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.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010
One Big Address

The house behind the fence with the really big numbers making clear its address is at 658 East 5th Street.  No doubt about that.  It was built in 1941 as a Wartime House (See Blog Post March 22nd)  However, as can be noted from the photograph the house peeking above the fence has been modernized.  A porch and  rectangular front windows have been added, at least.  See the March  23rd Blog Post with the photo of the house down the block at 662 East 5th Street to see more of what the original 1941 house must have looked like.

In 1945 Gordon and Elizabeth E. Stewart owned the house.  Gordon worked   at Burrard Dry Dock in North Vancouver.  Many of the Wartime Home owners were employed at Burrard Dry Dock where the WWII ships were built. By 1950 Elizabeth is listed in the City Directories as a widow.  She continued to live there for at least another 20 years, until at least 1971.  Another woman owned the house after that.  It was Mrs. L. A. Gurnsey a teacher in the Burnaby School District.  Although she is listed as C. W. Gurnsey in the 1991 and 1995/96 City Directories, her occupation remained the same. 

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 658 East 5th Street had been demolished and a new home had been built.

Photo: Taken as part of Suzanne Wilson's Year 2000 Photography Project, Your House/Our Home and on file at the North Vancouver Archives.

Y2K Project:  See Blog Post February 26, 2010.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Stone Wall, Horseshoe Gate

"Vacant" for 367 East 5th Street in 1960 was the first listing found in the City Directories at the North Vancouver Archives. And then by 1971 the Anderson family moved into this North Vancouver City home. First it was Kurt. M. Anderson who was employed as a department manager for CP Air. Then by 1991 it was E. L. Anderson who in the 1995/96 City Directory was reported to have lived there more than 9 years.

Perhaps from the time this house was built or earlier the lane behind the house hinted at a more interesting story. Along the back of the lot was built a roughly made stone wall. The corner of the lot was marked with a tall pyramid shaped pillar on top of the wall. It had the look of a chimney. But it was the entrance to the lot that had the most interesting feature. The entrance opening was topped with what looked like a hand poured cement horseshoe. A wrought iron gate closed off the lot from people walking by. So although the house looked contemporary with the 1960's, the stone wall with its unique entrance looked like something from a previous era. Perhaps it was. Down the street and on the same side of 387 East 5th Street a once grand home in a Tudor Revival style was built in 1908 for J. H. and Mary Elizabeth Hoare. The City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994 page 75 shows a photo of the house and states "due to subdivision of the original property, the structure now faces the alley between 4th and 5th Streets." Could it be that the old stone wall at 367 East 5th Street was once part of this original Hoare Residence property?

 

The photos at 367 East 5th Street were 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.


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 367 East 5th Street had been demolished and a new duplex had been built. The stone wall in the lane had also been demolished.


Photo: Taken in the year 2000 by SW.
Reference: The Year 2000 project was donated by Suzanne and Alan Wilson to the North Vancouver Archives and is available for viewing.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Decked Out for Every Holiday

During the photographing of over 2000 homes in the City of North Vancouver for the Year 2000 Project, Your House/Our Home (see March 22 Blog Post) it was noted that the house at 662 East 5th Street was decked out for every holiday. At Halloween a pumpkin scarecrow even guarded the front porch of the Wartime House (See March 22 Blog Post) from his chair next to the front door. Ghosts hung in the front bushes and side tree.

Since it was built in 1941 many families lived in this well decorated home. In 1945, right at the end of the war, it was Yvonne and John W. Mark. In 1950 it was William J. Ellison Jr., a roofer. In 1960 Ken A. and Marianne Woods were the owners. Ken was an electrician. By 1971 Donald J. and Mary Martin owned the house. Mary was a clerk at The Citizen Newspaper. In 1980 the resident was S. Dennis and in 1991 it was A. Geraldine Sandau. Perhaps Geraldine was new to 662 East 5th Street in 1991 for the 1995/96 City Directory notes that by then she had lived there for 6 years. In 1995/96 another resident is mentioned and that was Terrace S. McCabe.

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 662 East 5th Street had been demolished and a new home had been built.

Photo: Taken in the year 2000 by SW.

Monday, January 4, 2010
The Tiny House


This tiny distinctive two story home was in the Cloverley area of the City of North Vancouver. The City of North Vancouver is approximately four square miles bounded by the Burrard Inlet on the south, and North Vancouver District on the north, east, and west. The Cloverley area covers the south east part of the City from Queensbury Avenue and Keith Road to the eastern border.


The house at 805 East 5th Street was on the south east corner of 5th and Sutherland Avenue. It was probably built before 1911 because it does not appear in the Building Permit Book at the North Vancouver Archives. (Building Permits in the City of North Vancouver were established in 1911. In the years 1907 to 1910 information can be found in the Assessment Rolls.) In 1925 Hilda Green lived in the house. And in 1926 the home owner was building contractor Robert Salkald.


By 1931 Frank Vacher had purchased the house. He previously lived on Hastings Street in Vancouver and worked as a cook at Club Lunch. In 1939 Blanch, possibly his widow by that time, gained a building permit for a $150 addition. She is definitely listed as a widow in the 1940 City Directory. The photo is the rear of the house and possibly the $150 addition which could have been the back porch area, the side punch out or perhaps the second story dormer.


By 1950 Robert Vacher, Blanch and Frank's son, a carpenter's helper at CH Cates is listed as living in the house. In 1980 Pierre Robert Vacher was working at the Lynn Valley Barber Shop. He continued to live in the house until his death in 2009.


This tiny house with bushes in the front had a large gardenless yard on the Sutherland Avenue side and a garage on the lane. From this yard is a view of Burrard Inlet, Vancouver, and Burnaby beyond. This house was a favorite of  Trick or Treaters in the 1970's. Children came from the steep stepped homes a block away on Shavington and Cloverley Street to this flatter area. They remembered this house, because most  gave out candy, popcorn or apples while Robert Vacher gave out real nickels.


The house was demolished in October 2009. The area chit chat is that a house is being built for a daughter one of  Robert Vacher's neighbors.


Photo: Taken July 18, 2009 by SW.