Years ago, in the Municipality of Kildonan, a man would have a magnificent home built.
The story of how it came to be begins in 1876, when George Hilton was born in July near Moscow, Russia to parents Henry Hilton and Mary Ann Godfrey. The two would together raise a family of nine children, with six girls and three boys.
The Hiltons were English natives, but in 1873 moved to Russia. Henry Hilton was an estate manager for Russian nobleman, Colonel Pashkoff who had property around Matcherka and the role necessitated his presence in the country.
Old Upper Trading Rows in Moscow, Russia (1870-1888)
The family spent over a decade in Russia, where George spent the first part of his life. It was in 1888 that the family briefly travelled back to England for a year and George saw where his family was originally from.
In 1888, when George was 12, that the family would immigrate to Manitoba. The family settled in St. François Xavier, and Henry made his living as a farmer on the prairie.
Early map or St. François Xavier, Société Historique de Saint-Boniface
The family would stay in the area for a couple of years, and, by the early 1890s, settled in Winnipeg at 640 Spence Street. Henry took a job at a food manufacturing company, Dyson Gibson Co.
Ad for Dyson Gibson’s Health Coffey (December 23, 1898), Winnipeg Daily Tribune
After the move, George also began his own career: working as a traveller for various companies, including J.C. Anderson and The McPherson Fruit Co.
Ads for J.C. Anderson and McPherson Fruit Co. (September 26, 1904 and October 19, 1901), Brandon Daily Sun and Manitoba Free Press
Around this time, George also met the woman he would go on to spend the rest of his life with, Frances Louise Cameron. She had earlier moved from Ontario to Winnipeg, which is where the two met.
The two were married on December 31st, 1902 and moved in to 493 Notre Dame Street.
Hilton — Cameron wedding announcement (January 2, 1903), Winnipeg Tribune
In the following year, Hilton would use his experience at the McPherson Fruit Co. to go about beginning his own business venture: opening a grocery store. He chose the corner of Main St. and Burrows Ave. as his storefront.
Hilton’s grocery store building (2018), Apple Maps
Ad for Hilton’s grocery store (May 9, 1905), Winnipeg Daily Tribune
Promotion for Hilton’s grocery store (May 9, 1905), Winnipeg Daily Tribune
Within the next year, Hilton relocated his store further north to 1084 Main St. Around the same time, he’d also relocate his home north as well. He’d soon cash in and sell the business to J. H. and Harry Sullivan, and return to the field of sales with a position at the Imperial Oil Company.
Announcement of Hilton selling his grocery business (September 1, 1906), Winnipeg Tribune
Ad for an oil heater by the Imperial Oil Company (December 1, 1910), Manitoba Free Press
In the following weeks and months, Hilton would take his earnings and invest it into a property, purchasing a lot in the brand new development called Queen’s Park in the Municipality of Kildonan. Its borders were Armstrong Avenue on the north, the Red River to the west, the south back lane of Newton Avenue to the south, and Main Street to the east.
Ad for Queen’s Park (October 6, 1906), Manitoba Free Press
The area was marketed in the early 1900s as a spot for “homes for the elite,” and “the cottager’s paradise,” eluding to the large trees that shaded many of the lots.
Lot boundaries of Queen’s Park, with Hilton’s lot shaded (October 6, 1906), Manitoba Free Press
Hilton would purchase lot 53, at the corner of Armstrong Avenue and Scotia Street, and be among the first to build on the entire street. With a scenic view of an open field full of trees to the north and Red River to the east, it was here that he had a magnificent home built for his family. Featuring three stories, the home was constructed as fusion of two distinct architectural styles.
With a Dutch Colonial Revival silhouette, the home features a prominent “barn-style” gambrel roof, with the east side featuring a two storey bay window with a matching smaller gambrel roof.
The Dutch Colonial Revival style is complimented with an abundance of Tudor Revival half-timbering along each side of the home which frames the windows.
By the time the family would move into the home in 1907, Hilton and his wife had four daughters; 10 year-old adopted daughter Mary Spence, 3 year-old Helen Rosa, 2 year-old Maud Louise, and newborn Olive Mary.
In the following two years, the Municipality of Kildonan would establish the park, Kildonan Park, in the large area across from the home.
