33 Division Street, Colborne
(c.1870s)
Roll No. 1411-012-020-26000 – Cramahe Township Ontario
Italianate Vernacular
It is a very large and imposing red brick Victorian home that started life as an Italianate vernacular with many but not all of the usual features of that style. It is tall with a hip roof, Italianate decorative brackets under the eaves; off set front door, tall narrow windows with round head sashes and a three panel, two-story bow window, which is on the South side rather than the more common front facade. Some of the upstairs windows have stained glass inserts which add a lovely aesthetic touch. To the rear of this basic structure, has been added a large two story section and another single story section – all in brick. There is a sun porch on the South side and a very large porch with doric columns on the front facade. As well, another one half story has been added in the attic to provide a master suite not often found in these Victorian structures. It is complete with a round Palladian window dormer and skylights.
33 Division Street also has a two story carriage house that is nowhere near the end of its useful life. The property previously had a pool and decking, but that has been removed in favour of a landscaped garden. The property is well over one half acre with a large front lawn and a very large landscaped area to the South and East of the house. The interlock driveway runs through the property, providing access/egress to both Division and Creek Streets.
33 Division Street is one of the largest, best maintained properties in the village of Colborne, adding yet another gem to the township’s bounty of century homes.
History or Associative Value
In the mid 1800s, lot 272, on which stands No.33 Division Street, was linked to and sold with lots 256 and 271 (25 & 27 Division Street). Cora Coyle kept ownership of Lot 272 when she divested the others in 1913 and her family lived there in the 1911 and 1921 censuses, which gives it a much earlier build date than its neighbours. Beyond that, ownership changed a number of times, but because the three lots were linked for years, it is difficult to determine who actually lived in the house throughout that period.
Additional Historical and Genealogical Information
Reid Lot 272, on which 33 Division Street sits, was tied with 256 and 271 for all of the transactions in the last section except the last one. Cora Coyle did not sell it to Rupert Clark when she sold him the other two lots. She retained ownership of Lot 272 beyond 1921. The Coyles were listed as residents of Division Street in the 1911 and 1921 censuses, so I think they probably lived at 33 Division Street. I doubt they sold the house the lived in in 1911 to Rupert Clark, then moved into the house next door. Besides, as discussed in the previous section, I don’t think there was a house on Reid Lots 256 or 271 in 1913.
See the preceding paragraphs for a discussion of possible residents of Reid Lots 256, 271, and 272. I think that any of the people discussed who actually lived on the property, other than Rupert Clark, probably lived in the house at 33 Division Street.
