Stanley Barracks. The Life and Times of Toronto’s Military Garrison

For episode 7 of The RCRM Speakers Series, we have invited Dr Aldona Sendzikas to speak about “Stanley Barracks. The Life and Times of Toronto’s Military Garrison.” Dr. Sendzikas is an Associate Professor in the History Department at Western University, where she teaches 20th century U.S. History, Military History, and American Studies.  She is the former Assistant Curator of Historic Fort York in Toronto, and former curator of the WWII submarines USS Bowfin (SS-287) at Pearl Harbor and USS Pampanito (SS-393) in San Francisco.  She is the author of Lucky 73:  USS Pampanito’s Unlikely Rescue of Allied POWs in WWII, and Stanley Barracks:  Toronto’s Military Legacy.

An almost forgotten heritage landmark in Toronto, Stanley Barracks are connected in more than one way to the early years of the Permanent Force of Canadian Military.

Constructed in 1840-41 by the Royal Engineers of the British Army to replace Toronto’s decaying “Old Fort”, the new fortification was originally referred to as “The New Fort,” and housed British troops until their withdrawal from Canada in 1870.  In Canadian hands, the New Fort (renamed “Stanley Barracks” in 1893) would serve a variety of purposes over the next century, including as training facility for the first recruits of the Northwest Mounted Police; home for part of Canada’s new infantry and cavalry schools; recruitment and training centre for Canadian troops during the two World Wars; and home to “B” Company of the Royal Canadian Regiment between the wars.  Dr. Sendzikas’ talk will tell the story of Stanley Barracks and of some of the individuals who occupied its buildings over the years.