Hey there, funky friends and fellow treasure hunters…. have we got a wild one for you today!
If you love Canadian history facts as much as we do, you know that our great nation has a bit of a reputation for being, well…. polite. But every now and then, something happens that is just so bizarre, so incredibly "out there," that it cements itself in the hall of Canadian historical oddities forever. We are talking about the "Great Stork Derby", a decade-long race that turned the city of Toronto into a baby-making battleground during the peak of the Great Depression.
At Funky Junk Auctions, we live for the thrill of the hunt…. whether it is a box of rare toys, a hidden piece of fine china, or a dusty stack of old newspapers that tells a story like this one. This isn't just about a weird contest; it is about the amazing vintage Canadian memorabilia and historical ephemera that still surfaces at antique auctions and online collectible auctions today.
So, grab your favorite mug (we’ve got ours ready!), settle in, and let’s dive into the story of Charles Vance Millar and the most famous "prank" in Canadian legal history….
The Man, The Myth, The Practical Joker
Charles Vance Millar was a very successful Toronto lawyer and financier who lived from 1853 to 1926. He was smart, he was wealthy, and he was…. let's just say, a bit of a character. Millar was a notorious practical joker who loved to poke fun at the "stuffy" social norms of his time. When he passed away on Halloween in 1926, he didn't have any children or close heirs to leave his fortune to.
Instead, he left a will that would keep Toronto talking for the next twelve years.
He didn't just leave money to charity; he set up a series of social experiments. For example, he left shares in a brewery to several prominent Methodist ministers who were famously against alcohol…. and he left shares in an anti-gambling racetrack to people who spent their lives trying to shut it down! He even left a vacation home in Jamaica to three men who absolutely loathed each other, with the condition that they had to live in it together indefinitely.
But the "big one", the clause that would change lives and dominate the headlines, was Clause 9.
Clause 9: The Baby Race Begins
Clause 9 of Millar’s will stated that the remainder of his estate, which was a massive fortune at the time, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, should be given to the mother in Toronto who gave birth to the most children in the ten years following his death.
The "Great Stork Derby" was officially on…. and it was one of the most weird Canadian history moments ever recorded!
Can you imagine the buzz in the city? It was October 31, 1926. The clock was ticking. For the next ten years, families across Toronto were literally "in it to win it." Because the contest took place during the Great Depression, that prize money wasn't just a "nice to have", it was a ticket out of poverty. It was a fortune that would be worth millions in today's dollars.
The Race to 1936
As the years rolled by, the Great Stork Derby became a national obsession. Newspapers followed the leading mothers like they were sports stars. People would open their morning papers to check the "scoreboard."
There were controversies, of course…. plenty of them! Some families were disqualified because their children weren't "legitimate" (born out of wedlock), which was a huge scandal back then. Others were disqualified because their births weren't properly registered under the Vital Statistics Act, a legal detail Millar had specifically included in his will.
By the time 1936 rolled around, the competition was fierce. There were court battles, appeals to the Supreme Court of Canada, and even attempts by the Ontario government to seize the money for the province (luckily, that didn't happen!).
In the end, it was a four-way tie. Four amazing Toronto mothers, Annie Katherine Smith, Kathleen Ellen Nagle, Lucy Alice Timleck, and Isabel Mary MacLean, each had nine children in that ten-year span. Each woman walked away with about $110,000. In 1938, that was an astronomical amount of money…. enough to buy houses, educate their children, and secure their futures.
Time for a quick coffee break…. while you think about the sheer amount of diapers those families went through!
Why Collectors Love the Derby
You might be wondering, "Penny, this is a great story, but what does it have to do with collectibles Canada?"
Well, everything! At Funky Junk Auctions, we know that history isn't just in books; it’s in the "stuff" people left behind. The Great Stork Derby created a mountain of ephemera that collectors still hunt for today. If you are a fan of vintage Canadian memorabilia, here is what you should be looking for in your next attic dive or online bid:
1. Contemporary Newspapers (1926–1938)
Original front-page stories from the Toronto Daily Star or the Globe and Mail featuring the "Stork Derby" headlines are highly sought after. They are beautiful pieces of social history that capture the drama of the era.
2. Legal Documents and Ephemera
Because this was a lawyer’s prank, the legal side is fascinating. We occasionally see old law journals, printed court judgments, or even pamphlets discussing the "Millar Will Case." These are gold for collectors of Canadian historical oddities.
3. Vintage Photography
Press photos of the winning families, especially the Timleck and Nagle families, are incredibly rare and special. These black-and-white snapshots show the "stork" winners with their huge broods of kids, often dressed in their Sunday best for the cameras.
4. 1930s Toronto Souvenirs
Since the contest was restricted to Toronto, any memorabilia from the city during that specific decade: postcards, city maps, or even household goods from the local shops where these families would have spent their winnings: carries a bit of that "Stork Derby" magic.
The Thrill of the Auction Hunt
The Great Stork Derby reminds us why we do what we do. It’s the idea that a single piece of paper: a will: could change the entire landscape of a city for a decade. It’s the idea that "junk" in one person's basement might actually be a rare piece of vintage Canadian memorabilia that tells a story about human resilience and a very eccentric lawyer.
At Funky Junk Auctions, we are always on the lookout for the "weird and wonderful." Whether you are looking for rare toys, vintage jewelry (no "shiny" here, just the good stuff!), or unique historical documents, our online collectible auctions are the place to be. We host auctions that feature everything from fine china and art glass to sports cards and memorabilia. You never know when a piece of the Great Stork Derby era might show up in one of our listings!
We make it easy for you, too. No need to travel across the province: our auctions are online-only. Once you win your "treats," you can pop by for a scheduled curbside pickup (we love seeing your faces!) or we can ship your finds nationwide.
It’s all about the discovery…. the "AHA!" moment when you find that one special item that completes your collection. Because at the end of the day….
"It's Not Junk: It's My Retirement Plan."
If you have a collection of vintage Canadian memorabilia or other household treasures you’re looking to part with, or if you’re just a "bargain hunter" ready to find your next favorite thing, keep an eye on our upcoming auctions. We’ve always got something special cooking!
Thanks for joining us for this little trip down memory lane. Stay funky, Toronto!
Team Funky
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