Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Two Stories, Two Paint Jobs

Above the Upper Levels Highway, in the City of North Vancouver, at the juncture with East 26th Street was the "little house" at 2556 Chesterfield Avenue. Because East 26th Street did not go through Chesterfield Avenue on its way to Lonsdale Avenue the living room of the "little house" looked out into East 26th Street. The origins of this "little house" has two stories: one from North Vancouver Archives research and one from the year 2000 owners.

The story according to the Building Permit book at the North Vancouver Archives is that the house at 2556 Chesterfield Avenue was built in 1920 for $300 by C. E. Martin. In 1931 C. E. Martin also applied for a $300 house addition. By 1925 John M. Ashton was living in the house. John Ashton worked as a stationery engineer. He was also living there in 1931 at which time he was employed as a laborer at Vancouver Creosoting. In 1940 Mrs. A. M. Hill, a widow, was the resident. And in 1950 and 1960 William H. and Ethel M. Dryer were the owners. William Dryer was retired. In 1960 Ethel Dryer, a widow, was the owner. At that time Ernest Dryer, a construction worker, was also listed as living at 2556 Chesterfield Avenue. By 1971 the resident was Miss Karen Romas. And from *1976 to 1983 the residents were David and Jean Dyck. Jean possibly worked as a teller at National Trust (The address of this National Trust employee was not listed in the City Directory.) The City Directory listings for 1991 and 1995/96 record only Vacant and then Under Construction. The construction was possibly the rooms added onto the back of this very "little house".

During the inclusion of the 2556 Chesterfield Avenue house in the Year 2000 Photography Project, Your House/Our Home Kevin Grant and Kimberley Bradbury were the owners and they told the story written below.

When the year 2000 photo was taken it was mentioned that the house was soon to be repainted. It was also requested that another photo be taken when that was completed. The photo at the end of this blog post is of the new paint job and was taken in November of the year 2000.  The 2006/2007 North Vancouver Phone Book lists Kevin Grant as still living at 2556 Chesterfield Avenue.

The photos of 2556 Chesterfield Avenue 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. Approximately 800 of these were accompanied by some history of the house or a photo. This was true in the case of 2556 Chesterfield Avenue.


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 2556 Chesterfield Avenue had been demolished and a new house had been built. Demolition and Construction Project records show that the house was demolished in 2005.


Demolition: Took place in the year 2005. A black and white negative of the house at this time is on file at the North Vancouver Archives.
Photos: 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.
* Reference: From 2011 e mail from Jean Dyck.

Monday, June 7, 2010
A View of the North Shore Mountains

This one storey home was built at 405 West 28th Street in 1947 for $4,800. The 1947 owner was M. Dery. In the 1950 City Directory the only reference to the 405 West 28th Street house was "New House".

The house sits on the south west corner of West 28th Street and Jones Avenue, three blocks north of the Upper Levels Highway and two blocks south of West Queens Road. It is a short two block walk to Larson Elementary School.

In 1960 Doug and Margaret R. Brabner were the owners of the house. Doug was a radio operator and Margaret worked as a maid at North Vancouver General Hospital. In 1971 the owner was Bruce T. Budd, a chartered accountant for James Brown. And in 1980 Chris M. and Carol Bond were the owners. Chris bond was employed as a controller. After that time no information is available in either the 1991 or 1995/96 City Directories. But the house at 405 West 28th Street in the City of North Vancouver still stood with its view of the North Shore Mountains. Now it will be demolished.

Demolition Permit: Applied for May 2010.
Photo: Taken in May 2010 by SW.

Sunday Church Feature

Our Lady of Victory Church, Valletta, Malta

"This small church was the first to be built in Valleta by the Order of St John. Initially it was a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Victory. The name was appropriately chosen to commemorate Malta's triumph over a Turkish invading force during the Great Siege of 1565. Works began in 1567, and traditionally it is considered to be the site where the first stone of the new city of Valletta was laid with unprecedented pomp and the unbounded joy of the population on 28 March 1566.

"Our Lady of Victory church served as the first church of the Order in Valletta until 1577, when the Conventual Church of St John was completed. Grand Master La Vallette was initially buried in the former church. Upon completion of St. John's, his remains were moved to their final resting place within the Co-Cathedral.


"The church underwent modifications towards the end of the seventeenth century and was remodelled once again in the mid eighteenth century." (See Link 1.)

                                 Main Altar 


"In the late 1690s Grand Master Ramon Perellos ...commissioned the placement of a bust of Pope Innocent XI above the central window, while in 1752 Fra Gerolamo Ribas Montelieu, Bali of Majorca, enlarged the church, which has a plain rectangular nave with a ribbed barrel vault and a semicircular apse." (From information posted at the church.)

Photo: Exterior taken in April 2010 in Valletta, Malta by SW.
              Main altar-Google photo.
Link 1: http://www.visitmalta.com/church-of-our-lady-of-victory

Saturday Travel Feature
Main Guard Building in Palace Square 
Valletta, Malta

"The Main Guard building, which originally housed the palace guards, is located on the square opposite Grand Master’s Palace (see separate entry) and is a Classical-style building with Doric columns on the façade. After the Knights left, it was used by the British, partly as an Officer’s Mess; there are more than 300 wall paintings and numerous examples of regimental badges etc. The building is currently being used as the Libyan and the Italian Cultural Centres and hosts numerous events. The 17th century Hostel de Verdelin is on the northeast side of Palace Square." (See Link 1.)

