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T.O. Townley Estate 'Deerholme'
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark545
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- The T.O. Townley Estate, 'Deerholme,' is located on a lake front property on the north shore of Deer Lake Park. The main house is a two-and-one-half storey symmetrical-massed wood-frame Colonial Revival structure, with flanking one-storey wings, a side gable roof and a central front entry.
- Associated Dates
- 1913
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Other Names
- Thomas & Frances Townley Estate, Loftus House
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Other Names
- Thomas & Frances Townley Estate, Loftus House
- Geographic Access
- Price Street
- Associated Dates
- 1913
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 9807
- Enactment Date
- 23/11/1992
- Description
- The T.O. Townley Estate, 'Deerholme,' is located on a lake front property on the north shore of Deer Lake Park. The main house is a two-and-one-half storey symmetrical-massed wood-frame Colonial Revival structure, with flanking one-storey wings, a side gable roof and a central front entry.
- Heritage Value
- 'Deerholme' was built as the retirement estate of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Owen Townley (1862-1935) and his wife, Frances M. Townley. Townley was a pioneer resident of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia: he served as a lawyer, Registrar of Land Titles for New Westminster District and Mayor of Vancouver for one term in 1901. Built in 1913, this is one of the most significant of the Deer Lake estate houses and was the last of grand Edwardian era mansions built on the lots surrounding the lake. The area had been opened up for development two years earlier by the construction of the British Columbia Electric Railway Interurban Line. The estate speaks of a gracious way of life achieved by society's elite during the Edwardian era, supported by the use of domestic servants. Grand in scale, architecturally sophisticated and set in a bucolic landscape, this residence demonstrates the social status of the owner in the privileged classes of the rapidly developing social structure of Burnaby. The house is also significant as one of the earliest designs by the son of Thomas and Frances Townley, architect Fred Laughton Townley (1887-1966), who had graduated in architecture in 1911 from the University of Pennsylvania. In this house for his parents, he demonstrated his deft understanding of the American Period Revival styles learned during his schooling in the United States. The prevailing local taste for British-derived architecture dictated that this was a style he was rarely able to use until the Colonial Revival styles became more popular in the 1920s. F.L. Townley was a founding partner in Townley and Matheson, which achieved significant success as one of the most accomplished local architectural firms, culminating in their best-known commission, Vancouver City Hall, 1935-36.
- Defining Elements
- Key elements the define the heritage character of ‘Deerholme’ include its: - integration with its south-sloping lakefront site, which contains many original landscape features (extant rockeries, formal drive, tennis lawn, open fields, and specimen shrubs and trees) - two-and-one-half storey form with flanking one-storey wings - side gable roof with symmetrical shed dormers, three at the front and three at the rear - complex fenestration, including multi-paned wooden-sash double-hung windows, 6-over-1 on the ground floor and 6-over-9 on the second floor, and multi-paned wooden-sash casements in the dormers - pair of prominent exterior brick chimneys on each side elevation, clad with rough-cast stucco up to the roof level, and each with four chimney-pots - rough-cast stucco cladding - design elements typical of the Colonial Revival style, such as composed classical formality, side gable roof and balanced symmetrical massing - exterior architectural elements, such as classical columns, window shutters, fanlight feature window, multi-paned quarter-round windows flanking the chimneys, and projecting square brackets in the gables - superior level of design and craftsmanship throughout, including refined interior woodwork such as fireplaces, interior columned screen between hallway and living room and a staircase with Colonial Revival details - significant mature trees (such as Red Oaks, Silver Maples, and Copper Beech). - original guest house and stables, which survive on an adjacent property at 6176 Price Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Architect
- Fred Laughton Townley
- Function
- Primary Current--Estate
- Primary Historic--Estate
- Community
- Burnaby
- Cadastral Identifier
- P.I.D. No. 002-652-111 Legal Description: Parcel 'C' (Explanatory Plan 12891) , Blocks 4 and 5, District Lot 79 Group 1, New Westminster District, Plan 536
- Boundaries
- ‘Deerholme’ is comprised of a single municipally-owned property located at 6110 Price Street, Burnaby.
