Leap Year: Digitized Items from Our Collections

February 28, 2020 | Ann

To kickstart the decade's first leap year, I turned to Toronto Public Library's Digital Archive Ontario for historical photos and unexpected items tied to leap years.

What you'll find below is a small selection of what I discovered. It includes photos from our Toronto Star Photograph Archive of individuals born on "leap day", February 29. (With only one birthday every four years, it's not hard to stay young! If you're curious, check out 10 Things You Didn't Know About Leap Day Babies.)

You'll also find a few pieces of ephemera (items not meant to last) that have some sort of connection to leap years. And finally, a bunch of digitized items showcasing literal leaps!

Leap year birthdays

Leap-year baby Lanalee Jane Wells; whose parents are David and Donna 1976

Lanalee was born at 12:04 am on February 29, 1976. That would make 2020 the year of her 11th birthday! Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1976.

Barb Morrison celebrates her seventh birthday in 1984

Barb (right) celebrates her "seventh" birthday as a "leapling" (leap day baby). Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1984.

Dawn Woodside and Margaret Sabiston both celebrate their Leap Year Birthdays in 1988

Dawn and Margaret both celebrate on the eve of their Leap Year Birthdays in 1988. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1988.

Peter McDonald Fletcher Celebrating His 17th birthday

Peter celebrated his 17th birthday in 1984, pouring champagne into a mug given to him (from the defunct Toronto World newspaper) when he was born in 1916. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1984.

Leap year-related ephemera

This advertisement was not published in a leap year, but the publication it appeared in mentions the prior leap year: "Scobie's Canadian almanac and repository of useful knowledge, for the year 1851, being the third after leap year." Baldwin Collection of Canadiana, 1851.

Cover of pamphlet for Bromo seltzer medicine that opens up to show a calendar of February in the Leap year of 1904

Advertisement for Emerson's Bromo-Seltzer. The booklet contains monthly calendars for the leap year 1904. Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books, 1904.

Worn calendar from 1908 that reads The Savoy's Ice Cream Parlor and Soda Fountain Japanese Tea Rooms Chocolates and Bon Bons. Yonge and Adelaidse Streets Toronoto

A promotional calendar from another leap year, 1908. The Toronto business advertises an "Ice Cream Parlor and Soda Fountain," "Japanese Tea Rooms" and "Chocolates and Bon Bons." Baldwin Collection of Canadiana, 1908.

Actual leaps (yes, I might be stretching it!)

Oil painting showing large whale leaping out of water with boat and clouds in background

Oil painting, "Modern Whaling - A Leaping Finback (off the coast of British Columbia)" by Arthur Henry Howard Heming. Baldwin Collection of Canadiana, 1912.

Poster with men lined up in military attire and a man in athletic gear jumping in between with text reading Jump into your place in the sportsman's company of the irish canadian rangers

First World War poster which asks Canadians to "jump into" military duty. Baldwin Collection of Canadiana, 1914.

Photo of man riding hours jumping over brush with farm in distant background

Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor. Toronto Star Photograph Archives, 1924.

Twice Canadian figure-skating champion Toller Cranston practises his leaps at the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club in 1973

Twice Canadian figure-skating champion, Toller Cranston practices his leaps at the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1973.

The Canadian obedience trial champion dog is Axel von Havelberg 5-year-old German shepherd was trained by Wolfram Klose of Orono in 1974

Canadian obedience trial champion dog Axel von Havelberg leaps through a tube of metal hoops with his trainer at Havelberg Kennels. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1974.

With a dramatic leap a dancer of the Ilarion ensemble performed at the Ukrainian Poltava in 1975

With a dramatic leap and a shout, the young dancer of the Ilarion ensemble from Oshawa performs at the Ukrainian Poltava. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1975.

Paul Thruston in 1977 leaped over 2 daffodil-covered cars for the Canadian Cancer Society

Paul Thurston leaped over two daffodil-covered cars for the Canadian Cancer Society. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1977.

Ron Richards in 1981 trained hard for his upcoming European tour with the Canadian Ski Jumping team

Olympian Ron Richards trains hard for his upcoming European tour with the Canadian Ski Jumping Team. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1981.

Stunt artist Allison Reid took a dive from the seventh floor of a building at 110 Spadina Avenue in 1988

Stunt artist Allison Reid took a dive from the seventh floor at 110 Spadina Avenue, Toronto in 1988 — a leap year! Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1988.

Three men in matching uniforms bouned high in the air one of which has skis

The Ramp and Tramp Fly Circus prepare for a show at Ontario Place. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1990.

Baseball player slides into plate as another player jumps mid air

Blue Jays baserunner Devon White slides into third base as Mike Pagliarulo of the Minnesota Twins leaps into the air. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, 1991.

Explore more

Go ahead, take the leap! See what you can find in Digital Archive Ontario.

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