1250 Denman St

ARCHITECTURE:

This compact little worker’s cottage plays an important role in the early Spring Ridge streetscape.

The building is long and narrow (just 18 feet wide), with a rectangular footprint and shallow, ridged and hipped roof. Side-facing front steps lead to the entry in a hipped-roof extension. Built almost to the side lot lines, the house is widened by long, narrow cantilevered box bays down each side. The house is clad in shingles. Many of the windows are double-hung with horns, and several are protected by small shingled hoods. The house stands on a full basement, and the upper floor flares slightly over the foundation.

The double lot on the commanding corner of Denman and Spring, had been developed in the 1890s by the Nathan family, with a grocery store (1248 Denman) and residences (1252 Denman St and 2218 Spring) on either side. The properties were subdivided into 3 lots and sold in 1906. In 1908 David Dickson England (b. Edinburgh, SCT, 1864) and Sarah (née Jordan, Southport ENG, 1859-1945) purchased 1252 Denman St as a rental property. The lot was further subdivided and in 1912 a new house –1250 Denman– was shoe-horned in. The 1-storey cottage with four rooms, cost $1,500.

The house has much in common with nearby neighbours, clustered round the many springs of the gravel ridge, and bracketed by Spring and Ridge Streets. It, and two other Heritage-Designated homes, faced the northern edge of the Springville I sub-division of the 1880s and 1890s. Further development was accelerated by establishment of the shopping precinct around the streetcar terminus (1891) at Fernwood and Gladstone.

Other nearby examples of these small, 1-storey worker’s cottages include 2122 & 2126 Spring (two survivors of a set of three built for a total of $2,400 in 1892), and 2203 Spring.

But this house is important because of its context in the 1200-block streetscape: Its immediate neighbours include an Edwardian Chalet (1256 Denman; 1907), an Italianate 2-storey (1252; 1891), a Queen Anne cottage (1260 Denman St; 1890), three worker’s cottages (1264, 1274 and 1278; by 1892), an Edwardian vernacular (1270; 1917), and two simple homesteads (opposite: 1277 by 1907; 1283; by 1898). This eclectic mix of styles and dates speaks to the social history of the community, with waves of European immigrants arriving over two decades, bringing a range of backgrounds, tastes and affluence.

ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:

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First owner David Dickson England studied landscape gardening in Liverpool where he apprenticed with the Liverpool Horticultural Company. David emigrated to Winnipeg 1883 where he established the City’s first park system. He married Sarah in 1884. The family moved to Victoria in 1907 where David held several prominent positions including City Park Superintendent, landscape gardener for Government House and Superintendent of Government Grounds for BC. David and Sarah and their six children lived at 312 St James St.

OTHER OCCUPANTS:

1250 Denman served as a rental property for years and was home to many residents. Most didn’t stay for long.
1913: Joseph Mess, pool room proprietor
1914-17: Dominick Cassilio, labourer
1920: William Stirrup, machinist, E&N Railway
1921: Alex Murray, City employee
1924-26: Mrs. Jean M. Gibson, steno for the Liquor Control Board
1928: Garnet D Baker, brick maker, Baker Brick & Tile
1931-1940: Roy Baker, operator, BCER, Mrs Hazel Baker
1941-42: Peter and Anna Bystrykosky, retired
1943-46: Clif A Brown, labourer, City and Helen Brown
1950-57: Ron Brown, electrician, Sidney Roofing, Agnes Brown