Description of Historic Place

The Gilley Residence is comprised of a large residence, incorporating portions of two earlier buildings, and an associated garage and landscape features, located on single residential lot at 725 Queen's Avenue, New Westminster.

Heritage Value

The Gilley Residence is significant for its unusual construction history. A 1912 renovation amalgamated portions of two adjacent, earlier houses, the circa 1890 Herbert Gilley House and the 1888 wing of the John Hendry mansion, "Hillcroft". Substantial portions of these two houses were relocated and joined through the use of a consistent new roofline and a new central entry. Despite the different styles of the two earlier houses, the resulting composition is remarkably harmonious, employing Classical Revival elements to visually unite the ornate and varied detailing.

Additionally, the Gilley Residence is valued for its associated with Herbert Gilley (1862-1941), who owned the original circa 1890 Queen Anne portion of the building, and subdivided the former Hendry estate to move his home from the adjacent property and sell the other lots as a high-class subdivision in 1912. Gilley was a partner, with his brother, Walter R. Gilley, in Gilley Bros., a successful lumber and cartage company. Gilley Street in New Westminster was named after the brothers.

The Gilley Residence is significant both for the design of the 1912 renovation and for the surviving Queen Anne and Victorian Italianate architecture of the two earlier houses. The architect for the 1912 renovations was Edmund John Boughen (1874-1967). Boughen, born and trained in London, England, settled in New Westminster in 1911, and was engaged mainly with residential commissions. During the First World War, Boughen relocated to Vancouver, and continued in practice until the 1950s. The Herbert Gilley House was one of his larger residential projects.

The 1888 wing of "Hillcroft" incorporated into the house was designed by prolific local architect, George William Grant (1852-1925), for owner John Hendry (1844-1916). Grant became known for his commercial work in downtown New Westminster both before and after the Great Fire of 1898. Grant designed the Victorian Italianate house for Hendry in 1886, adding this wing two years later. Hendry settled in New Westminster in 1878, and was elected to City council in 1888, acting as mayor for six months in 1889. Hendry was involved with the timber industry throughout the province, and created the largest lumber company in the Pacific Northwest. Hendry also built the Kaslo and Slocan Railway and the Vancouver, Westminster and Yukon Railway.

Source: City of New Westminster Heritage Planning Files

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Gilley Residence include its:
- mid-block location on Queen's Avenue, in a residential context
- setback from the street, in line with neighbouring residences
- residential form, scale and massing as expressed by its two-storey plus basement height and irregular form
- complex roofline featuring: bellcast cross-hipped roof with lower rear, bellcast cross-gabled roof; three bellcast front gables; and closed eaves
- wood-frame construction with bevelled drop siding, and foundation of concrete block with rough-dressed finish
- Victorian Italianate elements of the Hendry House wing, such as: tall, arched windows in the front bay window and on the southwest elevation; and inverted "U" shaped window hoods with keystones adorning the round arched front bay windows;
- Queen Anne Revival style elements of the original Herbert Gilley House, such as: shed roof enclosed gables with whalebone cornices; patterned octagonal shingles; cutaway bay window with scroll-cut eave brackets and drop finials on the front elevation of the first storey; half-timbering in the front gables; and rounded mouldings on bargeboards
- other exterior design elements, including: overhanging, closed eaves with scroll-cut eave brackets; stacked, front verandahs with closed balustrades, drainage scuppers; and square and lathe-turned columns; Classical Revival details including attic window surround and oval feature windows; and three plain, internal brick chimneys
- asymmetrical fenestration, with 1-over-1 double-hung wooden-sash windows with window horns; rounded arched windows; and round attic window in central gable
- surviving interior features from both the original two houses and the 1912 renovation, such as panelling, plaster ceilings, fireplaces and wooden trim, doors and floors
- associated site features including an early concrete block fence at the front perimeter
- associated garage with hipped roof connected to the house by a short, covered colonnade, with pyramidal roof ventilator with finial, bevelled wooden siding, concrete block foundation, and double-hung 2-over-1 wooden-sash windows with horns and multi-paned sash