Unfortunately not abandoned property that looks abandoned, if not for the trash bins. I wouldn't mind to sneak a peek in. How often do royals die in Toronto? Grand Duchess Olga, younger sister of the last Russian tsar, died here on 24th November 1960 (54 years ago on This Very Day)

Grand Duchess Olga as a teenager with her brother Nicholas the II the last tsar of Russia
I'm not posting the address but its located in Toronto, East York

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Looks almost abandoned (I wish!)

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Thats the very bedroom where Grand Duchess Olga died

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Hope you find it interesting

some photos by National Post

Not exactly the lap of luxury is it.

I posted this very late last night and I think I should elaborate...

Fun facts:

*Grand Duchess was born into the world richest royal family($30billion in 1900s money)

*At 19 she owned a five floor palace with 200 rooms and 80 people on staff

*Grand Duchess's brother Nicholas the || pleaded to King George V(with whom he looked very much alike) asking to smuggle the royal family to UK fearing for their life. English King George V refused, being afraid of possible UK revolution himself. So Grand Duchess ran off to Crimea with her second husband as the royal family was shot to death in the basement

*Crimea was invaded by Nazis during the First World War, and she was almost shot against a wall, luckily Allies saved her the very day she was going to be executed

*She ran off to Denmark owning only clothes and jewellery she wore. In Denmark she became a farmer but was unsuccessful

*She moved to Canada fearing communist assassins. She tried farming again in Milton, then lived off selling Catherine the Great's jewellery(earning her cool $200000 in 1950s money) in Cooksville, ON near Square 1 Mall (present day Missisauga).

*After 1950s she supported herself by becoming a successful artist painting Russian Orthodox icons that can be seen in Toronto's Greek churches and some even sold off to The Royal British Collection

*After her husband died from a stroke, she moved in permanently to the second floor of the house in East Chinatown in Toronto above a Chinese hair salon. The house then was owned by a Russian couple.

*She was visited by Elizabeth II and Prince Charles there in 1959.

*18 months later she died in her bed, 54 years ago from today after a series of strokes at age of 78. But not before caring after her dying housekeeper who suffered from dementia, the housekeeper worked for her for over 30 years and immigrated along from Denmark to Canada

*She and her husband are buried under a humble Orthodox cross in York Cemetery where you can see people leaving fresh flowers on her grave even today


Its an eventfull Cinderella-backwards story...

This is incredible!

Thanks for posting the info, and also for making it a bit of a hunt ; )

J->

I found out that she also had two sons, one died in 1984 and other in 1993 in Toronto and both buried in York Cemetery. I can't figure if they have had any kids or not. They both were married. I guess this is stepping over the borderline of privacy

Posted by icyGraveR *She moved to Canada fearing communist assassins. She tried farming again in Milton, then lived off selling Catherine the Great's jewellery(earning her cool $200000 in 1950s money) in Cooksville, ON near Square 1 Mall (present day Missisauga).

Ha! I didn't know my hometown or where I now work had connection to Russian Royality! Thanks for sharing! Love these little stories attached to otherwise dull spots, makes them just a touch more interestin!

FOR $539,000?? WHAT?!?!?!? Oh my god, this fucking city.

I'm just going to assume that the price is influenced by it's former resident, and not the condition of the building or where it is in the city. Gerrard East, yeah, that's a real nice 'hood...

Posted by Rust FOR $539,000?? WHAT?!?!?!? Oh my god, this fucking city. I'm just going to assume that the price is influenced by it's former resident...

Its not influenced that much, sadly.

You have seen the $1 million house for sale down by queen west, right?

http://www.toronto...194-euclid-avenue/

That house is technically a steal!