Written/sketched in 2001: The house at 1752 West 5th Avenue in Vancouver, just east of Burrard Street. After nearly 20 years of painting in Vancouver, there aren't a lot of old, derelict houses that I haven't at least considered painting. This one, which was inexplicably left off the city's master heritage register (denying it even the opportunity to qualify for zoning incentives), was marooned by the gradual evolution of that area from residential to light industrial. The trendy 5th Avenue cinemas are a few doors away, and a set of exotic car dealerships occupy nearby lots. It got into the news in an article in the Vancouver Courier newspaper that lamented its impending loss, due to its inclusion on Heritage Vancouver's top 10 endangered buildings list.

Any knowledge of its history? It is known as the Andrew Gillespie House and was built in 1904. It looks like it has been a classic flophouse since the hippie days of the 1960s--any stories? The stained glass was removed from the house and probably sold to a dealer late in 2001. Still standing in April, 2004.

From Glenn King, Kingston Ontario, 2024:

Andrew Gillespie was my great-uncle. He was born in Ontario  in 1847 and in the mid-1880s began working his way west and by 1891, he was in Burrard. The census indicated he was born in Scotland.
He seemed to have had a drinking problem and was fined several times in the 1890s for being drunk. The 1901 census indicated his correct vital information (b. Ontario in 1847) and noted he was a prospector. His name was attached to discoveries on Gambier Island and in Alaska in 1900 and 1901.   He was sporadically included in city directories, perhaps because he was away from Vancouver prospecting.  When he was in Vancouver, he lived in local hotels and the Salvation Army — until the name Andrew Gillespie was listed at 1750-5th. From what I know, being in a house was not characteristic of Andrew so I'm not sure if it is the same fellow.   But the fact that he wasn't living there after 1906 matches with him being dead. Because he died in a cell in the city jail, the newspapers noted that there would be an inquest  held at Center & Hann's (funeral parlor) on 12 January, 1907.   I found no mention of the results of this inquest in the newspapers.

Andrew died in 1907 in the city jail due to alcoholism and was in interred in Mountain View Cemetery.   The only photo I have of him dated to 1904-1906 and showed him in a 3-piece suit so perhaps he had struck it rich. 

I've attached Andrew's photo from Fricke and Schenek of 61 West Cordova Street — just around the corner from where I think Andrew was living.   On the back it says "to my brother, Joseph".   F&S opened in 1904 and Andrew died in January, 1907 so that's a pretty narrow time-frame for when the photo was taken.

Notes/photos from Christopher Sumpton, 2005:

I live just around the corner from this remarkable treasure. Walking by it, I have seen the slow transformation from old age to dereliction. With the stain glass now gone I wonder what fate holds in store for this orphan (as you call it) from the dusty past of Kitsilano. I wonder at the mystery of it. I am very curious how one would go about trying to contact the owner to gain permission to video document the interior features before it is modernized or torn down to make room for condos? I have a fascination for the aging of buildings. That each imperfection brought about by the real passing of time is a reflection of our own mortality. The wrinkles and lines on our faces are like the paint peeling from the wood and the walls. The liver stains on our hands like the marks on the ceilings where the rainwater has seeped through. The grey hair and bald spots like the unkept roofs. The houses are links to a place and time where weapons of mass destruction and our own annihilation did not exist. To me, when an old house is restored, time is reversed within its proximity because of our need to somehow return to that age of master craftsmanship. This dreamy romanticism is cut short by my consciousness when I acknowledge these houses also represent a time of colonialization and internment of native peoples. The past is not always pretty to look at. One more reason to have the living memory. I realize that actual preservation is difficult due to the weakness of our laws and the persuading power of the mighty dwindling dollar. However, I know there have been victories of actually retaining a building for the marvel of future generations and the hope that will be. The house that I emailed you before about along the bike route (7th and Ash) at least from the outside, is a remarkable achievement that gives me hope that all is not lost to the profiteers.

December, 2004: heritage house at 1752 west 5th is doomed to fulfill heritage vancouver's endangered list prognosis first the stain glass windows were removed about a year ago now the wood siding is being stripped off the house current owners are no doubt vandalizing the building before demolition - yet no demolition permit exists city hall bureaucrats are impotent to save it get your last glimpse of this truly remarkable building while it is being torn into rubble thank goodness the planning department in their infinite wisdumb have zoned the area industrial sealing the fate of the area's once thriving residential neighbourhood dating back to the origins of the city.

