Nikki Renshaw is throwing a party to celebrate her house’s 100th birthday. But first she wants to invite as many former residents, owners and relatives as she can find. Thanks to help from uber house detective James Johnstone she already knows their names, but she’s having trouble tracking people who had a connection to her Kitsilano digs prior to the ’70s.
Over the years the Renshaws have uncovered bits and pieces of their house’s past. The King George V playing cards behind the kitchen wall, old photos under the floor boards, names carved into the basement chimney and dozens of empty bottles of booze buried in the garden.
It wasn’t always a happy house and at least one of the former inhabitants has stayed.
“There’s been adultery, divorce, drink, destitution, mental breakdowns and of course, the odd death,” says Nikki, a former radio personality who now designs luxury bedding.
Originally, from London, England, Nikki and Chris bought the house in 1998 and put it through a massive renovation. It likely upset the ghost who made his or her presence known by brushing past them on the stairs. Chris, a set designer, would yell “It’s only me” on entering the house. Glasses and other small items would disappear. Lights turned on and off. The bed shook so hard that Nikki would check for seismic activity. There wasn’t any.
In one of those freaky connection things that happen when you’re investigating old houses, Denise, a friend Nikki knew from London, grew up next door. Denise’s friend Laura Finlayson had lived in the Renshaw’s house during the 60s and 70s. When Laura came to visit she asked Nikki if the ghost was still on the landing.
Nikki has a couple of ideas who it might be.
There’s Catherine Dickson, the first home owner who drank herself to death. Laura’s Aunt Jean was hit by a tram on Fourth Avenue and died in the upstairs bedroom.
It’s a lovely old arts and crafts house with its old fir floors and stained glass windows—one of the originals in the area in a neighbourhood that’s rapidly depleting its heritage stock.
Nikki says that’s one reason she wants to have this celebration. Once teen daughter Olivia goes off to university, they’ll be downsizing, and she’s worried that the house will transform into a duplex, or worse.
“This neighbourhood has changed so much since we moved in. It’s this high density neighbourhood now. Every house in this road that gets bought gets ripped down,” she says. “I just want there to be the story of all the people who lived here so there is some kind of community to this house.”
Nikki has contacted the Stockholder family, the Finlayson’s and the Greggs. But if you know any of these people or their descendants, please leave a note here or on my Facebook page or send an email and I’ll pass it along to Nikki.
Past residents of 3209 West 5th Avenue, Vancouver:
Owners
James Arthur Bruce (Builder) 1912/13
Catherine & John Dickson 1913
Lena & Stanley Kilborn 1923
John Alexander McLeod 1931
Jules De Keyser 1942
Annabelle McGown 1956
Arthur and Mary Finn 1959
Malcolm and Christine Finlayson 1962
Angus and Margaret Finlayson 1964
Kay Stockholder 1977
Chris and Nikki Renshaw 1998
Renters
Stuart Davies 1921
Fred and Mabel Byers 1927
Jo and Ellen Donnelly 1929
Harry and Mabel Aley 1935
James and May Hasler 1936
Doug and Mabel Davies 1939
Joe and Irene Lewis 1942
John and Evelyn Dalgleish 1944
Robert and Millicent Gregg 1955
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