H.T. Ceperley Estate 'Fairacres' Mansion
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- 'Fairacres' is a large, two-and-one-half storey estate house in the British Arts and Crafts style, located in Deer Lake Park, with four associated original outbuildings.
- Associated Dates
- 1911
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Other Names
- Henry Tracy & Grace Ceperley Estate
- Burnaby Art Gallery
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Other Names
- Henry Tracy & Grace Ceperley Estate
- Burnaby Art Gallery
- Geographic Access
- Deer Lake Avenue
- Associated Dates
- 1911
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 9807
- Enactment Date
- 23/11/1992
- Description
- 'Fairacres' is a large, two-and-one-half storey estate house in the British Arts and Crafts style, located in Deer Lake Park, with four associated original outbuildings.
- Heritage Value
- 'Fairacres' is important as a record of the early years of Burnaby, specifically the Deer Lake area, as a place of tranquility and beautiful scenery in which the wealthy and successful in the burgeoning cities of New Westminster and Vancouver chose to retire or to make their family homes. The main house, which anchors in style and setting the outbuildings on the estate, demonstrates the social, cultural, and aesthetic values of local wealthy businessmen and women of the early twentieth century - values such as appreciation of architectural elegance and grand interior spaces, leisure and recreation, formal landscaped gardens and scenic views.
Also important is the association with the English-born and trained architect Robert Mackay Fripp (1858-1917), as this was one of his grandest residential commissions. Steeped in the current architectural trends in Great Britain, Fripp designed this sprawling mansion in the Arts and Crafts style, reflected in the architectural detailing and proportions. The style was common at the time and was often used for estate mansions as a symbol of affluence and good, modern taste as well as an affinity for all things British. Quality is displayed inside and out in the finishes and materials, orchestrated by prominent local contractor, James Charles Allen, including imported English materials of specific value such as imported Medmenham tiles in the fireplace surrounds, one of the earliest documented use of these tiles outside the United Kingdom. Detailed features of the interior woodwork were carved by Scottish-born master wood carver George Selkirk Gibson (1867-1942), who was best known for his many commissions for prominent British Columbia architect Samuel Maclure.
The outbuildings at 'Fairacres' are an important record of the functioning of a large estate of the time. The Garage and Stables and the Chauffeur’s Cottage accommodated the use of automobiles, horses and carriages, and in concert with the estate's location near the new British Columbia Electric Railway 'Burnaby Lake' interurban line, illustrate the evolving nature of regional transportation and the growing bedroom communities and estates made possible by increasing options for transportation. Other outbuildings accommodated the agricultural activities that helped support the Ceperley estate.
The estate was conceived and funded by American-born Grace E. Dixon Ceperley (1863-1917), who had achieved significant wealth through a bequest from her brother-in-law, Vancouver pioneer Arthur Ferguson. Her husband, Henry Tracy Ceperley (1850-1929), also American-born, was a successful and well-respected businessman who made a significant contribution to the development of the City of Vancouver. The construction of 'Fairacres' spawned the transformation of the Deer Lake area from a farming community into a preferred location for elite suburban homes.
'Fairacres' is significant to the City of Burnaby as its first civic heritage conservation project. Acquired in 1966 for conversion to Burnaby’s first art gallery, it was dedicated in 1967 to mark Canada’s Centennial of Confederation.
- Defining Elements
- Key elements that define the heritage character of the ‘Fairacres’ mansion include its:
- setting in relation to the gardens, its former market garden, and the vistas to Deer Lake and other grand homes in the area
- side gable roof with prominent dormers and cedar shingle cladding
- verandah across the eastern (garden) facade, with its view over the landscaped gardens and the distant mountains
- porte cochere with its side steps for those arriving by automobile, and central raised step for those alighting from horse-drawn carriages
- rich variety of exterior elements that demonstrate the typical Arts and Crafts use of local materials such as cobble stone chimneys and foundations, wide wooden siding and half-timbering
- mixture of double-hung and casement wooden-sash windows, many with multi-paned sash
- lavish interior spaces, designed for entertaining on a grand scale, including a billiard room with a beamed ceiling and an inglenook fireplace, and generous living and dining rooms arranged off a central hall
- quality of the interior materials such as imported Medmenham tiles in fireplace surrounds, window hardware by Hope and Sons, and leaded stained glass
- interior wood work including the staircase, and carvings by George Selkirk Gibson
- remaining formal Edwardian garden landscape elements, including the cross-axial plan that reflects the relationship of the mansion to its 'outdoor rooms'
- Locality
- Deer Lake Park
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Architect
- Robert Mackay Fripp
- Builder
- James Charles Allen
- George Selkirk Gibson
- Function
- Primary Current--Museum
- Primary Historic--Estate
- Community
- Burnaby
- Cadastral Identifier
- P.I.D. No. 004-493-311
Legal Description: Block 3 Except: Part subdivided by Plan 26865, District Lot 79, Group 1, New Westminster District, Plan 536
- Boundaries
- ‘Fairacres’ is comprised of a single municipally-owned property located at 6344 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby.
- Area
- 17,065.00
- Contributing Resource
- Building
- Landscape Feature
- Ownership
- Public (local)
- Other Collection
- City of Burnaby, Visual Art Collection: Original rendering by R.P.S. Twizell
Burnaby Historical Society, Community Archives: Ceperley Photograph Album
Burnaby Village Museum, Collection: Carved dining room panels by G.S. Gibson and other hardware items
- Documentation
- Heritage Site Files: PC77000 20. City of Burnaby Planning and Building Department, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 1M2
- Names
- Ceperley, Grace
- Ceperley, H.T.
