The Charters and Boats (II)

Although the sailor genes in our family seem to come from Jennie Evans and her parents, there is also a possibility that the Charters were also boaters or boat-builders. I'm trying to work out if we are any relation to the John Charters who in 1846 was listed as working at Tinning's Wharf. This wharf was founded around 1830 by R. Tinning and was at the foot of what is now called York Street; it was demolished in 1886 by the CPR according to the Toronto Historical Association.

Tinning's Wharf also has its own interesting history. R. Tinning was one of the first in the city to make lifeguarding and water safety an important priority. His wharf was the port of call for steamboats that took Toronto passengers on daytrips to Niagara Falls. Recently its remains were discovered during a dig for a new condo building.

The photo below was taken around 1890 at the wharf at the foot of Yonge Street. The steamer is the Macassa, which went to Hamilton. The Toronto custom-house was also at the foot of Yonge Street in 1846: I imagine this was probably where many of the boats came in from the US.

I'm not sure how to find out if John Charters was a relative. So far I've just started to map out his family. John had a son, Thomas Charters, who became a moulder, and who worked at the same foundry as William Blashford in 1866. He also had two daughters. There was also another relation who lived with them, Charles Charters, who was a carpenter like John, but he seems to disappear after 1866.