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 Urquhart House - Vernon, BC Posted by:  ScroogieII
N 50° 15.507 W 119° 15.888
11U E 338567 N 5569820
This 1912 English Arts and Crafts bungalow was the work of architect Otto Beeston Hatchard (1879-1945), born in London, England.
Waymark Code: WM12XPT
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 08/02/2020
Views: 0
Extremely well crafted, most, if not all, of his Vernon houses were built by local contractor Robert Ford. Hatchard was an English architect who came to Vernon from the Sudan in 1910, where he had designed many public buildings in Port Sudan and Khartoum. Architect Hatchard was responsible for several notable residences in Vernon, including his own Hatchard/Piper/Dickson Residence, a 'Sussex Bungalow', the Patricia Ranch House, the Kinloch House and the Corrigan House. The Urquhart House, an Arts and Crafts bungalow, is quite representative of the Vernon residences he designed.
Currently owned by Henk Bosman and Tanneke Oordt, in 2009 they received a heritage restoration grant of $3,370 from the City of Vernon to assist with much needed restoration work on the foundation and exterior of the historic carriage house on the property. Later, in 2012, the City presented the owners with a heritage plaque, in recognition of the heritage significance of the building. The plaque has been mounted on the gate post of the rock and wrought iron fence along 23 Avenue, where it can be viewed by the public.
Urquhart House
Description of Historic Place
The Urquhart House, built in 1912, is a one-and-one-half-storey Arts and Crafts bungalow located at 2501 23rd Avenue in Vernon.
Heritage Value
The Urquhart House is valued as an important example of the English Arts and Crafts bungalow style in a mature setting. The house comprises a central side-gabled front with two front-gabled ends. The house is richly decorated with the vernacular and indigenous materials favoured by the Arts and Crafts movement. The use of cobblestones for the foundation and tall chimneys, the shingle cladding, and the half-timbering and roughcast stucco in the eaves are all typical of the style. Other high-style details include the decorative verge posts, the fenestration with leaded-glass windows, the porch with tapered posts and decorative brackets, and the shed dormers. The house is complemented by a carriage house designed with the same Arts and Crafts details as the house and surmounted by an octagonal dovecot. The sloping grounds with mature trees and iron fence with cobblestone posts are an important part of the original estate plan. The Craftsman interior includes fir paneling, a stone fireplace, and an inglenook.
The Urquhart House is further valued for its association with Otto Beeston Hatchard (1879-1945), its architect. Hatchard was born in London, England, and trained as an architect, attending the London Polytechnic School of Arts and Crafts. In 1905, he moved to Sudan to take on the role of Chief Architect for the government. He designed many public buildings in Port Sudan and Khartoum. In 1910, he moved to Vernon to establish an architectural practice. He immediately started to build homes with Arts and Crafts and Craftsman designs. Extant examples include the Patricia Ranch House and Kinloch House, and Hatchard's own house on 23rd Street, which he called a 'Sussex Bungalow'. Hatchard's chosen builder for these projects was Robert Ford. All his homes exhibit the highest levels of craftsmanship.
The house is also notable for its association with its owners. While little is known of Mr. Urquhart, the original owner, subsequent owners included James Vallance, owner of Vernon Hardware Company, Dr. Hugh Alexander, one of two surgeons in Vernon during World War II, and Dr. Rudy Fischer, co-founder of Vernon's first x-ray clinic.
From the City of Vernon Heritage Register, Page 26
Official Heritage Registry: [Web Link]
Address:
2501 – 23rd Avenue
Vernon, BC
V1T 1J8
Heritage Registry Page Number: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
To log a visit to a Waymark in this category at least one photo of the property, taken by the visitor, must be included with the visit, as well any comments they have concerning either their visit or the site itself. Suggested inclusions are: what you like about the site, its history, any deviations from the description in the heritage listing noted by the visitor, and the overall state of repair of the site.
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