Thursday, December 16, 2010

St. Georges Duplex

The one storey duplex at  St. Georges Avenue sat on the corner with East 17th Street in the City of North Vancouver. Tall maple trees shaded the front and north sides of the home.  There is no listing for the duplex in either the Building Permit Book or the 1945 City Directory at the North Vancouver Archives.  However, by 1950  residents are listed at 1644 St. Georges Avenue which was the north end unit.  The residents were George W. and Lida A. Morgan.  George Morgan worked as a manufacturers agent at #24 441 Seymour St. in Vancouver.

In 1960 the north 1644 unit was reported "Vacant".  However the owner lived in the 1640 St. Georges Avenue which was the south unit. The owner was Mrs. A. L. Tussudowner.  She was the widow of G. B. Tussundowner.  In 1971 the 1644 residents were William J. and Mary E. Gannon.  William Gannon was an accountant at Canadian International Commercial.  At that time the residents at 1640 were Gemma J. and Peter Renardy.  Gemma Renardy was employed as a kitchen helper at Lion's Gate Hospital.  Peter Renardy was an iron worker at Riverside Iron Works.

In 1980 the 1664 resident was Mrs. Marg Trainer.  Marge Trainer was employed as a sales clerk at Grouse Mountain.  There was "No Return" to inquiries by the City Directory at the 1640 address.  Again in 1991 there was "No Return" to inquiries by the City Directory at the 1640 address.  However, the owners lived at 1644 St. Georges.  They were Jon and Christina Robertson.  Jon Robertson was the broadcaster for Post Haste.  Jon and Christina Robertson continued to own the 1644 duplex in 1995/1996, and Jon continued broadcasting for Post Haste.  The resident at the 1640 unit from 1991 to 1995/1996 was D. S. Kinar.

The photo of 1644 St. Georges Avenue was taken by Suzanne Wilson as part of her Year 2000 Photography Project, Your House/Our Home.  2000 photos of homes in the City of North Vancouver were photographed.  Approximately 800 of these were accompanied by some history from the present or previous home owner sometimes including personal photographs.  This was true in the case of 1644 St. Georges Avenue.  

Scheila MahManish and Hossein Behrooziniz moved into 1644 St. Georges Avenue in 1998 and this is the story they told for the Year 2000 Photo Project, Your House/Our Home.

"Scheila MahManish, Hossein  Behrooziniz , and their two children, Bita and Houman, moved int 1644 St. Georges Avenue when they came from Tehran, Iran two years ago.  The whole family is musical."Hossein (See Link.) is a professional flutist.  His most recent CD is "Midnight Sun".  Although Scheila doesn't play she made a traditional Iranian string instrument from wood.  Brita has played the piano and now plays the trombone.  Houman sings with the B.C. Boy's Choir 2000.

"Scheila is an artist who makes beautiful pictures of flowers and people with wood inlay.  Bita attends Sutherland Secondary School and is a medal winner for the Chena Swim Club.  Houman attends school at Queensbury Elementary."

In the month of June 2007 Suzanne Wilson celebrated the City of North Vancouver's 100 birthday by distributing to their home owners copies of 1000 photos taken for the Y2K Project.  At this time it was discovered that the home photographed at 1644 St. Georges Avenue had been demolished and a new series of row houses had been built.

Photo: Taken for the Year 2000 Photography Project, Your House/Our Home by
               SW and available at the North Vancouver Archives.
Link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61480406890

Front, 426 East 1st Street

Friday, November 12, 2010

High on the Hill

The homes on the north side of the 400 block of East 1st Street are perched high on the hill with spectacular views of the Georgia Straight and across the water to Vancouver.  To get to the front door of the home at 426 East 1st Street you need to climb up 40  steep steps.  This home is not only one home, it is two.  The front home, 426,  is accessed from the steps on East 1st Street. The back home is much easier to enter as it is on the top of the hill and off the lane; this its address is 428 East 1st Street.

