Cottages, Gumdrops, and a Living Legend: My Winter Reading

What does a heritage blogger do all winter, when daytrips are cancelled, it's too cold for walking tours, and heritage houses are hidden behind snowbanks? She catches up on her reading, of course. Allow me to make a few literary recommendations:

Lynne D. DiStefano and Dan Schneider, The Ontario Cottage: Perfect of Its Kind. Vancouver: Figure 1, 2025. 200 pages.

The perfect book for those of us who admire those lovely Ontario cottages, explaining how the style originated, how the cottages were constructed, and what it's like to live in one. It even includes chapters on the typical hip roofs and occasional verandas. 

There are lots of cottage photos in this book, including some in colour. I'd like to see more pics from London, but when you're covering the entire province, I suppose you can't use many photos from each community. The authors have included some of our most historic and photogenic examples: Carfrae Cottage at 39 Carfrae Street, Nathaniel Reid Cottage at 477 Waterloo, and Templar Cottage at 607 Talbot Street. There are also some homes from the surrounding area, such as the beautiful Swiss Cottage in Aylmer, a gem I recognized from drives through that town.

Altogether, this is a fascinating book for admirers of Ontario's residential architecture. Let's get Lynne and Dan to tackle another style, like Queen Anne. 

Shannon Kyles, The Story of Ontario Architecture: What We Built and Why We Built It. Greensville: Author, 2025. 381 pages. 

First of all, Ms. Kyles needed an editor. When Foreword is spelled "Foreward," and there's a typo in the very first sentence, things aren't off to a good start. When, in addition, the index has an explanatory label stating that "the page numbering is skewed by 4 numbers after page 47 due to a technical glitch," I feel the author's pain. 

Nevertheless, Ms. Kyles, who taught the history of Ontario architecture at Mohawk College for over 30 years, has achieved an incredible feat: a portrayal of Ontario's buildings from First Nations to the twenty-first century, with numerous illustrations of each style. Everything is here, including Georgian, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Second Empire, Beaux Arts, Art Deco, and Gumdrop. (Yes, Gumdrop. It's a thing.) She also covers mills, factories, and apartments. And she explains, much to my joy, that our buildings are "part of a trend, are part of a more cohesive picture, and are definitely worth the effort of saving" (p. ii). 

London's Central Cat Clinic, Museum London, "New" Court House, and Central Library are among the book's local illustrations, as are numerous older London houses. There are no addresses for the homes, which preserves owner privacy, but prevents me from visiting and admiring them myself. (Darn.) Interestingly, band-shell porches are described as veranda "circular areas." Is the author unfamiliar with "band-shell?" Is it a London term?

Finally, music to my ears: "Many studies prove that restored windows fitted with proper storms are as energy efficient as any new window, but most people are not aware of this ... New windows will need to be replaced every 10 to 30 years ... No part of new windows is recyclable. Why are we doing this?" (p. iv). Why indeed? 

With beautiful colour photos and commentary on every imaginable topic from an abacus tile to wooden sticks, Kyles' book may just be the new "bible" of Ontario architecture. Any mistakes can be fixed in a second edition, which the book deserves. Check out the author's website here.

Mike Baker, et al, Ed Phelps: Son, Brother, Historian & Friend. The Aylmer Express Limited, 2025. 124 pages. Note: This book has been printed in a limited edition. London Public Library may be your best option.

Numerous authors have contributed their memories of Edward Phelps (1939-2006) to this tribute volume.  I know many of the authors and have heard them talk about Ed. Since I never knew Ed myself, having arrived on the local history scene too late to meet him, this book has enlightened me. The London librarian and archivist was a legend in his own time.

In about 1971, Ed was appointed Librarian-in-Charge at the Regional Collection, D. B. Weldon Library, U.W.O. Until his retirement in 1994, Ed was relentless in searching for, buying, trading, selling, and donating historical material to the collection. Not only did he have a shrewd eye for historical materials worthy of archival preservation, but he was willing to haunt antique shows and flea markets, even plough through garbage, to find them. Contributor Theresa Regnier tells us he referred to his station wagon as "The Rolling Barn" since it was always full of "stuff" he'd picked up. John Lutman states Ed "was of the hunter-gatherer mode of archivist." 

By these methods, Ed rescued large portions of southwestern Ontario's history from flames, landfills, and more distant archives. Those of us who have researched local history in the Regional Collection (now Western Archives and Special Collections) have used the materials, although some have been transferred elsewhere since. I'm grateful to have had access to such a collection.

But Ed also helped dozens of area writers and historians, giving them work and breaks to start their careers. He founded Phelps Publishing Company to print books that might not have been produced otherwise, including a few on my own shelf. He reprinted numerous historical county atlases, allowing many people to own a copy who would never find - or be able to afford - one of the falling-apart originals. His contributions to Southwestern Ontario history are too many to list here.

