Heritage Register
Rockland
1470 Rockland Avenue
Montpelier/Abbeymoore Manor
Built
1912-13
Heritage-Designated 2000, including iron fence
For: Alexander & Ethel Evans
Architect: Thomas Dealtry Sedger
Contractor: George Foster
Mason: William Martin
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:
First owner Alexander E. Evans was a civil engineer
who lived here until 1916 with his wife Ethel. He was coproprietor
of King, Evans and Pickard, engineers, in 1912.
He and Ethel came to New Westminster from England
in 1900. Arthur Mayne lived here in 1917-18. Dr. Annie
MacKenzie (née Chambers, b. Bruce County, ON 1859-
1949) lived here in 1920. She came to BC in 1898 with
her husband, lawyer Hugh Cleland MacKenzie (1869-
1903), who died of tuberculosis. Annie practised medicine
for 60 years and retired in 1945. Col James Grant Gordon
(b. India) and his wife Winifred lived here in 1921. By
1924, clerk Charles Edward Thomas (1862-1928) was
the resident. Charles came to Victoria from England with
his wife Elizabeth (1862-1920) in 1898, and moved to
Nanaimo in 1926.
OTHER OCCUPANTS:
By 1927 owners Col Bernard Russell Ker (1897-1981) and Marie Louise (née Durand, b. Chatham, ON
1897-1978) were the occupants. They lived here until
1956, except for several years in the mid-1930s. Russell
was born in Victoria to Agnes Heisterman and David
Russell Ker, co-owner of the Brackman-Ker Mill. Russell
graduated from Royal Military College in Kingston,
ON, in 1916. He served overseas during WWI, remained
with the militia afterwards and, at the outbreak of WWII,
volunteered for active duty and took the 3rd Light Ack
Ack Regiment (anti-aircraft) overseas, where he served
for the duration of the war. Bernard and Marie married in
1920. She rented their spare bedrooms during WWII to
naval officers. In 1945 their second daughter Daphne
married the last boarder, Lieut Allan Rowan-Legg.
Russell was a director in the family real estate and
insurance company, Ker & Stephenson; his brother R.H.B.
Ker (1524 Shasta Pl, Rockland) was president. Russell
served with the Victoria Real Estate Board for over 50
years, earning him a lifetime membership.
From 1956-77
the Kers lived at 1626 Rockland.
Charles Robert Muttlebury (b.Winnipeg 1884-1961)
and Clyna Elizabeth (née Hogg, b. Aberdeen, SCT 1888-
1962) lived here in the mid-1930s. Clyna came to Canada
in 1912 and they married in Winnipeg in 1914. They came
to BC in 1932, and lived at 1521 Shasta Pl, Rockland, in
the 1940s.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & IMAGES:
• Map of Victoria's Heritage Register Properties
• Rockland History
• Rockland Heritage Register
• This Old House, Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods,
Volume Three: Rockland, Burnside, Harris Green,
Hillside-Quadra,
North Park & Oaklands
