Gilmour House

The house at 1150 Comox Street was built in 1903. The building, also known as The Gilmour House, is located in Mole Hill, next to Nelson Park. It is one of the last single family dwellings in the West End, and associated with the earliest development by European settlers in the area.

The Gilmour House is a relatively rare example of a Queen Anne Cottage, a style that became popular in the late nineteenth century, reflecting the picturesque romanticism and ornamented carpentry of the Victorian era. The house features many surviving Queen Anne details, like its asymmetrical shape, gingerbread detailing, and prominent bay. It was designed by John Philip Matheson, whose son Robert became a partner in the architectural firm Townley and Matheson (architects of City Hall and the Marine Building).

The first residents of the house were Roy MacGowan and his wife Emma Georgina (1905). Roy served in the First World War and was a Captain in the British Columbia Regiment. He also worked for his father’s company, the largest shipping, commission, and insurance company of Vancouver, MacGowan & Company. The house, however, is named for the long-term residence of Pauline and David Gilmour (1950s-2010).

A new development proposal included moving the Gilmour house to the front of the property, and constructing an apartment building at the back.

Source

Jurian ter Horst, British Columbia City Directories