Home > List of Toronto mayors

From 1834-1857, and again from 1867-1873, Toronto mayors were not elected directly by the public. Instead, after each annual election of aldermen and councilmen, the assembled council would vote one of their members as mayor. For all other years mayors were directly elected by popular vote, except in rare cases where a mayor was appointed by council to fill an unexpired term of office. Note that the definition of Toronto changed substantially during this period with the city amalgamating with neighbouring communities in 1882, 1891, 1908, 1912, 1967, and most recently (and most sweepingly) in 1998.

The first 29 mayors to serve the city from 1834 to 1899 were a colourful lot. According to Victor Loring Russell, author of Mayors of Toronto Volume I, 14 out of the first 29 mayors were lawyers, and that should not be much of a surprise. http://www.torontofreepress.com/2004/spyros052004.htm

• 1834 William Lyon Mackenzie
• 1835 Robert Baldwin Sullivan
• 1836 Thomas David Morrison
• 1837 George Gurnett
• 1838 - 18401840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). Events January 3 One of the predecessor papers to the Herald Sun of Melbourne, Australia, The Port Phillip Herald is founded by George Cavanaugh. January 10 Uniform penny postage John Powell
• 18411841 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January 26 The United Kingdom occupies Hong Kong. Later during the year, the first census of the island recorded a population of about 7,500. February 18 The first ongoing f George Monro
• 1842Events February 21 John J. Greenough patents the sewing machine. March 5 Over 500 Mexican troops led by Rafael Vasquez invade Texas briefly occupy San Antonio and then head back to the Rio Grande. This is the first such invasion since the Texas Revolution - 1844Events January 15 University of Notre Dame receives its charter from Indiana. February 27 The Dominican Republic gains independence from Haiti. February 28 A gun on the USS Princeton explodes while the boat is on a Potomac River cruise, killing two United Henry Sherwood
• 1845Events January 29 The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe is published for the first time New York Evening Mirror . March 1 President John Tyler signs a bill authorizing the United States to annex the Republic of Texas. March 3 Florida is admitted as the 27th U. - 1847Events January 4 Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the United States government. January 13 The Treaty of Cahuenga ends the Mexican-American War in California. January 16 John C. Fremont is appointed Governor of the new California Territory. William H. Boulton
• 18481848 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). Events Sri Lanka The Revolution of 1848 (qv. a series of widespread but failed struggles for more liberal governments, from Brazil to Hungary. January 24 California gold rush: Jame - 1850Events January 4 The first American ice-skating club is formed ( Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). January 29 Henry Clay introduces the Compromise of 1850 to the United States Congress February 28 University of Utah opens in Salt Lake City, Utah March 7 United George Gurnett (2nd incumbency)
• 1851 - 1853 John George Bowes
• 1854 Joshua George Beard
• 1855 George William Allan
• 1856 John Beverley Robinson
• 1857 John Hutchison
• 1858 William H. Boulton (2nd incumbency -- resigned Nov. 8)
• 1858 David Breakenridge Read (Nov. 11 - Dec. 31)
• 1859 - 1860 Sir Adam Wilson
• 1861 - 1863 John George Bowes (2nd incumbency)
• 1864 - 1866 Francis Henry Medcalf
• 1867 - 1868 James Edward Smith
• 1869 - 1870 Samuel Bickerton Harman
• 1871 - 1872 Joseph Sheard
• 1873 Alexander Manning
• 1874 - 1875 Francis Henry Medcalf (2nd incumbency)
• 1876 - 1878 Angus Morrison
• 1879 - 1880 James Beaty, Jr.
• 1881 - 1882 William Barclay McMurrich
• 1883 - 1884 Arthur Radcliffe Boswell
• 1885 Alexander Manning (2nd incumbency)
• 1886 - 1887 William Holmes Howland
• 1888 - 1891 Edward F. Clarke
• 1892 - 1893 Robert John Fleming
• 1894 - 1895 Warring Kennedy
• 1896 - 1897 Robert John Fleming (2nd incumbency -- resigned Aug. 5, 1897)
• 1897 - 1899 John Shaw (from Aug. 6, 1897)
• 1900 Ernest A. Macdonald
• 1901 - 1902 Oliver Aiken Howland
• 1903 - 1905 Thomas Urquhart
• 1906 - 1907 Emerson Coatsworth
• 1908 - 1909 Joseph Oliver
• 1910 - 1912 George Reginald Geary
• 1912 - 1914 Horatio Clarence Hocken
• 1915 - 1921 Thomas Langton Church
• 1922 - 1923 Charles A. Maguire
• 1924 William W. Hiltz
• 1925 - 1927 Thomas Foster
• 1928 - 1929 Samuel McBride
• 1930 Bert Sterling Wemp
• 1931 - 1934 William James Stewart
• 1935 James Simpson
• 1936 Samuel McBride (2nd incumbency - died Nov. 10)
• 1936 - 1937 William D. Robbins
• 1938 - 1940 Ralph C. Day
• 1941 - 1944 Frederick J. Conboy
• 1945 - 1948 Robert Hood Saunders
• 1948 - 1951 Hiram E. McCallum
• 1952 - 1954 Allan A. Lamport
• 1954 - 1955 Leslie Howard Saunders
• 1955 - 1962 Nathan Phillips
• 1963 Donald Dean Summerville (died Nov. 22)
• 1963 - 1966 Philip Gerald Givens
• 1966 - 1972 William Dennison
• 1972 - 1978 David Edward Crombie (resigned Aug., 1978)
• 1978 Fred Beavis (acting mayor, Sept. 1 - Dec. 1)
• 1978 - 1980 John Sewell
• 1980 - 1991 Art Eggleton
• 1991 - 1993 June Rowlands
• 1994 - 1997 Barbara Hall
• 1998 - 2003 Mel Lastman
• 2003 - David Miller