{"id":2727,"date":"2008-02-04T08:00:37","date_gmt":"2008-02-04T13:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacingtoronto.ca\/?p=2727"},"modified":"2013-01-21T14:38:20","modified_gmt":"2013-01-21T19:38:20","slug":"keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/","title":{"rendered":"One Book: Hallam of Toronto"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>
\n<\/p>\n

Hallam had never really seriously contemplated failure. He’d always thought he had been chosen over his older brother to bring the family name to Canada because his father had more confidence in him. Now he thought perhaps has was Isaac sent up the Lord’s mountain.<\/em>
\n— from Consolation<\/em>, by Michael Redhill, page 86 (Anchor Canada paperback edition, 2007)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Michael Redhill makes use of a few familiar Toronto surnames for characters in Consolation<\/em>. Perhaps most prominent of these is J.G Hallam, late of Camden Town, sent to Toronto by his father to open the first New World branch of his family’s apothecary business.<\/p>\n

The real Hallam, the one for whom the street in the west end<\/a> is named, was the man who led the campaign for the creation of the Toronto Public Library. John Hallam was born in 1833, and came to Toronto from Chorley, Lancashire, England in September of 1856. He started a business as a hide, wool, and leather merchant, and eventually became an alderman.<\/p>\n

A literacy advocate who taught himself how to read, Hallam was responsible for Ontario’s Free Library Act of 1882, campaigned for the city’s 1883 Free Library Bylaw, and served as the first chairman of the board of the Toronto Public Library when it opened the following year. He presided over the opening ceremonies of the library’s first branch, in the Mechanics’ Institute building on the corner of Church and Adelaide streets.<\/p>\n

Hallam died on June 21, 1900 due to complications of an asthma attack. He is buried, with five other members of his family, in an underground vault in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.<\/p>\n

Image courtesy of the Toronto Public Library<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hallam had never really seriously contemplated failure. He’d always thought he had been chosen over his older brother to bring the family name to Canada because his father had more confidence in him. Now he thought perhaps has was Isaac sent up the Lord’s mountain. — from Consolation, by Michael Redhill, page 86 (Anchor CanadaContinue reading “One Book: Hallam of Toronto”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4039,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21759],"tags":[662,8052,457,8055,8057,8053,8056,8058,8054,4154,3333,58,636,19,4322,464],"class_list":["post-2727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features","tag-adelaide","tag-camden-town","tag-canada","tag-first-chairman-of-the-board","tag-john-hallam","tag-lancashire","tag-literacy-advocate","tag-mechanics-institute","tag-mechanics-institute-building","tag-michael-redhill","tag-mount-pleasant-cemetery","tag-one-book-consolation","tag-ontario","tag-toronto","tag-toronto-public-library","tag-united-kingdom"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOne Book: Hallam of Toronto - Spacing Toronto<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"One Book: Hallam of Toronto - Spacing Toronto\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hallam had never really seriously contemplated failure. He’d always thought he had been chosen over his older brother to bring the family name to Canada because his father had more confidence in him. Now he thought perhaps has was Isaac sent up the Lord’s mountain. — from Consolation, by Michael Redhill, page 86 (Anchor CanadaContinue reading "One Book: Hallam of Toronto"\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Spacing Toronto\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2008-02-04T13:00:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2013-01-21T19:38:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2278\/2230880329_a0568b256b.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Todd Harrison\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Spacing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Spacing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Todd Harrison\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/\",\"name\":\"One Book: Hallam of Toronto - Spacing Toronto\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2278\/2230880329_a0568b256b.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2008-02-04T13:00:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2013-01-21T19:38:20+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/#\/schema\/person\/8c90b3d0c9f15becdc9787ec10a0fbf0\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2278\/2230880329_a0568b256b.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2278\/2230880329_a0568b256b.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"One Book: Hallam of Toronto\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/\",\"name\":\"Spacing Toronto\",\"description\":\"Canadian Urbanism Uncovered | Toronto Architecture, Urban Design, Public Transit, City Hall, Parks, Walking, Bikes, Streetscape, History, Waterfront, Maps, Public Spaces\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/#\/schema\/person\/8c90b3d0c9f15becdc9787ec10a0fbf0\",\"name\":\"Todd Harrison\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7f01d7aa2b3ef2b399d36330013ba036?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7f01d7aa2b3ef2b399d36330013ba036?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Todd Harrison\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/spacing.ca\/wire\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/author\/toddharrison\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"One Book: Hallam of Toronto - Spacing Toronto","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"One Book: Hallam of Toronto - Spacing Toronto","og_description":"Hallam had never really seriously contemplated failure. He’d always thought he had been chosen over his older brother to bring the family name to Canada because his father had more confidence in him. Now he thought perhaps has was Isaac sent up the Lord’s mountain. — from Consolation, by Michael Redhill, page 86 (Anchor CanadaContinue reading \"One Book: Hallam of Toronto\"","og_url":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/","og_site_name":"Spacing Toronto","article_published_time":"2008-02-04T13:00:37+00:00","article_modified_time":"2013-01-21T19:38:20+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2278\/2230880329_a0568b256b.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"Todd Harrison","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Spacing","twitter_site":"@Spacing","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Todd Harrison","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/","url":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/","name":"One Book: Hallam of Toronto - Spacing Toronto","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2278\/2230880329_a0568b256b.jpg","datePublished":"2008-02-04T13:00:37+00:00","dateModified":"2013-01-21T19:38:20+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/#\/schema\/person\/8c90b3d0c9f15becdc9787ec10a0fbf0"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2278\/2230880329_a0568b256b.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2278\/2230880329_a0568b256b.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/02\/04\/keep-toronto-reading-hallam-of-toronto\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"One Book: Hallam of Toronto"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/#website","url":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/","name":"Spacing Toronto","description":"Canadian Urbanism Uncovered | Toronto Architecture, Urban Design, Public Transit, City Hall, Parks, Walking, Bikes, Streetscape, History, Waterfront, Maps, Public Spaces","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/#\/schema\/person\/8c90b3d0c9f15becdc9787ec10a0fbf0","name":"Todd Harrison","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7f01d7aa2b3ef2b399d36330013ba036?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7f01d7aa2b3ef2b399d36330013ba036?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Todd Harrison"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/spacing.ca\/wire"],"url":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/author\/toddharrison\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2727","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4039"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2727"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2727\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38410,"href":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2727\/revisions\/38410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}