Heritage Register
Fairfield

354 Chester Street

Built 1912
Heritage-Registered

For: Frederick Wright

Builders: Charles Boniface & Frederick Wright

ARCHITECTURE:

This modest 1-storey, front-gabled Edwardian Arts & Crafts house was built for $2,000 and was designed to fit its narrow lot. The medium-pitched roof has open eaves with exposed rafter tails. Two short corbelled brick chimneys sit along the central ridge. The exterior is clad in shingles. Narrow box bays are featured on both sides of the house, and an angled bay on the front façade, with art glass in its centre upper window. The recessed front entry porch with its corner post was later enclosed and the basement garage may have been added at the same time. Original drawings show half-timber and plaster in the gable. The original windows are double-hung 1-over-1. There is a more recent addition at the rear of the house that has been designed to match the original.

ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:

Frederick D. Wright and Charles Boniface built a number of other revenue properties in this area, including 308 Chester. This house was quickly sold to John Albert Newton (1883-1970) and Jessie (Mackenzie, 1886-1969) Newton, who lived here until the 1960s. John was born in Brighton, England and Jessie in Kent, England. They came to BC c.1910. John was a storekeeper for over 40 years and retired in 1950. The Newtons moved to West Vancouver by 1960.