Thursday, November 4, 2010
An Independent Woman

The house at 1101 Prospect Avenue is across the street from Cleveland Park at the base of Grouse Mountain and has been there since 1936.  That is when it was built for $400 by P. P. Hartney.  At that time it was sitting on 5 lots. (PO) And that might explain why two addresses seem to be reported for it when listed in the City Directories.  Another factor is that there is no cross street between the 1000 block and the 1100 block on Prospect Avenue. 

In the 1940 City Directory no address is listed for the 1000 block of Prospect Avenue.  However P. P. Hartley is listed as an owner on the "ss" in that block.

Back of house facing south

The Dinham's bought the house in 1945. (PO)    In 1950 again there is no listing for 1101 Prospect Avenue, but there is for 1071 Prospect Avenue.  The owner at that time was still listed as  K. Dinham. It is possible that because of the size of the property, 5 lots, that 1071 was the address for this home at that time.  Again in 1955 the 1101 address is not listed.  And again the 1071 address is with owners Ken and Dorothy M. Dinham.  In 1960 again the pattern is repeated with Mrs. Dorothy Dinham listed as the owner.  

In 1971 the City Directory finally lists 1101 Prospect Avenue as the address of the Dinham house.  It seems that Dorothy Dinham, an independent woman, continued to own the house  until her death on January 12, 2010.  By this time the house was on only 2 lots.  

Dorothy Dinham was born on May 4, 1915 in Kitsilano, Vancouver.  Her family, parents, mother's name was Bedova (PO) and brothers Carl and Hal and sister Beatrice,  were the Ansell's of which Ansell Place on the West Vancouver coast north of Horseshoe Bay was named.  When Dorothy moved to Prospect Avenue and went to downtown Vancouver she would ride her bike.  During this time  she worked as the paymaster at McNair Logging. (PO.) In 1960 Dorothy Dinham was a receptionist at the 4th Avenue Veterinary Hospital in Vancouver. In 1971 Dorothy Dinham worked at the Signman of the North Shore.   She also worked at the Capilano Heights Chinese Restaurant until she was 80. (PO) Her obituary in The Vancouver Sun mentions how "she enjoyed the outdoors and gardening as she had lots of knowledge she would share."

Garage to the west of house

The tall cedar trees in the front yard (to be saved by the new owners) were topped years ago which has given them their unusual shape. The multiple branches at the top of the cedars look like the struts of an umbrella. (See photo below.)

Topped cedar trees

Thank you: To new owners for their recollections of  Dorothy Dinham.  The two lot property will be divided and a home built on each lot. Reference-PO



Demolition: Permit applied for in October 2010.

Photos: Taken in October 2010 by SW.
Appendix: City Directory research by Suzanne Wilson available on request
                       by e mail.