The Floden House is a gambrel roofed, one and one-half storey plus basement wood-frame Dutch Colonial Revival residence, located at the head of the T-intersection of Fourth Street and Edmonds Street in a residential area of East Burnaby.
The Floden House is a gambrel roofed, one and one-half storey plus basement wood-frame Dutch Colonial Revival residence, located at the head of the T-intersection of Fourth Street and Edmonds Street in a residential area of East Burnaby.
Heritage Value
Built in 1929 for Swedish emigrant Eric Birger Floden (1896-1971) and his Norwegian wife, Carrie (1899-1943), the Floden House is a valued representation of local middle-class housing from the 1920s, at a time of increasing prosperity just prior to the onset of the Great Depression. Eric Birger Floden was the head sawyer at Shook Mills in New Westminster, and his family occupied the house until 1964.
Additionally, the Floden House is significant as an example of a residential pattern book design from the 1920s. With a reviving economy after the First World War, pattern books were widely used to expedite residential design and construction. It was built by Floden's brother in-law, Nels Olund, a talented contractor of the Fraser Valley who was experienced in building gambrel roof barns.
The Floden House is also valued as an example of the Dutch Colonial Revival style, and is typical of period revival houses built in the 1920s that reflected the modern ideals of economy and good design as well as an ongoing pride in past traditions. It was presumed at the time that a well-built house would display a traditional and readily-identifiable style as a hallmark of good taste. The use of the various Colonial Revival styles had gained new popularity during the late 1920s at the time of the American Sesquicentennial.
A local landmark, the house originally stood at 7997 18th Avenue and was moved two blocks to its current location by the City of Burnaby when it purchased and rehabilitated the house to save it from demolition, indicating the City's commitment to heritage conservation.
Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the Floden House include its:
- residential form, scale and massing as expressed by its one and one-half storey plus basement height, rectangular plan and distinctive roof form
- Dutch Colonial Revival style details such as its side gambrel roof, front and rear shed dormers, attic fanlights, decorative shutters and regular fenestration
- roof configuration, with overhanging eaves on the front facade with returns on the side facades, and clipped eaves on the side facades
- asymmetrical front entry with small entry porch with lattice surrounds
- front projecting bay window
- wide lapped horizontal cedar siding
- irregular fenestration, with original double-hung 6-over-1 wooden-sash windows
- secondary side entry with balcony over
- internal red brick chimney with concrete chimney caps
Photograph of the Brookes family home at 441 12th Avenue (later renumbered 7979 12th Avenue), at the corner of 4th Street in East Burnaby. The Brookes family, headed by James Brookes, moved into this house in 1917. The house was later cut in two and moved to another part of the lot, becoming a gard…
Photograph of the Brookes family home at 441 12th Avenue (later renumbered 7979 12th Avenue), at the corner of 4th Street in East Burnaby. The Brookes family, headed by James Brookes, moved into this house in 1917. The house was later cut in two and moved to another part of the lot, becoming a gardener's house in 1927 when "Normanna" was built. Note the greenhouse in front of the house. This house was built by Burnaby's first Reeve, Charles Shaw, and is now a designated heritage site at 7725 4th Street.
Photograph of "Normanna," the Brookes family residence. This new Brookes family home was built in 1927 on the same site as the original house at 441 12th Avenue (later renumbered 7979 12th Avenue). Eventually, this became Normanna Norwegian rest home. The original house was built by Burnaby's firs…
Photograph of "Normanna," the Brookes family residence. This new Brookes family home was built in 1927 on the same site as the original house at 441 12th Avenue (later renumbered 7979 12th Avenue). Eventually, this became Normanna Norwegian rest home. The original house was built by Burnaby's first Reeve, Charles Shaw, and is now a designated heritage site at 7725 4th Street.
This portion of the interview pertains to John Mallory's early life and his first years in Burnaby dealing with delinquency of mortgage payments on his home. He also begins to discuss his political involvement with the labour movement.
This portion of the interview pertains to John Mallory's early life and his first years in Burnaby dealing with delinquency of mortgage payments on his home. He also begins to discuss his political involvement with the labour movement.
