About cities, suburbs, and the places in between, and has contributed to Spacing Magazine.