There are no listings of either address in the Building Permit Book or the 1950 or 1955 City Directories at the North Vancouver Archives.  But then in 1960 Robert N. and Florence Cumming were reported as the owners of 426 East 1st Street.  Robert Cumming worked as a laborer for North Vancouver City.  In 1971 the resident at 426 was Donald Read, a representative for Burroughs Business Machines.  In 1980 Henry Funk and Jean Stuedore were the residents of 426.  In 1991 an owner was reported at 426, Blair Holme.  In 1995/1996 426 was reported as being "Vacant".

Rear, 428 East 1st Street

The rear address on the house, 428 East 1st Street reported  residents in 1960, Avid E. and Beryl A. Safstron/m.  Avid Safstron worked as a crusher foreman at Dawson Wade and Company.  In  1971 the owner of 428 was H. Funk. (Note that in 1980 he  moved to the 426 address.)  In 1980 the 428 residents were Alex and Beth Fish.  In 1991 the 428 address was not listed in the City Directory.  In 1995/1995 the 428 owner was a truck driver, Tom McCaffrey.  He reported that he had owned the home for 4 years.

In October 2010 Rupert Legge applied for a Permit for Demolition of the 426 East 1st Street property.

Demolition: Permit applied for in October 2010.

Photos: Taken in November 2010 by SW.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Doors of Green and Brown

Perhaps the duplex with the brown and green doors was not the first home to be built at 430/432 West 6th Street.  In this area north of the Native Lands and east of St. Thomas Catholic Church and school there is evidence that a home was at 430 West 6th Street in 1931. 

There is no building permit, but in the 1931 City Directory J. C. Haines was listed as the owner.  In 1940 his widow Mrs. Clara E. Haines was the owner of the home at 430 West  6th Street.  In 1945 and 1950 Don W. Smith Jr. and Margaret Smith were the owners at 430 West 6th Street.  In 1945 Don Smith worked as a welder for Burrard Dry Dock in North Vancouver.  In 1950 he was the general plantman at Home Oil Distributors.  In 1960 and 1971 Ambrose and Margaret Lee owned the house at 430 West 6th Street.  They were retired.  During all these years, 1931 to 1971 there was no listings for a 432 West 6th Street address.

Then in 1980, 430 West 6th Street was listed as "No Return" and 432 West 6th Street was a listing in the City Directory with Sian Lip and Hetty Boen as the owners.  In 1991 there was a listing for the 430 West 6th Street address; Nancy Findlater of Capilano College was the owner. However, the 432 West 6th Street address was reported as "Vacant".  Perhaps, it was just previous to 1980 that the duplex was built.

In the 1995/1996 City Directory both addresses were reported as occupied.  At 430 West 6th Street the residents were Hugh L. Soko a recording engineer at Freeland; Lori A. Duggan, a student; and Leslie Bogula, a student.  At the 432 West 6th Street address the occupants were Michael Porowski, working at Horen Services, and Lois Campbell, a truck driver at Horen Services.

In October 2010 Peter Mah applied for a demolition permit for the property at  430 West  6th Street.

Demolition: Permit applied for from the City of North Vancouver Oct. 2010.
Photo: Taken in November 2010 by SW.

Monday, November 1, 2010
Tire Swing

There is no listing in the Building Permit Book at the North Vancouver Archives of the duplex at 252/254 East 19th Street.  The first record of this one storey L shaped duplex seemed to be in the 1955 City Directory and only for the 252 East 19th Street address.  The 254 East 19th Street address was reported as "Vacant".  The residents in 1955 were the Rev. John C. and Joan Bothwell.  Rev. Bothwell was the assistant at Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver.

By 1960 both sides of the duplex were occupied.  The residents at 252 were William J. and Gloria J. Trembath.  William Trembath worked as an engineer at Metro Construction.  The residents at 254 were Nicholas J. and Corry Krook.  Nicholas Krook was a watchmaker at Kris' Watch Shop. Corry Krook was a clerk at Cunninhams.

