Sunday Church Feature
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church
Mill Bay, B.C.

"St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church, built in 1887 and consecrated in 1889, is the oldest building in Mill Bay. It was built to serve the French Canadian workers at the mill in Mill Bay on land donated by Mr. Gabereau. The church was consecrated in 1889 by Bishop John Lemmens, bishop for the west coast from Oregon to Alaska. Travel was difficult so visits by the Bishop were infrequent. The oldest gravestone dates to 1891." (Link 1.)



"Mill Bay is a commuter town of about 3,200 people located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada about 30 km (19 mi) north of Victoria, British Columbia, the capital.

"Mill Bay was founded in the 1860s with lumber and milling as its primary industries, done at the mill on the bay. It is known for its ferry to Brentwood Bay on the Saanich Peninsula and the historic Malahat Drive, which is also a source of criticism due to frequent closures from either automobile accidents or weather conditions.^{[citation needed]} Numerous suggestions have been made by various groups regarding a 'bypass' route (possibly a bridge), though as of 2007, the Brentwood-Mill Bay Ferry and the Malahat remain the only routes to Greater Victoria from the rest of Vancouver Island. The MV Mill Bay that has served the ferry route since 1956 is named for the town." (Link 2.)

St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church is at 790 Kilmalu Rd., just off Highway #1 leading north from Victoria, the capital of B.C.  It is also near the town of Shawnigan Lake.

Photos: Taken in 2005 by SW.
Link1:http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM697X_St_Francis_Xavier_Church__Mill_Bay_B_C
Link 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mill_Bay,_British_Columbia

Saturday Travel Feature
The Jim Thompson House
Bangkok, Thailand

"Jim Thompson or James Harrison Wilson Thompson was born in Greenville, Delaware in 1906. He attended public schools in Wilmington, went on to boarding school at St. Paul's and attended Princeton University, the family university, from 1924 to 1928.

"Although Thompson had a keen interest in art, he chose to become an architect and went on to study architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. He was a practicing architect in New York City until 1940.



"With the escalation of the war in Europe in the early 1940s, Thompson volunteered for service in the United States Army, an important turning point in his life.

"During the Second World War, Thompson was assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a move which offered him an opportunity to see more of the world. Thompson as a member of an OSS group was assigned to work with French forces in North Africa. His assignments also took him into Italy, France and Asia.

To prepare for his mission, Thompson undertook rigorous training in jungle survival. He completed the course successfully. However the war ended abruptly as Thompson and the other OSS men were en route to Bangkok. A few weeks later, he assumed the duties of OSS station chief. In late 1946, he received orders to return to the States to receive his military discharge.

"Thompson was confident that with peace restored and the expansion of air travel, there would be a significant increase in leisure travel to the Far East. Upon their arrival in the capital, these travelers would need acceptable accommodation. Few hotels in Bangkok could then even be considered of international standard. Only one had an ideal location -- the old Oriental, a former palace overlooking the Chao Phraya River that flowed through the capital.



"It was a meeting place for travelers and a social center for the foreign community. Charlie Chaplin, Noel Coward and Somerset Maugham were just a few of its famous patrons. Excited by the prospects presented, Thompson became actively involved in the reorganization of the Oriental Hotel.

By this time, Thompson had developed a certain fondness for the country and its people. He began to seriously contemplate settling down and going into business in Thailand. He foresaw a promising future for the country and wanted to be a part of this process. He decided that upon leaving the service, he would return and take up residence in Thailand permanently. In late 1946, Thompson left for the States to get his discharge.



"In the twenty years before his ill-fated holiday in Malaysia, he had accomplished more than most men in a full life. He had built a major industry in a remote and little known country whose language he could not speak; he had become an authority on an art that, previously, he scarcely knew existed and had assembled a collection that attracted scholars from all over the world; he had built a home that was a work of art in itself and one of the landmarks of Bangkok; and, in the process of doing all this, he had become a sort of landmark himself, a personality so widely known in his adopted homeland that a letter addressed simply 'Jim Thompson, Bangkok' found its way to him in a city of three and a half million people."(See Link.)