Recording is of an interview with John Mallory by Simon Fraser University (SFU) masters student Bettina Bradbury June 24, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression and the Unemployment movement. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
Biographical Notes
John Audrey Mallory was born in Carman, Manitoba on January 10, 1903 to John and Bertha Nina (Rodgers) Mallory. The Mallory family moved to Deep Creek, British Columbia for a time before arriving in New Westminster.
John Audrey Mallory married Janet Ellis Morice on November 15, 1924.
John Mallory helped to build a mill at Powell River where he played baseball before he moved to Burnaby in the late 1920s. He built a house at 11th Avenue and 13th Street. He later moved to 1851 4th Street, working a few months out of the year as a construction foreman. He also worked renovating various mills. Towards the end of the thirties, he had established his own heating and plumbing business.
John Mallory was very active in the labour movement, beginning with the Independent Labour Party which was renamed the Independent Labour Party Socialists, then the Socialist Party of Canada. He joined the Workers' Unity League (WUL) and their affiliates the Unemployed Workers Association at this time as well. Together with fellow organizers, John fixed up the Edmonds Hall and held fundraising parties for the Unemployment movement. Seen by others as an agitator, John organized countless strike movements, protests and demonstrations in his capacity as an organizer for the Workers' Unity League.
John left the Socialist Party of Canada due to what he saw as their intolerance with other parts of the working class movement to join the Communist Party of Canada. He was later expelled from the Communist Party for "Trotskist leanings."
Bertha Nina (Rodgers) Mallory died May 20, 1964 at the age of eighty-two. Her husband John Mallory died April 1, 1966 at the age of ninety-four.
John Audrey Mallory died July 7, 1981 at the age of seventy-eight.
Bettina Bradbury teaches history and women's studies at York University. She is the author of Wife to Widow. Lives, Laws and Politics in Nineteenth-century Montreal. (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, June 2011), 520p; Working Families. Age, Gender and Daily Survival in Industrializing Montreal. (Toronto: Canadian Social History Series, McClelland and Stewart, 1993); (Republished Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996) (3rd edition, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007). These interviews were undertaken after she completed her MA at Simon Fraser University in 1975 with the support of an LIP grant.
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.
Photograph of a two storey house with a basement built on a large lawn. There are flower beds on the lawn and a fence around the backyard. A neighboring house and the woods are visible in the background. According to the donor form, the photograph depicts James Brooke's house on 12th Avenue in Bu…
Photograph of a two storey house with a basement built on a large lawn. There are flower beds on the lawn and a fence around the backyard. A neighboring house and the woods are visible in the background. According to the donor form, the photograph depicts James Brooke's house on 12th Avenue in Burnaby, built by G. Moxham and Company. At the time of the donation, the house was owned by Normanna Rest Home. "
The annotation on verso of photo reads: "Home of James Brookes / (Normanna) now. / Built by G. Moxham & Co. / 1944 Sixth St. Burnaby. / built in early 20's - '22-'24?" Stamped on the back of the photo: "100.
Photograph of the Pollard family's first car, a 1920-1922 Chevrolet Four-ninety Touring Car (so named because of selling price of $490.00). Agnes Pollard is sitting on the passenger side at the front and her May is sitting in the back. This photograph was likely taken near the family home at 17th A…
Photograph of the Pollard family's first car, a 1920-1922 Chevrolet Four-ninety Touring Car (so named because of selling price of $490.00). Agnes Pollard is sitting on the passenger side at the front and her May is sitting in the back. This photograph was likely taken near the family home at 17th Avenue and 4th Street.
Photograph of the Ward children; Irene, Bryan and Lillian standing on the wooden pathway in front of their home on 11th Avenue. Lillian is holding Bryan in her right arm as she leans him against her shoulder.
Photograph of the Ward children; Irene, Bryan and Lillian standing on the wooden pathway in front of their home on 11th Avenue. Lillian is holding Bryan in her right arm as she leans him against her shoulder.