Return to Mole Hill

I told you I would be going back to Mole Hill one day to get the photos I missed. And I did that. So let's take a look.

This house, located at 1150 Comox Street, was built in 1903 by John Matheson. Matheson was an early Vancouver contractor and builder who had the expertise to provide architectural designs.

The first residents of this relatively rare late representation of Queen Ann Revival architecture were Roy MacGowan and his wife Emma Snowden who were married in 1904.

MacGowan was the son of businessman and MLA Alexander MacGown and worked for his father's company, MacGowan and Company which happed to be one of the largest shipping commission and insurance businesses in the city.

Within a few years a variety of renters lived in the house and an addition to the rear was built. Around 1954 David and Pauline Gilmour bought the house and moved in. They stayed until their deaths in 2009 and 2010.

1154 Comox Street was built in 1906 and, from what I read, has a beautiful and intact interior. The first resident was Charles Rummel who worked for the BC Electric Railway.

The front portion of the house was sawn off and an extension inserted. More than likely to make extra room for lodgers at some point. A rear addition was also added on  with some alteration to the front facade - probably in the early 1920s by the Marr family when it became Braemar Lodge.

1160 Comox Street is one of the oldest houses on the block and one of the few oldest surviving houses in the city and apparently the only one in its original streetscape context. William Mace, a house carpenter, built his home in 1888 and then it was practically alone on the summit of this hill and of course Vancouver was only two years old.

 This house has a number of special features that make it unique and stand out from. On the outside there are the large windows and the interior has a spiral staircase and handmade details. The Edwardian front porch is thought to have been added in the early 1900s.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill,Marr Family, Vancouver,Braemar Lodge,BC Electric Railway,MacGowan and Company,History,Alexander MacGowan

Meandering in Mole Hill

If you are walking along Comox Street - heading west - you will turn left - south - on Bute Street to continue along the next corridor in Mole Hill.

On Bute there are three houses that are identical and excellent examples of Edwardian architecture. They all have the wide open porches and were built in 1908.

The addresses of the homes are 1110, 1116 and 1122 Bute. All have had a variety of renters and owners over the years.

1110 and 1122 have been restored. The interior and exterior are back to their original beauty - including the outside heritage colors. 1116 has been converted to a strata title and the interior restoration reflects this while the exterior was restored to original.

There are a few more buildings on Bute that I want to show you and discuss but I don't have clear pictures so I will be going back.

The green house you are seeing here is right at the corner of Bute and Pendrell. I was certain to get some photos of the back to show you.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill, Edwardian, Vancouver, Mole Hill, Bute, homes, History, renters

More Mole Hill

This is another house in Comox Street in Mole Hill. It doesn't look as old as some I have shown you and that's because it isn't. This home was built in 1950 but the original Victorian house was likely built by Edward Hobson - the builder of 1170 Comox in 1898. It is thought that the house that was first built here was destroyed by fire in 1927 when a blaze occurred at the Royal Alexandra Apartments next door. The lot stayed vacant until 1950 when a philatelist at the Stanley Stamp Co., Fred Eaton, moved in.

During the years of 1905 and 1911 there was an active speculative builder in this area by the name of Peter Agren. He built 1136 and 1140 Comox in 1907. The first residents at 1136 were Agren himself along with an M. Agren, a carpenter and maybe his brother.

1140 was initially home to a contractor named Benjamin Williscroft and his family. Jean Williscroft was a dressmaker and bodice maker who worked at W. Goldbloom while Mabel Williscroft worked at Charles W. Hills and Co. In 1914 William Oscar Black  moved in. Black had been a contractor until the depression of 1913 and was now employed in auto supplies. Black was originally from Orillia, Ontario and was a veteran of the Fenian Raid of 1886.

At 1146 Comox there is a home that was built around 1904. A jeweller by the name of Henry Anstie moved in with his wife Kathleen and children, making this family the original owners and residents. For a long period of time this was not considered a heritage home because it was covered in stucco. But restoration revived this fine example of middle class housing of its period. It is somewhat exotic looking with its hexagonal turret, hipped roof and bell-cast eaves as well as the finely detailed interior trim, casings and stairs.

Remember last week when I told you about the back alley? Here are some photos from there. The houses are so much more intriguing when I can see more of them.

Now I have a slight problem. I took pictures but can't tell the addresses. These houses coming up are on Comox Street and I will just fill you in with the information. I have.

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1150 Comox was built in 1903 by John Matheson, an early Vancouver contractor and builder. He later went into business with his son, Robert Matheson, who went on to become a founding partner in Townly and Matheson Architects.

1160 is the oldest house on the block, built in 1888. It is a unique house with large windows and a gorgeous interior.

The top two photos are of 1164 Comox which was built in 1894 for Francis Bowser. It was originally a full city lot. Bowser's brother, William, became Attorney-General and later Premier for BC for most of 1916. However William Bowser was ousted due to various scandals.

There is more to write on Mole Hill and I will have to go back and get pictures of the houses on Comox Street. This time I will make sure to go when the Farmer's Market isn't there.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill, Townly and Matheson Architects, Vancouver, Mole Hill, William Bowser, homes, History, Farmer's Market