- Area
- 14,099.52
- Contributing Resource
- Building
- Landscape Feature
- Ownership
- Public (local)
- Other Collection
- City of Vancouver Archives: T.O. Townley Residence, Original Plans, Add. MSS. 1399, Temporary No. 61, Location 920-D
- Documentation
- Heritage Site Files: PC77000 20. City of Burnaby Planning and Building Department, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 1M2
- Street Address
- 6110 Price Street
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
Images
![B.R. Hill house, [1910] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1976/1976_0051_0001_001.jpg?width=280)
B.R. Hill house
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription740
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1910]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w photogravure ; 8.1 x 10.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph is photogravure printed on paper of a house on the side of a path. The area appears wooded. The inscription and the accession register identify the house as the residence of Mr. and Mrs. B.R. Hill on Douglas Road, built about 1892, with an addition to the house built about 1905.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w photogravure ; 8.1 x 10.7 cm
- Material Details
- An annotation in pencil is written on the back of the photograph
- Scope and Content
- Photograph is photogravure printed on paper of a house on the side of a path. The area appears wooded. The inscription and the accession register identify the house as the residence of Mr. and Mrs. B.R. Hill on Douglas Road, built about 1892, with an addition to the house built about 1905.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Residential - Houses
- Geographic Access
- Canada Way
- Douglas Road
- Street Address
- 4990 Canada Way
- Accession Code
- HV976.51.1
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- [1910]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-06-20
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![B.R. Hill house, [1910] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1976/1976_0051_0001_001.jpg)
Interview with Minard Hill February 9, 1978 - Track 3
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory196
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1880-1914
- Length
- 0:10:09
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to Minard Gerald "Gerry" Hill's relatives in England, his father's early life as well as life on the strawberry farm in Burnaby.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to Minard Gerald "Gerry" Hill's relatives in England, his father's early life as well as life on the strawberry farm in Burnaby.
- Date Range
- 1880-1914
- Photo Info
- Minard Gerald Hill in uniform, 1914. Item no. 477-926
- Length
- 0:10:09
- Names
- Hill, Bernard R
- Geographic Access
- Douglas Road
- Canada Way
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Interviewer
- Stevens, Colin
- Interview Date
- February 9, 1978
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Minard Gerald "Gerry" Hill conducted by Colin Stevens, February 9, 1978. Major themes discussed are: the Burnaby Lake Neighbourhood, Gilley Brothers Logging Company and his father, Bernard Hill.
- Biographical Notes
- Minard Gerald “Gerry” Hill was born in Burnaby on July 31, 1893 to Marian (Berkeley) and Bernard Richard Hill. He was the youngest child in the family with older siblings Frank, Claude and Winnie. Bernard R. Hill was born in Bengal, India while his father worked for the East Indian Railway. He and his older brother Claude became strawberry farmers in Burnaby despite their years of training as engineers. Between them, the Hill brothers owned all the land between Burnaby Lake and Deer Lake where Deer Creek runs, and half way around Deer Lake. Bernard built his family home at Douglas Road near Deer Lake in 1892. After the decline in the strawberry industry, Bernard worked as a surveyor for the municipality. He also served as Burnaby Councillor and School Trustee. Gerry attended Miss Harriet Woodward’s kindergarten class, and went on to Edmonds School with Miss Ellen Lister as his teacher. He later went to Central high school in New Westminster, often on horseback. Gerry served in World War I, signing his recruitment papers November 9, 1914. When he returned home, he worked felling trees, then as an apprentice surveyor and finally as a carpenter. Minard Gerald “Gerry” Hill married Charlotte Elizabeth “Elizabeth” Vidal on September 28, 1920 and single-handedly built a house for him and his wife about a thousand feet from his parents’ home. He also bought property at Yellow Point, Vancouver Island around this time. By the early 1930s Gerry had moved to Yellow Point permanently and begun work building the lodge. Elizabeth and Gerry’s child, Richard Grant McEwan Hill was born at Ladysmith hospital. Charlotte Elizabeth “Elizabeth” (Vidal) Hill died February 11, 1984 at the age of eighty-seven. Minard Gerald “Gerry” Hill died January 30, 1988 at the age of ninety-three.
- Total Tracks
- 8
- Total Length
- 1:13:56
- Interviewee Name
- Hill, Minard Gerald "Gerry"
- Interview Location
- Yellow Point, Vancouver Island
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track three of interview with Minard Hill
Track three of interview with Minard Hill
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-018-1/MSS137-018-1_Track_3.mp3
Interview with Vi Townley May 24, 1978 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory192
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1913-1935
- Length
- 0:06:23
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to Vi Townley's description of the Townley mansion, Deerholme.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to Vi Townley's description of the Townley mansion, Deerholme.
- Date Range
- 1913-1935
- Photo Info
- Townley mansion known as Deerholme, 1913. Item no. 454-001
- Length
- 0:06:23
- Subjects
- Buildings - Residences - Houses
- Geographic Access
- Price Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Interview Date
- May 24, 1978
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Vi Townley, May 24, 1978. Major themes discussed are: Deerholme.
- Biographical Notes
- Vi Townley was the daughter-in-law of Colonel Thomas O. Townley and Frances Townley, the owners of Deerholme.
