‘The post of City Surveyor, left vacant in 1854 by the resignation of Mr. Howard, was not filled until Dec. 24th, 1888, when Mr. [Matthew] Villiers Sankey received the appointment. Mr. Sankey was born at Brookeboro, County Fermanagh, Ireland, Oct. 3rd, 1854: educated at Portora Royal School, Enniskillen, and in 1872 passed his examinations for the India Civil Service.
On coming to Canada he entered the firm of Wadsworth, Unwin & Brown, afterwards becoming a partner. Mr. Sankey, who laid out the new rifle ranges in Toronto, was an authority on military matters, and supplied the Government with special maps, particularly of the Toronto and Niagara districts. He was a major in the Queen's Own Rifles: commanded the Corps of Guides. Resigned his post as City Surveyor, Jan. 20th, 1905. On July 10th, of that year, while engaged on engineering work near Kenora, Mr. Sankey met death by drowning.’
Villiers St., just north of Commissioners St., was named after Sankey.
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Plan of the City of Toronto, Signed by Villiers Sankey, City Surveyor, 1902
Map courtesy U of T Map and Data Library: G3524 .T61 1902
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On coming to Canada he entered the firm of Wadsworth, Unwin & Brown, afterwards becoming a partner. Mr. Sankey, who laid out the new rifle ranges in Toronto, was an authority on military matters, and supplied the Government with special maps, particularly of the Toronto and Niagara districts. He was a major in the Queen's Own Rifles: commanded the Corps of Guides. Resigned his post as City Surveyor, Jan. 20th, 1905. On July 10th, of that year, while engaged on engineering work near Kenora, Mr. Sankey met death by drowning.’
- Landmarks of Canada: What Art Has Done for Canadian History, A Guide to the J. Ross Robertson Historical Collection
Villiers St., just north of Commissioners St., was named after Sankey.
Click the image to view a full-size version (4 MB).
Plan of the City of Toronto, Signed by Villiers Sankey, City Surveyor, 1902
Please ‘Like’ and Share these maps with other Toronto history enthusiasts! (+1s are also welcome!)
