Still On The Hill

Now we are at the corner of Thurlow and Pendrell Streets.

1101, 1107, 1113, and 1119 Thurlow Street sit on what was originally one city lot and were built in 1903 by contractor B. Davidson for owner Robert C. Doyle, a doctor that was more interested in real estate speculation than medicine.

Most of these homes were built with the purpose of being rental homes and originally were identical. Except that 1101 Thurlow was a mirror image of the rest. In the 1920s, 1107 was altered and slightly enlarged in a renovation. 1101 Thurlow has been altered numerous times in recent decades.

1101 has had stucco added, the front porch enclosed, a garage and deck added but the interior was left relatively intact. The last alteration, a few years ago, removed most of the heritage features from the interior and many of the remaining ones on the exterior. (Not everyone likes heritage) However there is still original cladding under the stucco exterior.

The other houses, including 1107 Thurlow, have survived well and when restored by the society were found to have a remarkably high degree of interior heritage features (though some were hidden) as well as most of the original exteriors intact.

By 1930 several of the Mole Hill homes had many tenants living in tight quarters. The house at 1069 Thurlow - which was demolished in 1977 - had three families and four roomers living an area with more than likely two shared water closets and one bath. That house had been built by Peter Agren in 1906 and quite similar to 1136 and 1140 Comox Street.

1077 to 1083 Thurlow were sometimes called the Thurlow Apartments and were two wood frame, house-like apartment buildings. Later they were joined together along with the house at 1069 Thurlow. All were built between 1906 - 1907.

Next time I am going to show you some artwork from patients at the Dr. Peter Centre. Until then I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill, Victorian, Vancouver, Mole Hill, Dr. Peter Centre, History, Thurlow Street

More Mole Memories

1137 Pendrell Street was built in 1889 making it one of the oldest houses on the block and in the city. It was built on the same full city lot as 1139 and it appears that the first owners purchased the property together.

Robert Cosgrove, who lived here, was a labourer and worked to Thomas Tomkins. He was 28 years old when he built this house. It was modernized in 1909 with a new concrete foundation, Edwardian style front porch and second front entrance.

1139 Pendrell I am going to have to go back for more photos of.

This is a greenway that is located at 1133 Pendrell. Originally a Victorian house that was built in 1899 stood was in this spot. The first residents were a clerk, John McMillan and his wife and two children. Sadly the house was gone by 1970.

This unique home is a blend of Victorian and Edwardian features. It was built on the cusp of the Edwardian age - in 1899 - and was home first to John and Isabella Evans.

You are looking at 1127 Pendrell Street, a home that was built in 1904-5 by James Gillott. This Newfoundlander had experience in almost all aspects of the trade and is listed in city directories as a plasterer, contractor, mason and builder. He built, and probably designed, Orange Hall on East Hastings. (Which I have written on way back when.) The first resident at 1127 Pendrell was Charles D. Mackenzie who was in something to do with real estate. MacKenzie resided in this home for more than twenty years.

This house which presently resides at 1125 Pendrell Street has an interesting history. It's called the Watson House and was originally located at 909 Thurlow. For the grand price of one dollar it was sold to the City of Vancouver on the condition it be moved to a permanent location.

This 1897 home was restored by the Mole Hill Community Housing Society in 2004 and is now supportive housing in partnership with the Coast Foundation.

The house that was originally in this spot was built in 1904 and was a mirror image to 1127 Pendrell. Probably because it was built by James Gillott as well The first resident of the original home was David Robinson who worked at the Dominion Government Assay Office. A long time Mole Hiller, Mrs. Annie Oliver, was the last resident. She lived here until her death in the late 1970s and after that the city demolished the home.

This house had the honor of being home to some of Vancouver's earliest residents - Catherine Costello. Catherine was born in the United States and arrived in Vancouver before the great fire of 1886. She and her Irish born husband, Michael, lived on a farm in the area around 11th and Sophia. Michael was active in building and operating hotels as well as real estate speculation in the building boom that followed the fire.

Costello was a popular fellow and seemed to be a genuinely decent man. He also built and operated several canneries in New Westminster and Steveston, had interests in Alaska and organized and became president of the Alaska Fisheries Union. Costello was also an alderman in 1889 and 1890. He died suddenly on October 14, 1901 at the age of 56. Cause was a 'racing heart'.

Six years later his widow had the home at 1103 Pendrell built. She lived there until her death of a cerebral hemorrhage on December 22, 1926. Ownership then passed to her niece Kate and it is thought the family continued to own the house into the late 1930s and possibly until after WWII.


I hope you are enjoying this tour of Mole Hill because I am not finished and this isn't counting the houses I didn't get good photos of!

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill, Victorian, Vancouver, Mole Hill, James Gillott, Alaska Fisheries Union, History, Watson House

Mosing along the Mole

We have now walked west along Comox Street then made a left turn and proceeded south on Bute. Now we have turned left again and are walking east on Pendrell Street. A lot of history in this square block!

These Victorian houses are at 1157, 1159, 1163, 1169 and 1173 Pendrell Street. 1157 to 1159 were built in pairs by Alex Bethune, a sort of jack - of -all - trades in 1898 and 1899. Bethune was an interesting fellow and lived a varied life. He was born in 1852 in Peterborough, Ontario and married Mary McIntosh at Pilot Mound, Manitoba in 1882. There Bethune had been involved in the hardware and lumber business as well as being Postmaster in Manitou, Manitoba.

In the fall of 1891 Bethune arrived in Vancouver and worked in boots and shoes at Mills and Bethune as well as being involved in building and contracting. Starting in 1894 Bethune was elected as an Alderman several times and became Mayor of Vancouver in 1907.

Bethune lived in 1173 Pendrell and probably built it as well. It is thought to have been built in 1898 but it could have been earlier since there were two young working families, the Pitts and the Powells, renting one of those properties from at least 1891.



In 1898 1147 Pendrell Street was built for Henry de la Vallee Poussin who owned the property. Poussin though may have never lived there  and it isn't known who he was, what he did where he came from or where he went. It is known though that Colin Chisholm and Sarah Ralston and their four children resided here by 1901. This house was surrounded by additions with the original building mostly intact inside.

One addition where 1145 Pendrell is today was attached between this building and 1145 across the front of both buildings. These were built during and at the end of WWII as war industry jobs attracted more people to this city and created a demand for housing.

The addition where this building now stands was poorly done and could not be saved as a stand alone building. By this stylistically sympathetic new building was built on the same spot.

This Victorian home resembles the 'painted ladies' of San Francisco and is a rare gem in Vancouver. It was built in 1898 for Nelson Martin. Martin was born in Scotland and came to Canada at the age of 21. He served in the Canadian Home Guard and was in Winnipeg during the Reil Rebellion.

Not long after the Great Fire of 1886 Nelson moved to Vancouver and worked as a plasterer. He helped construct the first Hotel Vancouver at Georgia and Granville Streets as well as other large city buildings during that time. At one time Martin worked as a plasterer for several homes on Sea and Lulu Islands (now Richmond) and to get there he had quite a journey! He would walk to Eburne, now Marpole and then row across the Fraser River. Presumably he would do the same in reverse to get home in the evening. It's no wonder this was named the Martin Walk.

This house is also noted for being the home to the first French Consul in Vancouver at the end of the 19th century. The Consul, Baron de St. Laurent, lived there with his wife Eva who was a Canadian from Quebec.

I have more to show you on Mole Hill but have run out of room for today. Until next time I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill, Victorian, Vancouver, Mole Hill, Pitt, Alex Bethune, History, Nelson Martin