Mrs. Eva Doughty

In 1908, Eva and James Doughty, purchased a brand-new house in Parkdale, just off Roncesvalles Avenue—$2850, $800 down. They moved in with James’s son, Howard (from James’s first marriage) and their two-year-old daughter, Melba.
      Although the family followed James south in 1915, to a new job in Cleveland, it seems Eva never really gave up on Toronto, because, by 1939, after renting it out to a string of year-by-year tenants, she was back in the house, her house now, listed in the City Directory as the widow of James, even though he was very much alive and living downtown.

In the years that followed, she would open that house to her far-flung family and uncountable lodgers—her only child, her dear darling Melba, after the second divorce—her elderly mother, Emma, when running her own household became just too much—her granddaughter, Barbara, when she was busy getting her own family started.
      Mrs. Eva Doughty lived to 101. There’s a picture of her in the Toronto Star, celebrating her 100th birthday. She lived in that house 50 years.
      Eva and I aren’t related, but I wish we were. Our only connection is that I now live in her house.

Inspired by Les 18 (1898-2024). Photo of Eva (left) with her 100-year-old friend, Nellie Sims by Mike Slaughter.