When An Old House Whispers...

What a glorious article James. I so enjoyed every ...

2026-03-09T06:20:38.998-07:00

What a glorious article James. I so enjoyed every morsel of information!

Admirable research work, well presented … thank yo...

2026-03-06T10:46:45.490-08:00

Admirable research work, well presented … thank you

I am a realtor and heritage homes geek. I am fasci...

2026-03-05T22:03:43.531-08:00

I am a realtor and heritage homes geek. I am fascinated with the stories inside old walls. I also have a near photographic memory for old homes. As soon as I saw your FB post (the photo) I knew is was on Haro. I had a listing in 1132 Haro (condos next door) and the 2nd floor unit was on the side that faced that house. I spent many open houses staring at that house and it's intersting Arbutus unedo tree (strawberry tree) on the side of it. ;) I read somewhere that 1150 Haro is the oldest (still standing) heritage home in the west end.

Frank King ( Francis Augustus) King was my grandf...

2025-10-22T23:56:27.732-07:00

Frank King ( Francis Augustus) King was my grandfather.

Frank King was my grandfather.

2025-10-22T23:54:47.407-07:00

Frank King was my grandfather.

Johnny Shuen was the best man at my father in law&...

2025-09-26T10:15:28.225-07:00

Johnny Shuen was the best man at my father in law's wedding in November 1956. He's in a clip from that wedding at about 7 seconds at https://photos.app.goo.gl/DwvjxZqknDN92yGU6

Hello I hope that I have the correct contact? If s...

2025-09-21T14:50:23.800-07:00

Hello
I hope that I have the correct contact? If so, my parents Bob and Norah Benner were friends of your family in the 1950's. Johnnie was best man at their wedding. I have video of Johnnie and also pictures of him and his wife.

My grandparents (Harrington family) once owned thi...

2025-07-19T20:24:20.840-07:00

My grandparents (Harrington family) once owned this house in the 1950’s and 1960’s. There used to be a larger veranda across the front of the house with a grand staircase leading down to the garden. My grandmother had an extensive rose garden as well as rhododendrons in the front yard. She had a kitchen garden on the west side of the house. Thank you for the research on the origin of the house.

Our family lived at 821 Keefer St (name Gim Chow W...

2024-07-17T15:00:27.922-07:00

Our family lived at 821 Keefer St (name Gim Chow Wong) in late 40-s early 50's.
All 5 siblings still living here locally.

I have an anvil island brick and was curious about...

2024-07-05T05:55:19.011-07:00

I have an anvil island brick and was curious about its age so perhaps it’s over 100. I love your raised brick bed and gorgeous peony tree. Thanks for sharing the story

Just wanted to add one more brick operation -- the...

2024-03-24T15:10:43.759-07:00

Just wanted to add one more brick operation -- the one that supplied all the bricks used to build The Station at 601West Cordova Street in Vancouver during its construction that finished in 1914. The Sidney Tile and Brick Company of Sidney Island Here's some detail about it: Note as you read that The Station was the Vancouver end of the Canadian Pacific Railway. https://liread.com/sidney.htm

Hi, I posted the previous comments 10 years ago. I...

2023-07-25T12:52:32.746-07:00

Hi, I posted the previous comments 10 years ago.
I missed reading your thank you note. You are very welcome (!).
Now that the movie "Oppenheimer" seems to be viewed by movie goers in North America, I wonder if the thought about Kusaka and his relatives back in Japan crossed Oppenheimer's mind when the news/decision of dropping A-bomb over Japanese targets were discussed.

I wrote something about Kusaka and Oppenheimer in Japanese in my Facebook page and ended up on this page again when I searched Kusaka's name.
https://www.facebook.com/chiaki.ishikawa.750/posts/pfbid02k44We1QeNsk4YU7XPtCM76tDcaNQbk1vXXycsihq8yZmk7sxx9xSPuwjAdccKd6tl

This this house holds many childhood memories for ...

2023-06-01T11:32:41.827-07:00

This this house holds many childhood memories for me. From hanging upside down in the beautiful big red maple tree to sneaking out and being a naughty teenager.

I grew up in that home.

2023-05-31T23:40:23.302-07:00

I grew up in that home.

My mother ran a group home there from about 1971-1...

2023-05-31T23:16:23.883-07:00

My mother ran a group home there from about 1971-1978. Sandra Hagen. I attended St Joseph’s elem. across the street. It was a spooky place. Maybe because of it’s ties with the the Church and the pedo, Reverend Joncas, who was removed by the archdiocese.

interesting to read about the bricks you have. I ...

2022-08-13T22:58:39.967-07:00

interesting to read about the bricks you have. I grew up near the Bazan Bay Brick factory. You are asking about the half brick with the GART on it. I just saw some with the full name. I suggest you send your photo to this site: https://www.scottishbrickhistory.co.uk

I can give more info. Kim Herendy. kimebonn@gmail....

2022-04-26T15:21:41.626-07:00

I can give more info. Kim Herendy. kimebonn@gmail.com

I’m the great grandson of Gertrude, Bessie was my ...

2022-01-31T21:27:54.647-08:00

I’m the great grandson of Gertrude, Bessie was my grandmother, her youngest daughter Joan is my mother. Anne her oldest daughter died in the early 70’s. my mom had three children myself, my sister and my younger brother. I remember visiting that house when I was young and my grandfather taking us kids to the firehall on the corner. Gertrude new fire captain. She always complained that when the firehall changed from horses to gasoline they couldn’t make the short climb up 12th so the city dug the street down to make the grade better. That added the stairs out front from the street.

I’m the great grandson of Gertrude, Bessie was my ...

2022-01-31T21:26:41.763-08:00

So did you know Bill Van Meer? That was Almers onl...

2022-01-30T20:54:33.897-08:00

So did you know Bill Van Meer? That was Almers only child who Gertrude raised. He was an awesome piano player and would shake the house!! I heard him play!! He married a beautiful woman Ray who worked at Purdy's chocolates where he met her there. They had two kids.

Doris lived in a small house on Culloden street wi...

2022-01-30T20:46:17.859-08:00

Doris lived in a small house on Culloden street with Almer when he left her high and dry. She got TB in that house shortly after and then moved back into the house on 12th and died shortly after..

This is my Great grandmothers house!!

2022-01-30T20:24:55.375-08:00

This is my Great grandmothers house!!

I have a picture of Fred Hartman!!!

2022-01-30T20:23:51.468-08:00

I have a picture of Fred Hartman!!!

You own my great Grandmothers house. She paid for ...

2022-01-30T20:19:45.773-08:00

You own my great Grandmothers house. She paid for it by playing Violin in the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra until she retired. She threw out Freds belongings out into the street as rumor has it! She was dutch (Friesland) and VERY VERY STUBORN as is her grand daughter (my Mom)!! LOL!!

I have Doris's and Bessys tennis rackets. Bess...

2022-01-30T20:17:09.914-08:00

I have Doris's and Bessys tennis rackets. Bessy was my Grandmother. gertrude and Fred were my great grandparents. I was born in 1962 so I have very limited memories of gertrude but I do have some. I have pictures of Fred and Gertrude. And Doris died at a fairly early age. Bessy married Alfred Widsor and had two children. My Mother who is Joan Elain Windsor who is still alive living in Langley and her sister who died of Cancer in about 1975 leaving her 3 kids and her Husband James Ireland. My Mom also had 3 kids. All of Bessys grad kids are still alive and well. All 6 of us.