Subserie 01 - History of Community House

5 cm of textual records
17 photographs : col.
3 photographs : b&w.
84 photographs : negatives, 35-mm
5 photo albums : 18 x 22.5 x 1.75 cm

This subseries contains the history of the Community House in London that was founded and managed by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario. The house comprised several attached building structures situated on a corner site with a primary entrance at 534 Queens Avenue, and a secondary entrance at 471 Williams Street. The Community House simultaneously served as a convent for the Sisters and a place to initiate and develop outreach community projects in the areas of healthcare, education, and social welfare. The projects covered in this subseries include the Fontbonne Hall Home for Children, Madame Vanier Children’s Services, Internos, Women’s House, St. Joseph’s Detoxification Centre, Streetscape, and My Sisters’ Place. Other projects mentioned in this subseries include continuing to provide a safe space for previous clients at the Community House, holding monthly meetings of Women’s Information Sharing Exchange (WISE, an umbrella group of local social agencies), running a Christian community program for post-high school women, and directing the London Coffee House (a downtown drop-in centre).

There are chronicles on the evolution of the house history and records that document the various unfolding missions, and evolving ministries of the Sisters of St. Joseph stationed there. There is correspondence amongst the Sisters regarding the administration and programming of the various projects and discussions with partnering organizations, such as the Ontario Department of Public Welfare and Child Welfare Branch, the London Psychiatric Hospital, and Western Ontario Therapeutic Community Hostel Mental Health Services.

This subseries contains a short speech written and delivered by Sister Nancy Wales titled Farewell Words for the June 2004 closing of Women’s House. There are lists of Sisters who ministered at the Community House from 1952 to 2002 and a list of Chaplains who served there in 1955. There are promotional pamphlets advertising the services of Women’s House, and a December 2005 invitation notecard announcing the Sisters of St. Joseph’s farewell event and official closing at the Queens Avenue Community House. There are newspaper articles related to the London Coffee House, Women’s House, My Sisters’ Place, and a vigil against child poverty. There is a 1972 printed picture of a drawing in black ink of the 534 Queens Avenue house created by Silvia Clarke from London Heritage, a book edited by Terrence W. Honey, and published by the London Free Press Printing Company. There is a 1953 architecture blueprint of deed lines for the property at 534 Queens Avenue created by Peter Tillman.

In addition, there are photographs, photographic contact sheets, photographic negatives, and five photo albums. The loose photographs showcase different rooms within the Community House and the exterior surrounding landscape, as well as the Sisters and staff members inside and outside the house. There are 35mm film strip contact sheets documenting the architecture and various features of the house at 534 Queens Avenue. These photographs were coordinated by Donald J. MacKinnon of the Canadian Inventory of Historic Building. There are negatives and photographs housed inside transparent sleeves in the photo albums depicting individual and small groups of Sisters of St. Joseph, professional personnel (social workers, welfare agents, addiction counsellors), clients and their guests, the London City Counsellor, and representatives from the Salvation Army, Rotholme Family Shelter, London East Community Mental Health Services, London Intercommunity Health Centre, and the Mission Services Community Mental Health Program. The photographs in the photo albums also provide a glimpse of some of the various events and activities at the Queens Avenue Community House such as group meetings of the Women’s Mental Health Association and Research Coalition, the International Women’s Day, and World Youth Day in Toronto; closing and opening parties for Women’s House and Streetscape; and other social, cultural, and spiritual celebrations, including seasonal holidays and graduation commencements. There are also cards with printed pictures of the Community House at 534 Queens Avenue in London with an Irish Journey Blessing written on the inside.