|
|
WELCOME TO A VIRTUAL TOUR OF HISTORIC BOVAIRD
HOUSE
 
- The House is Georgian style in design, with symmetry
in room placements, a central hall plan and a five ‘bay’
front
- It is made of local hand molded double brick construction
- Flemish bond on front, English bond elsewhere, and is
built on a rubble stone foundation
- The raised basement windows intended this to be a habitable
floor
- Note the widows fitted with louvered shutters, front
entrance with Transom and side lights, and double sash
windows with six over six panes
- The window glass were all imported from England –
you can still see wavy distortions in the original pieces
- Notice the high skirting boards and eared door and
window trim of a simple type
- The main portion was built in 1852, with the back addition
(farm kitchen and hired help’s quarters) added in
approximately 1860
- A drop staircase would have provided access to the
attic
- The Bovairds added a furnace with the introduction
of ‘gothic’ styled baseboard vents and cast
bronze grate returns probably in the 1940’s
|
House History
- 1819-1821 - John Silverthorn received a government grant to
clear 100 acres in 1819.
- 1821-1872 – The house was sold to Peter Chisholm (a baker
and cattle farmer) and wife Anne MacDonald in December 1821 for
16 pounds. Both are buried in the Pioneer cemetery on Main Street,
Brampton.
- 1873-1919 - Peter R. Chisholm, the oldest son, inherited the
property. He and his wife Margaret Drainie are both buried in
Brampton cemetery.
- 1919-1929 – Children Amelia, Florence and Renwick James
inherited property but rented it out to the Pearson, Plante and
Payne families.
- 1929-1942 - Bought by James Bovaird, a farmer and horse breeder,
for $8,250. The Bovairds had 11 children and did not live in this
house.
- 1942-1985 - William Bovaird (horse breeder, Reeve of Chinguacousy,
Roads Superintendant) inherited the land and sold off parcels
to developers. With no children to inherit the house and remaining
property, and shortly before his death in 1983, he requested that
the house be preserved as an historic residence for future generations.
- 1985 – William’s wife, Mossie, donated the house
and land to the City of Brampton for the token sum of $2.00 –
she never cashed the cheque.
- 1991 – Mossie passed away and was buried next to her
beloved William in the Brampton cemetery
|