In 1971 the owners lived at 252.  They were Leslie S. and Sharie Merrifield.  Leslie Marrifield was an engineer at CZ Canada. The 254 residents were Ralph and Pamela Heerens.  Ralph Heerans was employed as a salesman.

In 1980, the City Directory listed "No Return" for both 252 and 254.

In 1991 there were "new neighbors" on both sides of the duplex.  At 252 the new neighbors were Tim and Kim Banman.  At 254 the new neighbor was J. Paul.
Soon after new residents again moved into both sides of the duplex since in the 1995/1996 City Directory both reported being there for 4 years.  At 252 it was John E. Kornafel, a printer, and Lori Schultz, a student.  At 254 it was Murray Gordon and Michelle Sparrow. 

Rough stone fireplace hearth and room divider in 252.

None of the 1995/1996 residents were living in the duplex at 252/254 East 19th Street in the year 2000 nor were they  listed in the Phone Directory of year 2000.  However, in the year 2010 a rough stone fireplace hearth and room divider was still between the living room and kitchen in the 252 unit.  And the tire swing was hanging from the tree on the east side of the front lawn.

Tire swing on east side of front yard of duplex

Demolition: Permit applied for from City of North Vancouver in October 2010.

Photos: Taken in October 2010 by SW.



Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Duplex? Fourplex?

The duplex with the addresses 267/267B/269/269B East 5th Street is just east of the duplex with the addresses 263/265/265B East 5th Street. (See Blog Post June 15, 2010.) Each property is presently enclosed in blue construction fencing indicating they may be combined for construction of a one complex.

There is no record in the Building Permit book at the North Vancouver Archives for the addresses at either 267 or 269 East 5th Street. This seems to indicate that they were built more recently than the 1947 time limit of the Building Permit book entries.

For  the west end units of the duplex,  267 and 267B East 5th Street,  there is a listing by 1971. In 1971 Ernest G. Mayo, a printer at Dalmac Mtl. Products, was living in 267B. There was "no return" from 267 East 5th Street. In 1980 Don A. Taylor, a chiropractor and "new neighbor", was living at 267 East 5th Street. There is no listing of 267B. In 1991 the "new neighbor" is G. Knechtel. And in 1995 Linda and Rodney A. Shier were the owners at 267 East 5th Street. Rodney Shier was an accountant and Linda Shier was a sales clerk at The Bay. They reported that they had lived there for four years.

For the east end units of the duplex, 269 and 269B East 5th, there are two listings by 1971.  In 1971 Gerald and Donna Macey lived in 269. Gerald Macey was an operator at Reliance Motors and Mechanics. In 1971 Peggy Proudlock lived in 269B. Peggy was a teller at the Bank of B.C. In 1980 G. A. Bryson was the "new resident" in 269. And in 1991 Greg Sutton was the "new neighbor" at 269. By 1995 Greg Sutton reported that he had lived at 269 for five years. D. Johnson reported that he had lived at 269B for five years as well.

With all four addresses at some time being listed as having occupants, the duplex at 267/267B/269/260B East 5th Street, may have actually at some times been a fourplex.

Demolition: Permit applied for June 2010.
Photo: Taken in June 2010 by SW.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Multiple House Numbers, Families, Stories

A house on the lot that now has the addresses of 263 and 265 East 5th Street dates back farther than the duplex now with those addresses. Although there isn't a listing in the Building Permit book for this present duplex, there is for the original home at that location.

In 1928 a building permit was applied for by D. J. Dixon for a $4,250 house at 263 East 5th Street. In the City Directory of 1931 there is no listing at 263, but there is at 265 East 5th Street. The owner was reported again be D. J. Dixon. D. J. Dixon at this time was employed as a boilermaker (blrmkr). Again in 1940 there is no listing in the City Directory at 263 but there is 265. The residents at that time were Harry and Emily Smith. Harry Smith was a school teacher in North Vancouver City. Harry Smith was also reported in the 1950 and 1955 City Directories as being the owner. In both of these years he was a principal in the North Vancouver School District #44.