Ed left varied impressions. Norman R. Ball remembers Ed as "a rebel, a reputation he cultivated." Gord Russell remembers receiving mail from Ed "on bizarre materials, including the lid of a KFC bucket, or Kellogg's Cereal box," affixed with the appropriate postage. "Ed truly cared about people," writes Steve Peters. According to Sheila Johnson, the parties at his home on Bruce Street were "epic, and attracted a wonderful mixture of folks united by their love of history." Herman Goodden remarks on Ed's slovenly appearance: "My publisher-to-be looked more like a down-at-the-heels plumber than a librarian." But there was a dark side. "His intelligence," writes Mr. Lutman, "was combined with a serious lack of judgement, which got him into trouble. He died an unfortunate death, which shocked us all." 

Thanks to this book, I know just what I missed out on by never meeting Ed. My own work, had he supervised it, would no doubt be better. Heck, he might have published it. I missed the parties, the scavenging expeditions, the garbage mail. But I now feel like I've met Ed Phelps. And I feel his loss.

A Talbot Tour

Yes, it's that wonderful time of year again, when it's warm enough to walk through London's older neighbourhoods and soak up traditional architecture. Of course, it's the wrong time of year for photography because there's too much foliage in the way. Long walks are best in early spring and late fall when the weather's not too hot or too cold and the trees are bare, allowing a view of what's behind them.

But when you're enjoying a staycation and it's not raining, it's tempting to take an early morning walk in one of London's 'hoods, even in a summer heat wave. I toured Talbot and Ridout since it's one of London's oldest areas and offers ample food for architectural thought. Once home to many of our most prosperous citizens, it's now a mixture of older homes and apartment buildings. Many of the homes have been subdivided into apartments or converted to office space. Some look good and others not so good.

First, I noted the double houses in the area. 593-595 Talbot, an Italianate built in the 1880s, clearly had a verandah across it at one point. Note the bargeboard in those pointy gables.

Farther north is 651 Talbot, built in 1905 for C. A. Whitwam, V.P. of Hobbs Hardware, but sold soon afterwards to the McCormick family of biscuit fame. I 'm fond of the cute dormer with curved glass and cone-shaped roof. The typical Edwardian Palladian window to its right is surrounded by shingle bargeboard. Note the grand arched front entrance matching the trio of lower-floor windows at right. Also the lovely verandah with balcony above, tall chimneys on either side, and modillions (small brackets) under the roofline. This is a home that says "We're successful and proud of it." Remained in the family until about 1970. Love it.

Next door at 653 Talbot is a home of equal size and quality but built only a few years later in a very different style.  One could be forgiven for thinking it was much more recent than 1908. But this 2.5 storey red brick Georgian Revival was indeed built that year for Thomas W. Baker, lumber merchant and president of London Box Company. According to recent realtor ads, it was "gutted to the studs" and converted to a triplex in 2018. Pity about that ugly cement wall but the house still looks great. The garage is later, of course. 

Below is an example of why it's the wrong time of year to take photos. Sorry. This is a nice 2.5 storey  ca. 1868 home covered with stucco. Note the elaborate enclosed entranceway behind the trees. Not to mention the string course separating the first and second storeys. This was once the home of Josiah Blackburn's daughters, Grace and Susan, both well-known writers. Grace wrote under the name "Fanfan." Susan was the first woman to graduate from Western.**  

Besides grand mansions, I notice there are Ontario cottages in the area, some delightfully preserved. This one has a graceful curved porch and still has its (original?) finial and pendule in the gable. Built in the 1870s, it was for many years the residence and studio of  Albert Templar who often painted scenes of London. 

No. 601, next door to the above, was built in about 1873 and first occupied by David Bruce, a fire department engineer. Cute bull's-eye window in the gable. Fieldstone entrance porch likely later, ca. 1920s, replacing an earlier. Who's that peeking over the roof?

Other cottages are in good condition, but require some work:

This apartment building stands where Talbot Street School used to be. I know we need highrises and this one isn't particularly ugly but the Gothic schoolhouse with belfry built in 1892 must have been adorable. Unfortunately, it was demolished in 1981 so I never saw it.

An Italianate with the typical double brackets appears at no. 611 ...

... and it has a nice solid London Doorway. According to London Doorways by Julia Beck, published by ACO London, this home was built in 1868. The top arch, here slightly hidden by a light, touches the frame of the doorway above. The smaller matching arches over the sidelights extend to the height of the door. This style is mainly found here in London and in a few surrounding communities.

This is where Locust Mount (demolished in 2008 after a fire) used to be. There's a lot I could say about this, but most of it has already been said, ad nauseum, by others. A typical London heritage disaster.

Just along the street, though, at no. 585, is this well-preserved stately home which is not unlike L.M. It has the same symmetry, slightly projecting central portion and triangular pediment. According to an early ACO London booklet, this house was built in 1869 by Joshua Dalton, possibly from a design by William Joanes.* I have to admit this is one of my favourite buildings in the area, if not in London. An Italianate, it has the typical double brackets under its deep overhanging eaves. The windows have heavy stone semi-circular headings with ornamental keystones and stone lintels. It looks like it might have its original panelled door with sidelights and transom.  

Across the street is another example of a projecting entrance and pediment. Not quite as grand or well preserved but simple and neat. 

