22: Beginning of October Edition
Tunnels! Beautiful Music! Pleas to Buy Halloween Decor! And More!
Three weeks in a row with a newsletter…maybe I’m finally getting the hang of this?
From the “what would my father think?” department, this week marked the publication of my first contribution to a magazine he subscribed to for years: Ontario History. The new issue includes a book review I wrote about Mark Maloney’s book Toronto Mayors. This marks the first time my work has, outside of bibliography citations, ever appeared in a scholarly journal. Not bad for a B.A. who barely attended classes during their final year in academia.
(To be fair, I wasn’t slacking when I wasn’t going to lectures. The time I spent at the campus newspaper and radio station that year proved way more valuable in the long run.)
This piece also proves that if you’re ever twiddling your thumbs and aimlessly wandering around while your spouse is looking at Bridgerton-themed items at a Michaels in suburban Rochester, New York that has free wifi, it’s a good idea to check your work email account. You never know when new opportunities will appear.
What’s New?
The Toronto of the future - underground traffic tunnels downtown! - from a 1963 planning document.
For TVO, drawing on Doug Ford’s musings about placing a tunnel underneath Highway 401, I looked the history of traffic tunnel schemes in Toronto, which have usually involved burying the elevated section of the Gardiner Expressway.
Possibly unpopular opinion: There are times I enjoy driving along the elevated section of the Gardiner. I know all of the problems surrounding its current state in terms of cost, crumbling infrastructure, separating the waterfront from the rest of downtown, etc, and would support any practical replacement plan. But if you’re driving along at the right time, it feels almost cinematic, from weaving around the buildings that grew along it to views of the city and the lake. Throw on some music about city life/travelling through a city (for example, at night, Iggy Pop’s “The Passenger” feels right), and my youthful dreams of living in a metropolis resurface.
Toronto Life, November 1966.
Over on Tales of Toronto, I look at the early years of CHFI - its launch, its beautiful music, its issues with nailing down an AM frequency for its sister station. Read this piece by candlelight and while enjoying a glass of wine with someone you love.
Curio Collection
Aurora Banner, October 31, 1924.
Some current research has sent me digging into newspapers from a century ago, which means plenty of side finds such as this ad from a drug store in Aurora (suburban Toronto) which begs for your Halloween decor business. I wonder how many visits this drummed up?
Aurora Banner, October 17, 1924.
Full page ads like this were not unusual for promoting the economic growth of cities and towns across North America during this period through buying local. While many of this type of ad showcased giants who appeared to have stepped out of Greek or Roman mythology, this one offers an average workman who may have accidentally taken the local mad scientist’s growth formula.
Havelock Standard, October 16, 1924.
What initially caught my eye about this ad was its promise of “polite vaudeville,” as opposed to the racy, raunchy stuff. The extra acts feel like a mix of trying to appeal to an audience who wanted traditional Scottish culture and those dipping their toes into modern artistic movements (which is where I suspect the “Five Syncopated Night Hawk Jazzers” came in).
Arlie Marks was part of the second generation of the theatrical Marks family, who billed themselves during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the “Canadian Kings of Repertoire.” They prospered by sending companies of actors to small towns across the country like Havelock.
Coming Soon
Aurora Banner, October 17, 1924.
As to why I’m digging into newspapers from a century ago, this may provide a clue…
Hire Me
First, I want to thank everyone who has helped during my recent quest for new clients and work opportunities. There have been some interesting developments which I hope to report on in the future. Your assistance and advice is deeply appreciated and I hope to be able to help in similar ways in the future. I thank you and my perpertual freelancer anxiety thanks you.
This experience has also taught me never to let my guard down, and to keep seeking work possibilities. I could use at least one more new client, so on with the usual ad…
‘Tis the season for looking for new clients and work!
Seeking a writer/researcher/editor for your latest project? I am always taking on new work, especially as I have hit one of those periodic freelancer lulls. Beyond my historical niche, which often leads in surprising directions, I want to expand my horizons and explore new ways of utilizing my skills. I am interested in working on general projects in the corporate, educational, and non-profit sectors where clear communication and delivering solid facts are required. Feel free to check out my portfolio.
Privately message me at jamiebradburnwriting[AT]gmail[DOT]com if I can assist you.
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That’s it for now. See you Thanksgiving weekend!