After that there is no listing of 263 East 5th Street in the 1950, 1955, 1961, or 1971 City Directories. In 1980 J. L. Johnston is reported as being a "new resident". In 1991 the address was "vacant". And by in the 1995/96 city Directory E. and Cathy Proulx reported that they had lived at 263 East 5th St. for four years. E. Proulx was employed as a bus driver for B.C. Transit.

After Harry Smith owned the 265 East 5th Street home in 1955 it was reported as being "Vacant" in 1961 and "no return" in 1971. Then in 1980 when there was a listing for a new resident at the 263 East 5th Street address there was also a new resident listing at the 265 East 5th Street address. This resident was D. R. Mclean. In 1991 the resident at 265 was M. Eck who was employed as a contractor at Dorle International Ltd. In 1995 M. Eck reported that he had lived at that address for 8 years, so he must have moved there in 1987. In 1995 M. Eck was still working as a contractor for Dorle International Ltd.

In 1995 a new address is listed on the 263/265 East 5th Street property. The new address was 265b East 5th Street and the residents were Mark and Laura Butler. They reported living there for 6 years, so the 265b East 5th Street address seems be have been established by 1989. Mark Butler was working as a fisherman.

In brief, the history of the property at 263/265/265b East 5th Street seems to be this:
             1928 a home built at 263 East 5th Street
             1931 the address now recorded at 265 East 5th Street
             1955 the home at 265 East 5th Street still occupied
             1980 new residents reported at both 263 and 265 East 5th St. (duplex)
             1989 the address 265b East 5th Street established

The duplex to the east of 263/265/265b East 5th Street has also applied for a demolition permit. Both duplexes are now behind blue construction fence. Perhaps multifamily housing similar to that in the rest of the block will be built.

Demolition: Permit applied for June 2010.
Photo: Taken in June 2010 by SW.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Two For One

The Blog Post for 225 East 18th Street published on March 30th, 2010 tells the story of what is possibly being planned for this area. It looks like four of the five lots in this block near St. Georges Ave. have been gathered up for a large multifamily housing complex. The multifamily complex all ready built on the corner indicates the start of this change.

But the side by side stucco duplex at 219 and 221 East 18th Street has two stories to tell, one for each address. There is no listing for the brown duplex in the Building Permit book at the North Vancouver Archives. And there is no listing for either address in the 1950 or 1953 City Directories. But there are listings in 1955.

Thom is the name at 219 in 1955 but not in 1960. By then Nora M. and Cecil R. Hall lived at 219. Cecil worked at the Lux Theater at 55 East Hastings Street. By 1971 Christine and Bartello Desisto were the residents. Bartello was employed as a plumbing contractor by by P. Ciambelli at 235 East 18th Street. In 1980 the 219 side of the duplex was reported as being vacant. In 1991 Grant Richards was the resident upstairs at 219 and Dorothy Ryan had just moved in as the basement resident. In the 1995/96 City Directory Grant was reported as living at that address for five year and there is no mention of Dorothy Ryan.

As for the 221 East 18th Street address, in 1955 that resident was Mrs. Roberta Hammond. Roberta was a widow and taught in the North Vancouver School District 44. In 1960 Ann S. and Cornelius M. Neiwerth lived at 221. Cornelius worked as the proprietor of Skyline Sports Center. There were two, one at 1637 Lonsdale Avenue and a second at 3066 Edgemont Avenue. In 1971 the 221 side of the duplex was reported as being vacant. But by 1980 Harry Chan was living there. In 1991 the resident was L. Emmbach who was an employee of CIL Paint. He must have moved in by 1988 since in the 1995/96 City Directory he was reported as having lived there for 7 years. Sharole S. Emmbach also lived there and worked as a clerk at The Bay. Another resident reported as living at 221, but only for four years, was N. Sylvester, an auto body repair man.

Demolition: Permit applied for February 2010.

Photo: Taken February 2010 by SW.