- Total Tracks
- 2
- Total Length
- 0:10:49
- Interviewee Name
- Townley, Vi
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track one of interview with Vi Townley
Track one of interview with Vi Townley
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-014-2/MSS137-014-2_Track_1.mp3
Speech given by Florence Hart Godwin May 28, 1973 - Track 2
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory278
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1911-1917
- Length
- 0:08:09
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Florence (Hart) Godwin's memories of the house that her father built at Sperling Avenue and Douglas Road (it sounds as if Florence is pulling out an architectural drawing of her house). She also mentions the Townley, Mathers and Ceperley houses.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Florence (Hart) Godwin's memories of the house that her father built at Sperling Avenue and Douglas Road (it sounds as if Florence is pulling out an architectural drawing of her house). She also mentions the Townley, Mathers and Ceperley houses.
- Date Range
- 1911-1917
- Photo Info
- Arthur Morrow, Kingsley Hart, Florence Hart (later Godwin), and Katherine Maude "Kitty" Hill (later Peers) in the woods at the south side of Deer Lake photographed by W.T. Cooksley [1908]. Item no. HV976.139.3
- Length
- 0:08:09
- Subjects
- Buildings - Residences - Houses
- Geographic Access
- Sperling Avenue
- Douglas Road
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Interviewer
- Burnaby Arts Council
- Interview Date
- May 28, 1973
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of a speech given by Florence Hart Godwin at a Burnaby Arts Council meeting held May 28, 1973. Major themes discussed are: pioneer families and early residences in the Burnaby Lake District.
- Biographical Notes
- Florence Hart was born in 1898 in New Westminster. Florence first saw Burnaby in April of 1905 on a trip made by horse and buggy from the family home in New Westminster where her father worked as a real estate agent. By 1911, he had built a permanent home for his family in Burnaby, building what is now known as the Hart house and is currently owned by the municipality. Frederick John “Fred” Hart married Alice Chapman in Yale BC on August 13, 1895. They had four children together; Kingsley Chapman born May 27, 1897, Florence Elizabeth born October 23, 1898, and ten years later, Edwyna and Jack. They followed their family nurse, Miss Maude Woodward to Burnaby and purchased thirteen acres of land at Deer Lake to build a summer cottage. Mrs Hill and the children spent the summer months there while Frederick continued working in New Westminster, joining his family on the weekends. Florence Hart attended Douglas Road School before boarding at Crofton House in Vancouver. Kingsley Hart had enlisted in the army on March 23, 1915 when he was only seventeen years old. He was killed in action on September 26, 1916. The Hart family then moved to Kerrisdale, Vancouver. Florence worked at the Carnegie Library. On August 7, 1922 Florence Hart married Harold “Hal” Godwin and moved back to Edmonds in Burnaby where they remained for their entire married lives. In 1929, Florence and Harold’s daughter, Elizabeth Godwin was born. Alice (Chapman) Hart died May 24, 1935 at the age of sixty-eight. Frederick John Hart died August 29, 1945 at the age of seventy-seven. Florence Hart Godwin was named Good Citizen of Burnaby in 1971 and received a life membership to the IODE (Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire) for her long tenure. Both Florence and her husband Harold were awarded life memberships from the VON (Victorian Order of Nurses) for more than half a century of service. Harold Ward Godwin died December 12, 1962 at the age of sixty-six.
- Total Tracks
- 5
- Total Length
- 0:33:50
- Interviewee Name
- Godwin, Florence Hart
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Transcript Available
- None
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track two of speech given by Florence Hart Godwin
Track two of speech given by Florence Hart Godwin
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-005-1/MSS137-005-1_Track_2.mp3
Townley Mansion, Deerholme
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38529
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1913] (date of original), copied 2003
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Thomas O. and Frances Townley mansion known as Deerholme built in 1913 at Deer Lake by Vancouver's pioneer and 1901 Mayor, Colonel Thomas Owen Townley, and his wife Frances. The home was designed by their son Fred Laughton Townley, who had just returned from the University of Penn…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1913] (date of original), copied 2003
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Municipal record subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25.5 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 454-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2003-9
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Thomas O. and Frances Townley mansion known as Deerholme built in 1913 at Deer Lake by Vancouver's pioneer and 1901 Mayor, Colonel Thomas Owen Townley, and his wife Frances. The home was designed by their son Fred Laughton Townley, who had just returned from the University of Pennsylvania where he had received a degree in architecture. The Townley's enjoyed their estate until 1920 when they rented the house to the Cunningham family before selling the property to the Vancouver Anglican College.The college held the building until 1940, when it was again sold and was owned by various owners who came and went. Finally, the Loftus family sold the property to the City of Burnaby in 1979. The house remains leased as a private residence and was dedicated as a civic heritage site in 1992.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Price Street
- Street Address
- 6110 Price Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
Images