January 24, 2005: Sad news: the Gillespie House has been condemned by COV building inspector. Owner of the house, Brian Bell, removed the beautifully crafted stain glass windows and most recently 100 year old siding and all other windows. Was this done to recover costs or in retaliation against the city? Was it a deliberate attempt to force the building inspector's hand? Was debris left all around the outside of the house to create an attractive display for other citizens? Are heritage planners unable or simply unwilling to save the building? This house is one of four left within the entire area between Broadway, north to the False Creek and between Granville to Burrard. The zoning guidelines, arbitrarily created and assigned by planners, have made building 11 storey condos allowable replacements for single family dwellings. Say "Goodbye Heritage, Hello Condo Towers!"

Christopher Sumpton update, January 28, 2005: Since the house at 1752 West 5th slowly nears the shadow of demolition, I have taken on the task of researcher; to quickly investigate, gather and share some information about the long history of this fascinating heritage building. I am sure there are many colourful stories of the builders and occupants that could be uncovered from the past by a professional archivist to complete the portrait properly. Although the beautiful house was strangely overlooked for the Heritage Inventory in 1985 and although the wrecking ball is poised to fall next week, I still have faith that people with grace and goodness will come together in the last minute and save this orphan. February is supposed to be Heritage month after all!

Here is what I found out in one day with the help of the wonderful staff at the City of Vancouver Archives: the Ridley/Gillespie/North home(s), 1750/1752/1754 west 5th avenue: there appeared to be confusion about the address ... because the lots 5, 6, 17, & 16 were combined

City Directory lists:
1905: Andrew Gillespie, labourer, occupies 1750
1906: Andrew Gillespie, labourer, occupies 1750
1907: no occupant listed
1908: no occupant listed for 1748 - 1754
1909: Samuel North, ? Police Chief (overseer, fisheries?) occupies 1750
1910: Samuel North, ? Police Chief occupies 1750 ? new house built at 1752 [Feb.7, 1910 W.G. Ridley obtains building permit for 1765(?) lot17 blk.268 dl 526]
1911: Samuel North, Police Chief occupies 1750 William J. (or G.) Ridley occupies 1752
1912: Samuel North, Police Chief occupies 1750 William J. (or G.) Ridley occupies 1754 1913: Samuel North, Police Chief occupies 1750 Fred Zamzow occupies 1754 (William Ridley moves to 1349 East 2nd Ave.)
1914: Samuel North, Police Chief occupies 1750 Robert Thomason occupies 1754 [here I ran out of time recording info from the City Directories - more to follow on Monday]

according to the provincial survey map (used for fire insurance): by 1927 lots 4 & 5 of block 268 district lot 526 were combined with lots 17 and 16 (the southern edge of block 268) of the six buildings present, two were dwellings.
1929 from Land Tax Database? Registered owner of 1750 (lot 5 blk 268 dl 526) Joanna North (no Samuel?)
1945: Sept. 6 - Application: 6942 C. Porter ? pays water rates for 1752 West 5th Avenue (here it says lot 5 not lot 4) 216 ft E. of Burrard Street - 1 family & 5 roomers...

according to the provincial survey map: by 1955 lot 16 is taken from the collection at 1750-1754 and absorbed by C.M. Lovsted only three of the largest buildings are intact. ALSO: on the provincial survey map: by 1955 the address of 1750 west 5th is replaced with 1752; [from BC Archives: a Joanna North died in Vancouver, June 9, 1944, age 73 (b. 1871; making her 38 yrs old in 1909: Samuel's wife?) [from BC Archives: a Samuel North died in Vancouver, October 30, 1940 age 79 (b. 1861; making him 48 yrs old in 1909: ?)

If Samuel North was the Police Chief (as the late archivist Major Matthews recorded), perhaps one of the heros to save the day is the City of Vancouver itself! No arm twisting will be necessary to have the non-profits of the Vancouver Police Historical Society, Heritage Vancouver, Heritage Foundation and others become interested in helping to save the building. If we obtained modest levels of support from the Provincial and Federal levels of government, donations of good and services and volunteer labour, I believe we will be able to successfully retain, relocate, renovate, re-integrate and maintain this heritage resource for many to utilize and marvel in. I have emailed as many of you as I can think of and have faith you will reply. If we are too late, the demolition will become a funeral for an unappreciated friend who wasn't important enough to recognise and another instance of Vancouver heritage destined to vanish into the depths of the landfill formerly known as Burn's Bog. Best, Christopher Sumpton ps. I have also been trying to trace the Gillespie family tree because of the mysterious disappearance of Andrew from the property in 1907. Was he related to the Gillespie brothers who both died June 6, 1914, in Belgium in World War I, whose names are listed on the Menin Gate? Was he their father or some distant relative? I will keep searching.

