1888 Matthews Ave

The house at 1888 Matthews Avenue was built between 1911-1916, with the original address listed as 3890 Cypress Street. The house sits on the intersection of Cypress Street and Matthews Avenue, and first appears in city directories in 1917, with Hugh B. Gilmour listed as the resident. Gilmour lived in the house until his death, in 1934.

Gilmour was a mechanical engineer, as well as a political figure, serving on the Vancouver City Council in 1899 and representing Vancouver City in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1900-1903. He was named as a commissioner on the first Workmen’s Compensation Board of British Columbia, on which he served until death in 1934.

Gilmore Station is named (though misspelled) for Hugh B. Gilmour.

The house is an excellent example of a Craftsman style house. It is a side-gabled Craftsman, with prominent dormers, a variety of siding material with cedar shingles, narrow lap siding, and a stone clad foundation. The prominent front porch with large columns and stone clad piers, as well as the roof with prominent knee brackets and exposed rafter tails are further Craftsman characteristics. The house’s design is elaborated with a second storey porch, turned balustrades on both porches, a projecting bay to one side of the front entrance, and windows with diamond leaded glass. The house also has stylistic elements of Colonial Revival styles, particularly seen in the windows.

The address was recently adjusted to 1888 Matthews Avenue.

Source

VanMapp, British Columbia City Directories 1860-1955, Wikipedia, 1985 Vancouver Heritage Register, Historic Vancouver Permit Database, Sarah Delaney