Modern Mississauga and Heritage Mississauga have come together to present an ongoing series called “Way Back Wednesday’s."
We’ll share information about the history of Mississauga here and answer your questions.

Today’s topic is the history of Mississauga’s Clarke Memorial Hall.

Mary Louise Clarke and her husband, Alfred Russell Clarke, were among the wealthier Torontonians who established summer retreats at Lorne Park Estates. Mary Louise had the A.R. Clarke Memorial Hall built in 1922 in memory of her husband. Alfred Russell Clarke was on his way to England for business in 1915, aboard the now famous ocean liner “Lucitania.” Although he survived the sinking, Alfred caught pneumonia and died shortly afterwards in a London hospital, never returning to Canada.

The hall itself was finished in 1922, and upon completion, Mary donated the hall to the United Church. During the Depression, due to financial reasons, the church gave control of the hall to the Village of Port Credit. For many years the hall was used as a community hall and was the site of Port Credit’s municipal offices from 1941 to 1974. The building's classical columns, Italianate brackets, Renaissance Revival Dutch gable and the Spanish clay roof tiles show the architectural eclecticism common during the 1920s.