Last week, our Way Back Wednesday article on the early Lakeview area road names in Mississauga, we focused on the origin of street names within the Lyndwood Gardens area of Lakeview. Some of the feedback from that article lead to this article. But a quick disclaimer – we do not have all the answers (yet), but it has been a fun search!

This week’s article is going to explore some street names adjacent to Lyndwood Gardens, namely: Blanefield Road, Caven Street, Northhaven Drive, Ridgemont Crescent, Drymen Crescent, Exbury Crescent and Radcliffe Boulevard, amongst others. Historically, this area of Lakeview was part of Lot 11, Concession 2, SDS (South of Dundas Street).

Thomas Caven (1777-1844) received 200 acres in Lot 11, Concession 2, SDS in 1837. Together with his wife Mary (1778-1844), and his sons Hugh, James and William, a house was built, and the lot partially cleared for farming. The family called their property Maple Shade Farm, and they began to flourish. The three sons inherited the farm when their parents passed away in 1844, and divided the 200 acres into three parcels, which were long narrow lots consisting of approximately 66 acres each. A story is told that the three brothers, wishing to avoid confusion over mail, opted to alter the spelling of their surnames. From west to east was Hugh Caven (1819-1905), James Cavin (1806-1875) and William Cavan (1808-1877). William’s property abutted Cawthra Road.

We will first follow the property that belonged to William, the middle brother.

In 1884 William transferred his property to Belle (Arabella) Cavan, his daughter-in-law through her marriage to William's son Moses. In 1892 the property was acquired by George Cavin, William's nephew (son of James Cavin) and in 1913 by George's son, Otto Wellington Caven (Otto used the "Caven" spelling for his surname). In 1919 Otto Caven sold his 66-acre property to Edgar Thompson Stephens. Later that year Stephens registered subdivision Plan B19.

Plan B19 laid out a portion of Arbor Road and Blanefield Road in the north part of the lot, and Caven Street to the south (interestingly, Caven Street was originally registered as Cavan Road).

Edgar Thompson Stephens (1883-1945) was born in Mimico and as an adult became involved in raising and breeding Holstein cattle. After moving to Richmond Hill, he became active in the Milk Producer’s Association, amongst several other professional and social organizations. In 1919 he founded E.T. Stephens Ltd. which rapidly became one of the largest development firms in Toronto. Regarding Plan B19 here in Lakeview, Stephens subdivided the land west of Cawthra Road and east of the new Blanefield Road. It was one of the first subdivisions in the community, although we do not currently know the name origin behind Blanefield Road, although it may link to the name origin of Drymen Crescent.

But back to the other Caven/Cavin/Cavan brothers.

Hugh Caven, the youngest brother, sold his lot to Hugh Saul (after whom Saul’s Creek is named) in 1861 and moved to Middlesex County. This lot in turn was purchased by Ernest Robinson in 1919. In 1920 Robinson sold his property to Willard’s Chocolates Limited. James Cavin, the eldest brother, willed his property to his son, Charles, in 1875, and then to grandsons Caleb and Norman. This property remained in the family until 1950. In 1950 Frank R. Whitehead purchased both the remaining Caven/Cavin/Cavan property and the property of Willard’s Chocolates.

Frank Radcliffe Whitehead (1888-1964) worked with financier Elliott Lloyd Marrus (1914-1996), a prominent and popular Toronto lawyer, and in 1951 Whitehead registered Plan 412. This subdivision would include Northhaven Drive (originally listed as North Haven Drive), Ridgemont Crescent, Dellwood Park, a portion of Atwater Avenue, and an extension Arbor Road. In 1952 Frank Whitehead entered a partnership with Samuel Louis Shields (1902-1976) and they registered Plan 460. This subdivision included Drymen Crescent, Exbury Crescent and Radcliffe Boulevard. In 1958 the partnership was dissolved, and Samuel Shields continued to oversee the development of what was known then as Queen Elizabeth Gardens.

In terms of street names, the only name origin known with certainty is that of Radcliffe Boulevard, which takes its association from Frank Radcliffe Whitehead. Radcliffe was a family name. Frank himself was born to a wealthy industrial family in Saddleworth, Yorkshire, England. During the First World War, Frank served with the Royal Air Force, and for a time was stationed out of Exbury, England – presumably, the name origin for Exbury Crescent. One wonders if Frank’s subdivision plans might have been inspired by the work of his cousin, Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead, and the founding of the Byrdcliffe arts and crafts colony in New York in 1902.

Caven Homestead, Maple Shade Farm, c1900

As for the name origin of Drymen Crescent, and the aforementioned Blanefield Road, we are uncertain. Drymen and Blanefield are names of towns in the Stirling district of Scotland, near Loch Lomond. However, we do not know if this was the inspiration behind the names, or if there was another source.

Clear as mud, right? All of these plans, subdivisions and developers highlight how Lakeview developed and evolved in a rather piecemeal fashion over several decades. The subdivisions of the 1950s were celebrated in the community, and provided, as some articles referenced, as sense of optimism and achievement: “Where the Cavin’s lush farm produce once grew, there are rows of lovely homes and dozens of friendly people … and to drive around the Gardens now is a revelation.” (From “Lakeview: More Than Just Land”, Volume 2, by Verna Mae Weeks, Page 117, 1990)

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Part 2 - Early Lakeview area road names in Mississauga

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