I also walked by First Christian Reform Church, built as Talbot Baptist Church in 1881. Constructed in the Gothic style popular at the time, it has gorgeous buff brick, red brick trim, and ten years ago had matching red doors. I couldn't get a decent picture of it today (too much sun reflecting off the glass), so I've substituted a picture I took back in 2015. It looks virtually the same as it did then anyway, except they've painted the doors black (which is OK but not as stunning). And yes, I really do like that glass addition. It totally works. 

Another lovely, simple building is 76 Albert Street, built in the Georgian style for London Free Press publisher Josiah Blackburn. Note the historic plaque. Part of the London Squash & Fitness Club property, it's well maintained by them. This is another house, by the way, that once had a verandah, now removed. While many would call the building plain, its simplicity is stately and attractive. 

According to London's Heritage Register, 618 Talbot is a Neo-Classical building from 1881. I would have thought it was much earlier, one of the earliest buildings in the area, in fact. I'm going by the oval window up in the gable which typically appears in earlier buildings. It reminds me of the doctor's house at Upper Canada Village as well as a picture you'll see if you scroll down on this page. I know they're on the other side of the province but the shape is similar. 

Over on Ridout Street, I paused at no. 565. Built in 1910 for Judge Talbot Macbeth, it has many Georgian Revival features, such as symmetry, small-paned windows and a brick string course between the first and second storeys. Unfortunately, it's now a frat house, and nobody can wreck a building like students. Windows currently boarded.

Another attractive Queen Anne residence is at no. 530 Ridout North. Built in 1903, probably for wholesale milliner John C. Green, it's almost a mirror image of the McCormick house at no. 651 Talbot. The arches on the lower windows and doors are a nod to the Romanesque Revival style. In early 20th century, this house had other mansions on either side; together, they would have made an impressive streetscape and their residents would have had a pleasant view of the Thames River. Now there's an apartment building on one side, a parking lot on the other, and the view is mainly obstructed. 

The trim in the gable of no. 472 caught my eye. At first I thought it might have been added later but now I think it's similar to the trim on the gable of the Charles Sommerville mansion shown here.

I've captured some of the best of this neighbourhood but much of it is run down and in need of sympathetic refurbishment. I say "sympathetic" because there's lots that isn't:

A close-up of the trim in the house above. Our society either does not have the materials and craftsmanship necessary to preserve an older building, can no longer afford them, or we no longer care. I suspect a combination of all three.

Then there's the fake heritage. Like when developers build a highrise with a nod to the neighbourhood's history at street level. Apparently having the lower floors in red brick is supposed to make it fit in. 

Thank goodness there's still Eldon House. I don't expect every property to be a museum, but I think we could do much better with the older homes we have left.

* The Talbot Tour. Geranium Walk IV. Sunday, June 5, 1977. ACO London.

** Brackets & Bargeboards: Walks in London. ACO London, 1989, p. 13.

London Architecture: Ontario Cottages

One of the most common home styles in London is the Ontario cottage, popular from the early days of settlement right through to the early 20th century. Usually a single storey with a square plan, the Ontario cottage has one or two windows symmetrically placed on either side of a central doorway. A hipped roof slopes from a central point to all four sides. Although small, there's often an extension at the back. And while some are very simple, such as 23 Cathcart Street, shown at right, others have more ornate doorways and decorated gables, like 12 Cathcart Street below.

Some would call "Ontario cottage" a misnomer. The cottage is actually found in many parts of the world and isn't native to Ontario. The style probably received its name because it's prevalent in Ontario and not seen so much in adjoining provinces or states. The style was influenced by Regency architecture, but, in fact, the Regency cottage can be traced back to a style of home brought to England by soldiers who had served in India. Once it became popular, it was naturally transferred to other parts of the Empire.

 

After a few years in Ontario, the cottage changed a little. The pitch of Ontario roofs is usually steeper than English ones, probably to provide for more insulation against winter weather and to let the accumulation of snow slide off. The pitch was so steep that sometimes a half storey would be added under the roof and a Gothic window added to light the upstairs as in the ornate 47 Bruce Street shown below.

Hundreds of Ontario cottages are scattered throughout London's older neighbourhoods. Often constructed for tradesmen, labourers, and clerks, the Ontario cottage must have been deemed the most practical and affordable home the average person could build. Cottages are still practical as starter homes or for singles and couples not requiring a mansion.

A variation is the side hall plan with the front door on one side. A cute example, shown below, is 1 Dundas Street near the Forks of the Thames, now the First Hussars Museum.

The oldest cottage in the city isn't found in the downtown core, however. Flint Cottage in Springbank Park, below, likely predates any other cottage in our area. Fisherman-turned-builder Robert Flint built the cobblestone buildings well known in the Byron area, including this family homestead, built 1837. The cottage remained in the possession of the Flint family until 1891 when it was bought by the London Board of Commissioners. It became a stop and shelter for the London Street Railway.

Whether downtown, in Old North , Old South, Old East, Soho, Blackfriars, or beyond, there are enough cottage examples in the city to fill several posts.  International and yet home-grown, quaint but somehow stately, the Ontario Cottage has become an integral and charming part of London, Ontario's architectural tradition.