According to Ontario land registry documents, the Sargent family purchased Lot 31 of city plan 416 on Dufferin Ave in 1897. Sometime between then and 1904 the home was constructed. John Sargent took ownership of the property in September 1897 and paid $275.00 for the property with a mortgage of $100.00 registered to Reverend Edward English (then principal of Hellmuth Ladies College 1883-1899) the grandson of the original land owner Nobel English.
The English family came to the London area by about 1818 and purchased land from Colonel Talbot amounting to about 200 acres just north of Governor's Road (Dundas St). As the City of London grew, so did London East eventually being annexed by larger City in 1885.
The English survey streets were named for the family, Elizabeth for Nobel's wife and his sons, Elias, Timothy (Lorne), Franklin (Dufferin) and Lyman (Princess). The English family home was located at 470 English a modestly larger home with a deep lot placing it in the centre of the block.
This part of east London, known today as Old East Village has a long, proud and varied merchant, and working class history. John and Rachel were joining others in the area who had reasonable success as business owners or craftsmen.
John's boyhood home stood only a few blocks away just west of Adelaide at 594 King Street, and so the new homes being built in the English survey were likely an easy choice for the family.
After Rachel and John were married in 1893 they lived at a number of other homes in the area before finally coming to 796 Dufferin including:
1895 - 435 Ontario Street - John Jr. is likely born here 1894
1897-1899 - 661 Lorne Avenue - James and Irene are born here in 1896 & 1899
1900 - 713 Elias Street - Lillian is born here in 1900
1905 - 796 Dufferin Avenue - Ernest b. 1903 & Frederick b. 1905
The above dates are from various city directories from the time and can be reasonably relied upon. The published year is usually an account of the previous years occupants depending on the publication.
Below are two photographs taken in front of the home, you can see the original details quite well.
Rachel Sargent circa 1935 outside 796 Dufferin Avenue.
Irene Sargent, circa 1920 outside Dufferin family home. Irene married Alfred Thompson in 1923, this photograph could have been taken around that time.
Below is an image from Google street view of the home in 2014. You can see the porch remains intact, although the railing and wood panels below are different. There is an arched stained-glass window with decorative coloured brick on the main level. The home also maintains it's original Victorian style wood details on the gable peak, consistent with other similar homes nearby.
The Old East Village community has affixed a number of homes in the neighborhood with the original owners names. You can just make it out in the image below, hanging on the right side of the porch is a sign that reads "1914 John Sargent, Carpenter". Although I can date ownership of the home to the family by 1897 and their residence there by 1904, I am not certain where the 1914 date originates.
This land registry document extract shows the date that John takes ownership of the property. The second entry is a B&S, meaning a bargain and sale occurred on September 29, 1897 and the grantee is listed as John Sargent.
Below is the fire insurance plan for 1892 with revision done in 1907, here is the first time a home is represented on the plan. Although it doesn't appear completed. This unfortunately does not help clarifying the date of when the home became occupied.
The below plan is dated 1912 with revision done in 1922, here 796 Dufferin is clearly indicated, 2 story detached, brick home. with a 1 story wood extension and a garage for 1 auto.
John Sargent died in 1939, and Rachel continued to live in the home until the mid 1950s preceding her death at the age of 91 in 1961. The family of 8 enjoyed many years in this home, including the birth of the last two children, marriages for five of the six children and subsequent grandchildren. In 1916 John Jr. was bravely sent off to fight in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was welcomed home safely in 1919. Sadly in 1930, the youngest child Frederic or Freddie as he was called died of Influenza at age of 25 at home.
Fire Insurance Plans for London can be found at:
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