The house is one of the few standing all teak houses in Bangkok.

Photos: Taken of post cards purchased in Bangkok in 1996 by SW.
Link:  http://www.jimthompsonhouse.com/life/index.asp

Friday, December 10, 2010
Swedish Canadian Rest Home

The original building at 1690 Main Street in North Vancouver District was a Public Building/Dance Hall built for $1500 by the Swedish Community in 1928.  In 1944 A. Gjerdaleau applied for a Building Permit to construct a $1,500 house on the property. In 1947 the Swedish Rest Home applied for Building Permit to build a  second home there. This one was valued at $3,500.  And in 1947 there was an application was for a Public Building/Rest Home worth $40,000.

"The three Highway District buildings (the later owners of the buildings-See Link.) were originally the Canadian Rest Home, located on the north side of Main St. on Cutter Island.  Here the Seymour River divided into two branches which flowed around the island, came together again, and flowed into Burrard Inlet.

"Construction of the main rest home and the two small cottages was completed in 1948.  In the late 1950's the land and the buildings were expropriated to make way for the new Second Narrows Bridge.  The west channel of the river was filled in in 1956.  From the early 1960'a until the summer of 2000  the buildings served as offices for the provincial  highways department." (See Reference.)

Over the years the B. C. Government Department of Highways offices at 1690 Main Street included numerous departments:Regional Office, Highway Patrol, Regional Bridge Maintenance, Bridge Patrol, Public Works, Regional Surfacing, Regional Soils, Regional Right-Of-Way, Regional Maintenance,  and Regional Paving.

The three buildings were a distinctive part of the North Vancouver landscape in that they sat in the center of the Exit 23A cloverleaf on the turn off to Main Street in North Vancouver.  Since their demolition only the occasional deer or seasonal randomly decorated Christmas tree is seen there.

Reference: NV Archives photo description Key # 21667.
Demolition: Of all three buildings in 2001.
Photos: Black and White from Roll #9, 2001 Demolition and Construction Project by SW and available at the North Vancouver Archives. Colored photo from slide #15465 at the North Vancouver Archives.

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.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

At the Edge of the Forest

The original house at 1210 Dempsey Road sat on the edge of the forest at the crest of Dempsey Road.  The little white house was at the northern border of the District of North Vancouver to the west of Mountain Highway.  It was built in 1948 for $3,750 by W. D. McRae. IN 1952 D. R. Thompson made an $800 alteration.  And in 1958 D. R. Thompson  applied for a Building Permit for a $2000 house at that location.  In 1960 Doug R. and Hazel A. L. Thompson were still the owners of the house.  Doug Thompson worked as a transit operator at B.C. Electric.

By 1971 the owner was Mrs. Jessie I. Dunn.  Jessie Dunn was employed by General Paint as a computer typer supervisor.  In 1980 the owners were John R. and Janet L. Mee.  John was employed as a manager at P. Lawson Travel.

By the mid 1980's the Paul and Janine Crocock had bought the 1210 Dempsey Road home.   Janine Crocock was also listed as living at the 1210 Dempsey Road address in the 1999/2000 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory.  Both in 1991 and 1995/1996 Paul Crocock stated that he worked as  an adjuster at ICBC.  During that time Janine stated that she worked as a travel agent at No 1.

The real estate ad in the Link below listed  the house for sale for $698,000.  The house sat on a 9,230 sq. ft. lot with a partial view of the city.  The 2144 sq. ft. home had three bedrooms and one bedroom. The lot is located in the east end of the Braemar subdivision, backed by the greenbelt.  The Link shows interior photos of this Dempsey Road home.

Demolition: Permit applied for in November 2010.

Photos: Taken in November 2010 by SW.

Link http://www.realestatenorthshore.com/property-3102.php

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Many Levels on Carisbrooke

The house with the spectacular view of Vancouver sat on the crest of Carisbrooke Crescent in the North Lonsdale area of North Vancouver District.  The  $9000 home at 270 Carisbrooke Crescent was built by J. Masterton in 1946.  Mina and James E. Masterton continued to own the house  until sometime in the 1960's.  In 1950 James Masterton worked as a salesman for Northern Electric.  And in 1960 he was working as a salesman for W. T Husband.