February1, 2005: Today's notes are condensed from R.E. Gosnell's, A History of British Columbia, Lewis Publishing, 1906, p. 386, Vancouver Public Library, Special Collections.

Samuel North arrived in "Granville" (now Vancouver) in the fall of 1886 just after the great fire. It was a small village surround by dense forest. He worked as a labourer until 1890 then became a patrolman for the city, then two years as a jailer. In 1897 he was promoted to sergant. On July 15, 1901 he was appointed Chief of Police. "One of the most capable officials that Vancouver has known." Samuel North designed and built Vancouver's first Police station at 236 Cordover Avenue for $40, 000. Samuel North was a native of Waltenham, Norfork County, Ontario. He was born December 24, 1861. His father was John North, born in Cork Ireland who married Canadian Elizabeth Hutchison. John worked as a woodsman in Lake County, Michigan until he was killed by a falling tree. His son, Samuel went to live with his uncle John Hutchison after his father died and in 1877 (at 16yrs old) he went to work in Bay City, Michigan for three years.

After that he tried his hand at farming in Manitoba and in the Northwest Territories in the transport service. 1894 Samuel married Joanna Stewart and had six children: John Wilson, Samuel Stuart, Caroline Margaret, Ann Elizabeth, Aleck Neil, and William Roy. They were Presbyterians and Samuel was a member of the Order of Odd Fellows. About Samuel North R.E. Gosnell says, "He yet has the esteem and friendship of a large majority of Vancouver's citizens."

According the COV Archives, Samuel North lived at 1850 West 6th Avenue in 1903, but in 1909 moved to 1750 West 5th. By 1955, the property was later renumbered 1752 as indicated by the Sectional Maps and Fire Insurance Plans.

BC Archives Vital Events Pages:
John Wilson North (b. Nov. 5, 1894, married Mona Macdonald Feb. 21, 1924, d. Jan. 2, 1945 age 50)
Samuel Stuart North (b. ?, married Lois Merlyn Kerr Nov. 5, 1925, d.?)
Caroline Margaret North (b. Jan. 27, 1897)
Ann Elizabeth (b. Mar. 18, 1898)
Alexander Neil North (b. Aug. 30, 1900, d. Aug. 16 1917 Sea Island...
William Roy North (b. Sept. 4, 1902, d. Aug. 27, 1941 Kelowna age 38)

Feb 3, 2005 (letter from Christopher Sumpton to the Vancouver Heritage Commission): Unfortunately, the Gillespie/North/Ridley house was destroyed yesterday by J & R Excavating hired by Brian Bell of Arthur Bell Holdings. According to Building Inspector, Sauren Agren (from the City of Vancouver), he inspected the Gillespie/North/Ridley house at 1752 West 5th from the outside of a chain link fence around November 2004. How he was able to accurately and correctly determine the structural integrity from outside the fence? Even I, as a layman, know this is not the way to inspect buildings.

Mr. Agren is not alone. The Heritage Commission has been aware of this building from recent discussions with the Planning Department in 2002. The building has been on Heritage Vancouver's Endangered List since 2001. What kind of excuses can the Heritage Commission, Planners and Council possibly manufacture to explain such a blunder as the distruction of this incredibly historic artifact? Accidents happen? From the outcome of this particular case, one has to agree, that immediate steps must be taken to protect other historically significant buildings "overlooked" by the Heritage Inventory surveys.

The real losers in this scenario are the City of Vancouver and its citizens. To have a home that belonged to one of the pioneers of the city and Chiefs of Police lost for all time to present and future generations is a travesty of gynormous magnitude. But I imagine that many more heritage resources will be sacrificed in the name of "world class" as the city prepares for the upcoming olympics in 2010. After witnessing the spectacle of deconstruction and considering the lineage of Samuel North, I am organising a public "wake" for the building.