The Newman Centre residence, located at the corner of Hoskins and St. George Streets, across the street from the Robarts Library on the University of Toronto campus, was built in 1890/1891. The original two and one-half storey home is constructed of red clay, terra cotta bricks, plum coloured Credit Valley sandstone and pressed terra cotta decorative elements.

In the late 1800's, St. George Street was considered one of the wealthiest boulevards in the city and was home to many of the city's influential political and business leaders. The residence at 89 St. George Street was built by businessman Wilmot D. Matthews and remained his personal home until his death in 1919. The residence is still referred to in historical circles as "the Matthews House".

Wilmot D. Matthews was born in Burford, Ontario in 1850. Mr. Matthews' family fortune resulted from the grain trading business. Their business was so large that, in fact, his father was once known as the Barley King of Canada. Wilmot joined his father's business in 1866 and, following his father's death, in 1890, he and a partner formed the Canada Malting Company, which continues operations today. Wilmot was a very successful businessman, serving as Director in a number of major corporations including Canadian Pacific Railway, Dominion Bank, and Toronto Street Railway.

The property, including a coach house located on the current site of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, was purchased by the Newman Club (now the Newman Foundation) in 1922 for the sum of $100,000. This purchase could not have been made without the assistance of a major benefactor, Senator Frank O'Connor, founder of the Laura Secord Chocolate Company. Senator O'Connor's portrait, along with that of Cardinal John Henry Newman, remains on display today above the first floor stairwell.

A number of renovations have been made to the home over the years, including the addition of a one-storey ballroom in 1899, specifically for the wedding of Mr. Matthews' eldest daughter, a kitchen expansion in 1900, and later expansions of the upper floor and basement for additional usable living space.

The house remains one of Toronto's best examples of Romansque Revival architecture, similar in style to the Gooderham Residence, located at the northeast corner of Bloor and St. George Streets and currently home of the York Club. It was one of the first buildings in Toronto to receive heritage status from the Ontario Heritage Foundation in 1977 and continues to be one of the few buildings to have been granted heritage status for the interior, as well as the exterior, of the building. Most of the first floor, including the stairway, and a portion of the second floor were given heritage status in recognition of the outstanding craftsmanship in the use of woodwork, plaster, stained glass and decorative metals. The interior is one of the finest examples of late nineteenth century design in the City of Toronto.

Today, the residence is home to the Pastor and Executive Director of the Newman Centre and a small number of University of Toronto students who are serving as Student Campus Ministers, living the values of their Catholic faith while at University. The building also houses the offices of the Newman Centre and the parish of St. Thomas Aquinas Church. The basement of the building is also home to the Archdiocese of Toronto's Office of Catholic Youth.

Consistent with the vision of the original members of the Newman Club in 1922, the house continues to be a vibrant and active site, serving as a Centre for Catholic students on the University of Toronto campus with a variety of meetings and social events. It also serves the needs of the parish community, hosting many very personal events including weddings, anniversary celebrations, baptisms, and funeral receptions. It may serve as the site of events associated with the University of Toronto or other organizations affiliated with the Church and, from time to time, it is also the site of movie and television filming.

As is the case with most historical properties, the cost associated with preserving the property is immense. If you would like to contribute toward maintaining this part of Toronto's heritage for future generations, please contact Fr. Patrick O'Dea, Pastor and Executive Director of the Centre (frpatodea@yahoo.com). Your support would be most welcome.

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Information On Reserving Public Areas in the House For Special Occasions

The rooms on the main floor of the Newman Centre are often rented out to the public for special occasions, such as wedding receptions, meetings, etc. These rooms include the Oak Room and the Cardinal Newman Room. If you are interested in reserving either of these rooms, or both, for your occasion, contact the Centre for availability and cost. The Centre reserves the right to deny permission for any reason.

(click here to see the pictures)