Kilpin Residence

This house was built by English-born George Kilpin, a carpenter and builder, as a residence for his family in 1911. A skilled craftsman and prominent builder, Kilpin built various houses and apartment buildings in Vancouver around this time.

Other long-term occupants of the house were shoe store owner Harry Wilson and his wife Susie who lived here from 19211968, followed by the Scacchi and Fera families. The Fera family ran a sheet metal business on Commercial Drive and was probably responsible for the installation of the home’s newer metal railings and concrete porch slabs.

In 1987, the house came into the possession of its best known owner and resident, Doug Bennett, the lead singer of the very popular Vancouver group Doug & The Slugs. It is said that during the decade that Doug and Nancy Bennett lived here, the dining room walls featured a mural depicting the band’s perspective on the history of Canada.

The current owners have a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with the City of Vancouver.

Source

VHF 2017 Heritage House Tour Brochure, Sensational Vancouver, City of Vancouver