Note the flag of malta, with its bands of red and white and the George Cross on the white, flying above the Main Guard Building.




The front of  the Main Guard Building is Palace Square  a place of entertainment for tourists. If you are lucky you will see the band in traditional national costumes marching through town. They are accompanied by a team highly athletic flag twirlers.  At the end of their parade the band and flag twirlers give a colorful performance in the plaza in front of The Court House. (See photo above.) Later, the square also features dancing fountains which are accompanied by music. On the right end of  the Main Guard Building is a free contemporary art gallery that welcomes tourists.

Photos: Taken in April 2010 in Valletta, Malta, by SW.
Link 1: http://www.amaltaattraction.com/malta-attractions/main-guard-building.htm  

Friday, June 4, 2010
Women Only

This little home at 208 East 24th Street is just below the Upper Levels Highway in the City of North Vancouver. It seems that it was  mostly owned by women and not many different women at that. There was Ella and Kathleen and Janet. The $1,375 house was built in 1941 by E.E. Jessup. In the 1943, 1945, 1950, and 1960 City Directories the owner continued to be reported as Ella E. Jessup, a widow.

In 1971 another widow was the owner of the house. Her name was Kathleen E. Hayes. The house was listed as "Vacant" in 1980. And in 1991 and 1995/96 the woman owning the house was Janet Rothwell. Janet was employed as a clerk at the Royal Bank of Canada.

The photo of 208 East 24th Street 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.

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 208 East 24th Street had been demolished and a new house was under construction.

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.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

The End of the Road

This typical 1950's North Vancouver District house at 1902 Tatlow Avenue was built right in 1950. The owner was Don T. Cochrane and the construction price was $7,500. In 1955 and 1960 both Don T. and Margaret A. Cochrane are listed as owners. In 1955 Don Cochrane worked as a salesman at T. L. Crighton and Company, manufacturer's agents with offices at 509 Richards Street in Vancouver. In 1960 Don T. Cochrane is listed as proprietor of the company at that address. But now the name had been changed to D. T. Cochrane and Co.

1902 Tatlow Avenue is in the Pemberton area of the District of North Vancouver. It is the last house on the east side of the north end of the street before the paths that lead up the bluff to the green space called Bowser Trail which extends to the Pemberton Heights area. It is also only two blocks north of the commercial area of Marine Drive. The best of both worlds.

In 1965 Ken W. and Bonnie M. Curl were the owners of this idyllic spot. Ken Curl was an assistant department manager at Eaton's Department Store. In 1971 Chase F. and Daphne Chu lived at 1902 Tatlow Avenue. Chase was the proprietor at White Jade House which handled chinese arts and was located at 865 Denman Street in Vancouver. David Phillips was reported as living at 1902 Tatlow Avenue in 1980, 1991 and 1995. In 1991 Diane Forsyth is also reported at that address. In 1991 and 1995 David Phillips is listed as working as a carpenter and Diane Forsyth is listed as a technical writer.

The year 2010 seems to be the "end of the road" for the house at the end of the road, that house being at 1902 Tatlow Avenue.

Demolition Permit: Applied for May 2010.
Photo: Taken in May 2010 by SW.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010
"Life's a Holiday"

The old song goes "Life's a Holiday on Primrose Lane."  Well in the District of North Vancouver the lyrics change to "Life's a Holiday on Tall Tree Lane," and in particular 1096 Tall Tree Lane.

Tall Tree Lane sits off the ends of Sunset Boulevard and Pelly Road. 1096 Tall Tree Lane was built on this short street in 1959 for $15,000 by J. Kimbe. There is no listing of even the 1096 address in the 1960 City Directory. The last listing in that year was 1090. But in the 1965 City Directory W. Douglas and Daphne H. Crowe are listed as owners. W. Douglas was a manager at Midland-Osler Securities, Investment Dealers and Stock Brokers at 717 W. Pender in Vancouver.

This is a typical North Vancouver home with the large windows, open car port, and sundeck. The first floor large windows in both the front of the house and the back usually are those of a family room that opens with sliding glass doors into the backyard. There is a fireplace on the east wall of both the first floor family room and the second floor living room. The kitchen and bedrooms would be on the second floor as well. An open car port is all that is necessary in the Lower Mainland of B.C. because although there is an abundance of rain, there is little weather cold enough for snow. During the limited number of sunny days of life nestled against the North Shore Mountains sun decks are well used.

By 1970 Bernard A. and Janice de Verteuil were the owners of 1096 Tall Tree Lane. Bernard was a sales representative for Rutherford Thompson and McRae Ltd., Integrated Real Estate Services with a branch at 1295 Marine Drive, North Vancouver. Another de Verteuil, Frank, who lived at a different address was also a sales representative at that same company. The de Verteuil's continued to live on Tall Tree Lane until the present. That is at least 39 years. In 1980 and 1991 Bernard de Verteuil reported he was employed as a salesman at Canada Permanent that had a branch at 1604 Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver. In 1995 Bernard listed himself as a real estate agent.

Let's hope that "Life (was) a holiday on Tall Tree Lane" for the Verteuil's.

Thank you: To Arne Carlson for helping me remember the lyrics to the song "Life's a Holiday on Primrose Lane."
Building Permit: Applied for in May 2010.
Photo: Taken in May 2010 by SW.