View of English Bay and Stanley Park

Then by 1960 another J. had bought the house.   In fact, John and Emily Kneip are listed in the Link web site as still running their Kneip Contraction Ltd., painting and decorating business from the 270 Carisbrooke Crecent address. That is more than 50 years of living at the same address. 

BBQ fireplace and flagstone type patio

BBQ fireplace and Sleepy Hallow

During that time many additions were constructed on the lot.  In the front yard there were both a wood and a stone retaining wall.  A grape arbor and bench were built on the west end of the lower level, as was a raised garden bed.  This level was enclosed with a wrought iron railing.  On the west side of the front of the house was built a carport, although the old driveway entrance to the lot remained on the east side.  The side yard was covered with decking with steps going down from the front and then up to the back patio and deck area.  Immediately behind the house was a flag stone design patio with a stone out door BBQ fireplace at the east end.  Behind that and up another level was the "U" shaped building with the sign "Sleepy Hallow".  The back part of the "U" had a metal garage type door.  Running along the east side of the lot and up a level was the fenced in deck with seating running along the side.  From here was the fantastic  view of Vancouver.  Behind "Sleepy Hallow" seemed to be a chain link dog run area.  All these specialized parking, deck, and patio areas made for lots of outdoor living for the Kneip family.

Demolition: Permit applied for in November 2010.

Photos: Taken in November 2010 by SW.

Link:http://www.profilecanada.com/companydetail.cfm?company=2163671_Ray_Contracting_Ltd_North_Vancouver_BC

Monday, December 6, 2010

1911 West Keith Road Home

Way before the decorative cement front wall and the distinctive gate were installed the house at 420 West Keith Road was built.  The year was 1911 and the owner M. Knight built it for $1200. There is no more mention of M. Knight; he is not listed in either the 1912 or 1913 City Directories.  And in the 1925 and 1935 City Directories the property is listed as "Vacant".

But the house came alive again in 1940 with the owners being E. J. and Lucy Quinn.  E. J. Quinn was employed as a laborer at Burrard Dry Dock.    In 1950 Walter R. and Ida A.  Hamilton were the residents.  Walter Hamilton worked in real estate and as a notary public at 541 Pender St. in Vancouver.  In 1960 the owner was the widow Mrs. G. Kerr who worked as a filler at Canadian Pittsburgh Paint International. Other residents at that time were B. F and Dorothy Spicer and Erhard and Irma Grundler.  B. F. Spicer and Erhard Brundler both worked as pipefitters at Burrard Dry Dock.

In 1970 the owners of 420 West Keith Road were Ralph M. and Gwendoline Bury.  Ralph Bury worked as a mate at Seaspan International.  Talrinder and Sruuinder Singh were also residents in the 420 West Keith Road home.  Talfinder Singh was employed at L and K Sawmill.  Ralph and Gwendoline Bury continued to own the home in 1980, 1991, and 1995/1996.  By 1991 Ralph Bury was a master at Seaspan International, and in 1995/1996 he is listed as an employee. There were no other residents in 1980 and 1991.  Then in 1995/1996 two other residents are listed in the City Directory.  One was Sheila Haggerty a food server at Lions Gate Hospital.  The other was a retired man, Colin C. Adams.  The 1999/2000 and 2006/2007 North and West Vancouver Phone Directories indicate that the Bury family continued to live at 420 West Keith at least until the 2006/2007 edition.  G. Bury was listed in 1999/2000 and L. and R. Bury were listed in 2006/2007.

Rezoning Application: In November 2010 "to permit construction of two new duplex buildings, one in the front and one in the back, with the front building containing two accessory rental units.  The two front units would each contain three bedrooms...the two rear units would each contain two bedroom..." North Shore News.

Photo: Taken in November, 2010 by SW.

Link http://www.cnv.org/attach/2010%2010%2025%20item%2009%20attach%2007.pdf