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

Thursday, December 9, 2010
St. George's Stately Home

This stately corner home at 2048 St. Georges Avenue in the City of North Vancouver was built for $6,500 in 1946 by the owner M. E. Leighton.  The architect was J. Blackadder. The Blackadder name was well known in North Vancouver for being part of the architectural team with MacKay that built many homes in the early 1900's as well as the Dundarave Block on Lonsdale Avenue.   Several of these can be seen on the pages of the City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory, 1994. (See Reference.) Many of these homes had the distinctive Tudor style front facade strapping, as did 2048 St. Georges Avenue.  Also note the leaded glass on both the first and second storey dormer windows.

James S. and Margaret E. Leighton continued to be the owners in 1950,  James Leighton worked as the manager of P. L. Christoper and Sons. 
By 1960 James McB and Muriel H. Ross were the owners of 2048 St. Georges Avenue.  James Ross was the manager of Ross Engineering.

By 1971 Arthur L. and Gwen H. Hardy were the owners of the Tudor style home.   They continued to own the home until at least their listing in the 1995/1996 City Directory.  In 1971 Arthur Hardy was the secretary/treasurer at Hardy's Lumber.  By 1980 Arthur and Gwen Hardy reported that they were retired.

The stately home at 2948 St. Georges Avenue was demolished soon after the year 2000. Two homes were built on the lot.  A larger one faces St. Georges Avenue and a smaller one  faces East 21st Street.


Reference: City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory, 1994 pages 61, 77, 110,
                       115, 132, 154.
Demolition: Soon after the year 2000.
Photo: Taken  for the  Year 2000 Photography Project, Your House/Our Home
                      by SW and available at the North Vancouver Archives.

Thursday, January 7, 2010
104 Fires in the City

The Villa St. Georges Apartment Building at 1033 St. Georges Avenue was built of red brick and white stucco and stands on the south west corner of St. Georges and East 11th Street. It is across the street from St. Andrew's United Church. Other apartment buildings in the area have equally romantic names. On St. Georges Avenue are The Royal St. George and St. Georges Place. On the adjacent 11th Street are The Spanish Villa and the Royal Villa.

The Villa St. George was severely damaged by fire January 2009. 35 people lived in the self owned apartments of this wood framed building. The fire gutted the top floor of the three storeys. One tenant was killed, "two firefighters injured and at least five residents as well as three police officers were treated for smoke inhalation." CBC website. Sandy Miller, the Assistant Chief-Prevention, North Vancouver City Fire Department reports that this same year 104 fires in the City of North Vancouver were reported to the Office of the Fire Commissioner in Victoria.

Fires have destroyed other prominent buildings in the City of North Vancouver. Paine's Hardware, in the Aberdeen Block at 78-90 Lonsdale Avenue was built in 1910-1911. Until the fire on New Year's Eve 1997 it maintained its old fashion charm and stock. It has been rebuilt as an apartment building with stores on the street floor. The Barraclough Block at 201-203 Lonsdale Avenue was built in 1929 with a second floor being added in 1940. When it burned, also in 1997, it was housing the popular Great Outdoor Equipment Ltd. It has been rebuilt in the same style with a modern two storey apartment building on top. The street floor store is now RDS Skate and Snow Supply with a floor of apartments above.

A Permit for Demolition of 1033 St. Georges Ave. was applied for in November 2, 2009.  It was demolished by December 2, 2009.  A new 54 unit apartment building built on the original foundation is proposed.

Photo: Taken September 12, 2009 by SW.
Books: The Ambitious City, A History of the City of North Vancouver
             by Warren Sommer.

            Heritage Inventory, City of North Vancouver, 1994.
Web site:The History of Metropolitan Vancouver/Chronology/1941.