A Spur of the Moment Visit to Uxbridge Ontario – Visiting a Memorial to an Obscure Toronto Politician, Thomas Foster
Just off on unassuming rural side road north of the town of Uxbridge, Ontario, you will find a strange, yet delightful surprise – a temple of great beauty, defined by its oriental dome. Pulling over to the side of the road, I was ready to explore.
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Who is Thomas Foster?
Thomas Foster was an eccentric and very successful man. A businessman, he worked his way up the ladder from a simple butchers boy, to a member of Canadian Parliament, city councillor and a one time mayor of Toronto, yes one could say that Mr. Foster led an interesting life. He spent 25 years in public service and left a massive impression on the Ontarian capital. He owned many rental properties in Toronto and was known as “Honest Tom” by many. After his death he left much of his real estate fortune to charity and the maintenance of his temple. Most importantly for this memorial he was well travelled and inspired by Mughal (Indian) and Byzantine architecture. I urge you to read more about him as there are plenty of funny or heartwarming stories to pull from his larger then life personality!
The Temple
The Thomas Foster Memorial Temple itself, is located beside a graveyard on the northern side. This adjoining plot of land was once called the Zion, now the Foster, Cemetery and was the burial site of Thomas’ parents. It was erected in 1936 and was designed by architects J.H. Craig (1889–1954) and H.H. Madrill (1889–1998).
At the back of the temple you will find a beautiful cast iron entryway looking out on the farmers field.
It is rumoured that his main inspiration was the Taj Mahal and he would have his wife Elizabeth and daughter Ruby buried here with him. The beautiful interior and its mosaics is worth a look. A small fee for a tour is applied but it goes into the structures maintenance.
So, What is There to do in Uxbridge?
Known for its nature trails, Uxbridge is a pleasant, yet small, town in the heart of outstanding agricultural land. Settled by Quakers over the course of the 19th century, it is somewhat of a hub in its lonely corner of the countryside. Its semi-importance to the region was cemented by the fact that was once host to a picnic at Elgin Park featuring Canadian Prime Minister John A. McDonald. Today the old Railway town features a small museum with a Thomas the Train featured among several railway artifacts! It also has a pretty traditional main street.
