Sugar baron opened doors of 17,000-square-foot home in 1901
JOHN MACKIE
The Vancouver Sun
On July 23, 1901, Mr. and Mrs. B.T. Rogers gave a housewarming party at their new house at 1531 Davie.
The guests were probably quite impressed. Benjamin Tingley Rogers was the founder of the B.C. Sugar Refinery, and had spared no expense for his 17,000-square-foot mansion, which took up an entire block between Nicola and Cardero.
It was designed by Samuel MacLure, one of British Columbia’s top architects, and was named Gabriola, after the island that supplied the “greenish gray” stone on its exterior.
An anonymous Vancouver World reporter raved that the house marked “an important advance in domestic architecture as hitherto practiced on the mainland, insomuch that it is substantially the first distinct endeavor at home building in the monumental and lasting sense in which the word is understood in the old world.”
This may sound a bit over the top, but Vancouver was still quite small in 1901, with a population of only 24,000. When Rogers built his mansion the West End was still being constructed — the city was only 15 years old.
His home was perched on a hill overlooking English Bay, and came with an impressive Porte Cochere (a covered entrance) where you could drive your horse and buggy.
The exterior was so grand they made a postcard out of it.
There was a lot of attention to detail — the brass doorknobs were inscribed with Rogers’ initials, BTR, and the giant pink Arizona sandstone chimney in the main hall was a jaw-dropper.
The World reporter described it as “rather heavily ornamented, displaying in the upper panel the monogram of the owner amidst foliation of Byzantine acanthus.”
Acanthus is a Mediterranean plant that had inspired decorative forms for centuries. In this case, the stonemason (who was named Bruce) sculpted acanthus that twirled into intricate designs that went from the floor to the ceiling.
The landing between the first and second floor featured a trio of eight-foot tall stained glass windows by Henry Bloomfield, the top stained glass artist in town.
“Against a backdrop of native flowers ornamentally treated are three (female) figures,” noted the World.
“The centre (figure), against a halo-like swirl of blue wave, snowy crest and drifting weed, extends her hands wide in welcome. Those on either side, with book and classic hydria, distaff and spinning wheel, typify each the arts of life.”
Each room had its own unique design. The dining room featured eight-foot high red bean and Australian tallow wood wainscotting and a ceiling done in a “Jacobean model of intersecting bands.” The drawing room was done in cream and white, with a “richly coppered ceiling in moulded plaster.” The showpiece was the library. “The library is possibly the best room in the house,” said the World.
“Wainscoted to shoulder height, simply paneled and molded, with window casings, heavily beamed ceiling and mantel with side cabinets whose glass is set in silver bars, and lockers of the same material, over a dark hardwood floor, it has a quiet solidity of design and soberness of colour … that renders it a pleasant environment for personal retirement and reflection.”
B.T. Rogers and his wife Mary would raise seven children in the home. Unfortunately, Rogers died from a cerebral hemorrhage on June 17, 1918, at the age of 53.
His wife stayed in Gabriola for several years, but in 1926 it was converted to the Angus apartments. It was designated a heritage building in 1974, and in 1978 restaurateur Hay Aisenstat converted it into Hy’s Mansion, a high-end steak house.
In 1994 it went downscale as the Macaroni Grill, but it had been vacant for several years when it was put up for sale in 2014 for $10 million. It was eventually sold for $6.2 million to Nevin Sangha, who plans to convert it back to rental apartments.
Gabriola is the only mansion left from the days the West End was Vancouver’s elite residential neighbourhood.
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