ARCHITECTURE:
Montpelier, a two-storey Edwardian Four-Square with Arts & Crafts detailing, has a bellcast, hipped roof with modillions. There are gabled dormers on the front, rear and left side. On the left side below the dormer is a large, shallow, hip-roofed bay. A full-width front balcony which is 9’ x 44’ is supported on four massive granite piers. The balcony has four solid square posts, and square balusters in the balustrade. The full-width verandah now has an iron balustrade; the floor was originally paved with ornamental tiles by Canadian Mosaic Tile Co. The wide front steps to the right of the verandah have stepped granite balustrades. On the upper floor on the right rear is a small oriel box bay under the eaves. The gables and upper level are half-timbered with roughcast stucco above a wide belt course with drop siding. The cladding is drop siding on the main floor, bevelled on the basement, and it sits on a granite foundation. There are a number of new and enlarged windows and doors at the foundation level. An elaborate cast iron fence and gate along Rockland Av is also designated heritage. Now called Abbeymoore Manor, the house is a B&B.
ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:
1912-16: Alexander Easson Evans, CE, MechE (b. Stratford-upon-Avon, ENG 1872-1916) married Ethel Anna Bainbridge (née Fenwick, b. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, ENG 1865-1904) in Castle Ward, Northd, ENG in 1899. They came to New Westminster, BC in 1900, where Ethel died in 1904. By 1907 Alexander was living in Victoria at 1139 Burdett Av working as a surveyor, and by 1912 was co-proprietor of King, Evans and Pickard, engineers. He joined the CEF in 1914 as aLieut. and went overseas with 7th Btn. Can Inf (BC Reg). His offspring Maurice John (b. Claxton-on-Sea, Sx, ENG 1900-1963) and Helen Margaret (b. Sapperton, BC 1902-1983) were left here. He transferred to RCE and while attending to wire entanglements was killed by a sniper near Ploegsteert, Belgium Jan 5, 1916. He is listed in the UK, De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour 1914-1919. Maurice became a marine engineer, then a timber cruiser. He married Flora MacDonald (née Lambert) in 1941. Helen married Robert Heriot Glen (b. Hampstead, ENG 1884-1958) in 1933.
OTHER OCCUPANTS:
Tenants: 1920: Dr. Annie MacKenzie Cleland (906 St. Charles St).
1924-26: Dominion Bank mgr Charles Edward Thomas (b. Guelph, ONT 1880-1953) married Grace “Marion” (nee Lindsay, b. Ottawa, ONT 1882-1965) in Ottawa in 1910. He was then gen sales mgr, Wellington Comox, then Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Ltd. They moved to Vancouver in 1929 where they both died.
Owners: 1927-56: Col. Bernard “Russell” Ker, ED, OBE (b. Victoria 1897-1981) married Mary “Marie” Louise (née Durand, b. Chatham, ON 1897-1978) in 1920 and lived here except in the mid-1930s. His parents were David Russell Ker, co-owner of Brackman-Ker Mill and Laura Agnes Heisterman. He was educated at Haileybury
Coll, ENG and RMC Kingston, ON. He served in France during WWI with RFC. He served in RCA during WWII and was awarded the OBE in 1945. Marie rented their spare bedrooms during WWII to naval officers; second daughter Madeleine “Daphne” Ker (1923-2008) married the last boarder, Lieut. Allan Aubrey Rowan-Legg (b. Ottawa 1912-1998) in 1945. Ker was a director in the family’s Ker & Stephenson Ltd., Real Estate & General Insurance; brother Robert Ker (1524 Shasta Pl) was president. [Their grandmother Laura Adams Heisterman built 1521 Shasta Pl.] He was a member of Victoria Real Estate Board for over 50 years and was given a lifetime membership. They lived at 1626 Rockland Av from 1956-77.
Tenants: 1935-37: Charles Robert and Clyna Elizabeth Muttlebury later lived
at 1521 Shasta Pl in the 1940s.