- Fripp, Robert Mackay
- Allen, James Charles
- Gibson, George Selkirk
- Subjects
- Buildings - Heritage
- Buildings - Residential - Houses
- Buildings - Residential
- Street Address
- 6344 Deer Lake Avenue
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
Less detail
3900 Block Union Street
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1912 and 1915] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 4.4 x 3.4 cm print on contact sheet 20.6 x 26.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Spraggon family home and another house on the 3900 block of Union Street (formerly named Barnard Street). There is a child at play in the snow in the foreground.
Amy and Jack as newlyweds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- July 1911 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of newlyweds, Emily Brew "Amy" (Phillips) and John William "Jack" Holmes moving into the Phillips' home at 200 Ellesmere Avenue, Capitol Hill.
Amy Phillips
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1914]
- Collection/Fonds
- J.W. Phillips fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w glass negative ; 15.5 x 11 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Emily Brew "Amy" Phillips (later Holmes) standing at the doorway of her house with its garden of foxgloves at 100 Ellesmere Avenue, Capitol Hill. Amy became the wife of Jack Holmes and moved into this house, which was built by her father William James Phillips and her two brothers, Ja…
Anderson and Phillips Builders
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1910 and 1914]
- Collection/Fonds
- J.W. Phillips fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w glass negative ; 11 x 15.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a newly constructed house with land clearing debris and labourers working in the yard. A sign on the house reads; "Anderson and Phillips Builders", although the location and the specific individuals are unidentified (items no. 487-022 and 487-032 depict this house completed).
Andrew Johnson house and family
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1913]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 11.5 x 16.5 cm, mounted on board 21.5 x 27 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Andrew M. Johnson, his wife Margaret and their child Andrew Sloane Johnson holding on to their dog, in a chauffeured car, parked in front of their house.
Andrew Johnson house and surrounding property
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1913]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w panorama ; 13.5 x 34.5 cm mounted on mattboard 20 x 38 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Andrew M. Johnson house "Glenedward" and surrounding property at Kingsway and Royal Oak Avenue. Andrew Johnson built the house around 1911, then occupied the residence until his death in 1934. His wife sold the property in 1943, after which, the place operated as a funeral home un…
Andy Johnson's "Glenedward"
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w copy print ; 8.7 x 12.7 cm + copy negative
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of Andrew M. Johnson's house "Glenedward," at 5152 Kingsway. Two men and two boys are outside the house, with the youngest boy is seated in a toy car. A low stone wall is surrounding the yard.
A Pretty Dwelling, Barnet
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [191-]
- Collection/Fonds
- LaFavor Family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8.5 x 14 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of house in Barnet, BC, in which the image is entitled "A Pretty Dwelling."
At the front gate
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1910 and 1914]
- Collection/Fonds
- J.W. Phillips fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w glass negative ; 11 x 15.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a house with large front gate. A man in a suit and cheese-cutter is leaning against the gate, watching a girl push two babies in a baby carriage. The girl is wearing a dress and an elaborate hat and the babies are both wearing large bonnets and frilled dresses. Both the location and t…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1910 and 1914]
- Collection/Fonds
- J.W. Phillips fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w glass negative ; 11 x 15.5 cm
- Material Details
- Emulsion measures 11 x 15.5 cm on the glass; entire glass plate measures 12 x 16 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 487-028
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- 2008-18
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a house with large front gate. A man in a suit and cheese-cutter is leaning against the gate, watching a girl push two babies in a baby carriage. The girl is wearing a dress and an elaborate hat and the babies are both wearing large bonnets and frilled dresses. Both the location and the individuals are unidentified.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Residential - Houses
- Transportation - Carriages
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Phillips, James William "Jim"
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Less detail
Aunt Kitty and Claude Hill
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1918]
- Collection/Fonds
- Hill family and Vidal family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 8.5 x 14 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph is a portrait of a woman holding a cat and a boy, standing outside a house. They are identified as Kitty Hill and Claude Hill.
Baker family home
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1911 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Baker family home, 1643 Arthur Avenue (later renumbered 7666 Arthur Avenue). It was built by George Charles Baker.
Barnet Village
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1915] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of workers' houses in Barnet Village. Some 700 people were employed by the North Pacific Lumber Co. mill at its peak.
Bezanson family home
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1917 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Bezanson family home (of Albert and Margaret Bezanson), 1407 Royal Oak Avenue and Portland Street (later renumbered 7883 Royal Oak Avenue). To the left is the Ericksons' family home; Mr. and Mrs. Erickson were Margaret Bezanson's parents. Note the gravelled Royal Oak Road.
B.G. Walker house
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1910 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 8.4 x 13.8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the B.G. Walker house, Edmonds Street and Kingsway. Note the cedar stumps in background.
Bickerton family home
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1911 (date of original), copied 1992
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.9 x 12.7 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Bickerton family home at 2125 Nelson Avenue (later renumberd 7082 Nelson Avenue) near Victory Street, built in 1905 In front of the home are Edgar and Jane Bickerton, and three of their children: Edward, Nancy and Patricia.
Bill Grant
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1916] (date of original), copied 1992
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.7 x 12.7 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of William "Bill" Grant at 8 years old standing at attention in his Cadet uniform. He is in front of the family home at 2540 Marlborough Avenue (old street numbering).
Boggust family home
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1915 (date of original), copied 1992
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.1 x 14.9 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph the Leonard and Violet Boggust family home. Two children are standing in front of the fence.
Bolton house
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 8.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the Bolton house on Marine Drive.
Bond family home
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1913 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the second Bond family home, on John Street (later renamed and renumbered 4144 Beresford Street; the site was then addressed as 6128 Patterson Avenue after the house was demolished). David Bond, the father of the family and also a carpenter, built this 14-room house in the Central Pa…