ARCHITECTURE:
This distinctive house was built speculatively at the height of the Victoria building boom. Technically 1½-storeys, it seems taller, with three through-the-roof hipped wall dormers, and the three levels are carefully defined with double-drop siding on the main floor and shingles above and below. A semi-octagonal bay at the front counterbalances the inset corner porch, which has square columns. Decorative features include leaded glass panels, and multi-paned upper sash in the double-hung windows, and the exposed rafter ends have been cut in a decorative scroll pattern.
ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:
Speculative developers Beaumont & Drummond built this house for a substantial $5,600, but it remained vacant until 1915. The first residents were Llewellyn (1882-1944) and Hannah Florence (Barker, 1877-1938) Overton, who lived here briefly. Hannah was born in Liverpool, England, and Llewellyn, a druggist with C.H. Bowes on Government St, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. They came to Victoria in 1908.
OTHER OCCUPANTS:
Gordon A. Duncan, a salesman with the Begg Motor Co, lived here in 1917. By 1920, William John Brinkman (1876-1960) was living here with his wife Emma Alice (Miller, 1876-1960), and their children, and they stayed here until 1941. Born in London, England, the Brinkmans came to Victoria in 1907. William was an engineer with the VMD and eventually became manager. He retired in 1946 after a 40-year career.
The house was duplexed in 1942 by Maud L. Tucker. Mabel Frances Child (1885-1980), a stenographer with Moore & Wilson, bought the house c.1943 and lived here until 1948. The next owner was Mrs Maud Martin, who lived here from 1949-59.
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