Hilton continued his work in the field of sales, but in the spring of 1914 ran for office as a trustee for the West Kildonan school district. In the end, he lost lose the race by a majority of just one vote to a previously retired candidate.
Announcement of Hilton’s trustee campaign loss (July 28, 1914), Manitoba Free Press
By late 1914, Hilton would try his hand at running for office yet again; this time for an even higher office, as a West Kildonan Councillor. In the end, he was once again defeated.
By early 1915, Hilton and his wife had a family of seven, with their son Henry born in 1912. His position with the Imperial Oil Company necessitated a change of scenery and the family would move to Calgary, leaving West Kildonan and 36 Armstrong Avenue behind.
Hilton would go on to make his mark in Calgary for the next 18 years, becoming involved in the local Baptist church and the local Rotary Club. Him and his wife went on to have one more son, George, in 1919 and he would pass away on March 23rd, 1933 due to an illness.
Hilton’s obituary (March 24, 1933), Calgary Herald
But the family’s 1915 departure from Winnipeg left a vacancy in 36 Armstrong; a vacancy that would soon be filled by a well-known Winnipeg businessman.
George Jerome Lee was born November 2nd, 1858 in London Middlesex, Ontario to English parents John Bullen Lee and Mary Ann Rapson.
Born into a larger family, Lee immigrated to Winnipeg in 1874 and became involved in the lumber business. He spent the next decade building his business and quickly became one of the city’s most well-known businessmen with his prominent shop at the corner of Main and Stella Streets.
Main St. and Stella Ave. (1931), Winnipeg Archives
Ad for Lee’s business (June 26, 1908), Winnipeg Tribune
Lee soon met Ontario native and school teacher, Sarah Amelia Wright, and the two became married on May 5, 1884. They then moved to a grand Queen Anne style home in desirable central Winnipeg, 436 Elgin Avenue. During these years, Lee continued to grow his business and his wife became active in the Baptist church. They would also have six kids between 1885 and 1898.
A write-up of George Lee at the time (December 21, 1907), Winnipeg Tribune
In 1915, with the new vacancy in 36 Armstrong, Lee would move his family to Kildonan. The family continued to live in the home for 15 years before Lee, on a trip to Saskatchewan to visit his daughter, would pass away at age 72 after battling an illness for two years.
Lee’s obituary (March 6, 1930), Manitoba Free Press
Sarah continued to live in the home with several of their kids before she too passed away in 1933. The home was to be left to son Clarence, who worked at the Alberta Pacific Grain Company, his wife Etta, and their children.
The family continued to live in the home into the 1950s. During this time, Clarence’s son Donald was selected as one of the university graduates across Canada to take a year of training at Ford Motor Co.
Photo of Donald F. Lee (July 4, 1951), Winnipeg Tribune
In the middle of summer in 1950, a horrific flash storm with a hurricane-like appearance would sweep over Winnipeg and the surrounding areas. Trees were toppled and garages were annihilated. The occurrence made front page news, but, unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons, so would Clarence Lee.
News of the storm (August 7, 1950), Winnipeg Tribune
During the middle of the storm, Clarence rushed to close the windows on his Armstrong home, and suffered an immediate and fatal heart attack.
Coverage of Clarence’s death (August 7, 1950), Winnipeg Tribune
After his death, Clarence’s widow Etta continued to live in the home into the later part of the 1950s, at which point the home was sold to Jack Dahl.
By the 1980s, 36 Armstrong changed hands again when it was purchased by Paul and Elizabeth Dittberner. The Dittberners were married in their home country Germany in 1951 and immigrated to Canada in 1957. Paul would make his living as a master bricklayer and built his own business through word of mouth.
Photo of Dittenberner, Winnipeg Free Press Passages
Dittberner’s passion for the craft would be reflected in his addition to the home: a sealed-in front porch and a two storey chimney, all done in beautiful river stone.
The Dittberners continued to live in the home into the early 2000s when it was sold to its current owners.
In the decades since, 36 Armstrong continues to be immaculately maintained, and its beautiful, century-old story and unique gambrel roof and appearance continues to live on.
No comments:
Post a Comment