220 King Street - Parr Division
Les Goélands is recognized for its unique architecture. The home, originally called Cliffside, was designed by famous Montreal architects Edward and William Maxwell. What makes this home unique is that it defies architectural classification, though it has certain Victorian elements and Tudor styling. Of interest are the two towers placed at each corner of the façade, which serve as hubs for two wings that veer off from the central structure. Another notable feature is the asymmetrical design, though it keeps its balance through interrelated angles and dimensions.
Les Goélands is also recognized for its association with past occupants. The house was originally built for a Montreal lawyer named Frederick H. Markey. Mr. Markey was born in Bath, England, in 1870. He moved to Montreal in the early 1890s, and was admitted to the bar in 1895. He rose to prominence as a lawyer, and was involved in many high-profile cases, such as the Great Northern Construction Company case, which took part from 1898 to 1923, and for the Burlard Estate versus the Province of Quebec in 1921. Both of these cases ended up with Mr. Markey presenting before the Privy Council, and the former went to the Supreme Court of Canada. Mr. Markey was successful in both. His success did not go unnoticed, and in 1906 he was appointed a member of the King’s Counsel.
Upon building his cottage in St. Andrews in 1912, he, along with his wife Laura and two sons, Henry and Donald, spent many summers in town. Mr. Markey was an avid horse lover, and he was remembered in Montreal for being one of the last of the generation that drove his own horses to his downtown office, a practice he followed up until his death. Mr. Markey died of a prolonged illness on June 18, 1928. He was 58 years old. After his death, his widow and his two sons continued to spend their summers in St Andrews. While Mr. Markey was known for his love of tranquil horses, his sons favoured speed, and they were both known in town for driving fast cars.
Les Goélands was later sold to Mr. and Mrs. Murray Vaughan of Montreal and Toronto in 1951. The Vaughan’s did extensive remodelling, including the removal of a large veranda and a dormer window. The property had one of the better gardens in town, in large part due to the avid and knowledgeable gardening skills of Mrs. Vaughan.
Mr. Vaughan was born in Saint John in 1899, and moved to Montreal in the early 1920s to pursue his career as a banker. His ambition was to make a lot of money and marry a rich and beautiful girl, which he did when he married Marguerite Pillow in 1934. Mr. Vaughan joined the British American Bank Note Company in 1940, of which he later became President and then Chairman. The Vaughans gave much back to the Town of St. Andrews, restoring the Hibbard House on King Street, donating land for the construction of a senior’s home, and paying for improvements at the St. Andrews Rural Cemetery. Mr. Vaughan passed away on July 19, 1986, and Mrs. Vaughan in 1991. Their two children, Lucinda and David, continued to visit, staying at neighbouring Rosemount. Their grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren also continue to spend time here in the summer.
Les Goélands now serves as a restaurant/gallery/gift shop for Kingsbrae Garden.
The character-defining elements include:
The character-defining elements that describe the setting of the property include:
Architectural Style: Villa
Other Names: Cliffside, Kingsbrae Gardens
Source: CC Archives, WW, JL, Montreal Gazette, June 19, 1928 page. 4, The Globe and Mail June 19, 1928, p.12, McGill University Maxwell archives.
Les Goélands is also recognized for its association with past occupants. The house was originally built for a Montreal lawyer named Frederick H. Markey. Mr. Markey was born in Bath, England, in 1870. He moved to Montreal in the early 1890s, and was admitted to the bar in 1895. He rose to prominence as a lawyer, and was involved in many high-profile cases, such as the Great Northern Construction Company case, which took part from 1898 to 1923, and for the Burlard Estate versus the Province of Quebec in 1921. Both of these cases ended up with Mr. Markey presenting before the Privy Council, and the former went to the Supreme Court of Canada. Mr. Markey was successful in both. His success did not go unnoticed, and in 1906 he was appointed a member of the King’s Counsel.
Upon building his cottage in St. Andrews in 1912, he, along with his wife Laura and two sons, Henry and Donald, spent many summers in town. Mr. Markey was an avid horse lover, and he was remembered in Montreal for being one of the last of the generation that drove his own horses to his downtown office, a practice he followed up until his death. Mr. Markey died of a prolonged illness on June 18, 1928. He was 58 years old. After his death, his widow and his two sons continued to spend their summers in St Andrews. While Mr. Markey was known for his love of tranquil horses, his sons favoured speed, and they were both known in town for driving fast cars.
Les Goélands was later sold to Mr. and Mrs. Murray Vaughan of Montreal and Toronto in 1951. The Vaughan’s did extensive remodelling, including the removal of a large veranda and a dormer window. The property had one of the better gardens in town, in large part due to the avid and knowledgeable gardening skills of Mrs. Vaughan.
Mr. Vaughan was born in Saint John in 1899, and moved to Montreal in the early 1920s to pursue his career as a banker. His ambition was to make a lot of money and marry a rich and beautiful girl, which he did when he married Marguerite Pillow in 1934. Mr. Vaughan joined the British American Bank Note Company in 1940, of which he later became President and then Chairman. The Vaughans gave much back to the Town of St. Andrews, restoring the Hibbard House on King Street, donating land for the construction of a senior’s home, and paying for improvements at the St. Andrews Rural Cemetery. Mr. Vaughan passed away on July 19, 1986, and Mrs. Vaughan in 1991. Their two children, Lucinda and David, continued to visit, staying at neighbouring Rosemount. Their grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren also continue to spend time here in the summer.
Les Goélands now serves as a restaurant/gallery/gift shop for Kingsbrae Garden.
The character-defining elements include:
- hipped roof
- hip roof dormers
- simple brackets under eaves
- grids used in windows
- two storey semi-detached, semi-octagonal towers with semi-octagonal roofs
- semi-octagonal bay window with hipped roof
- windows inset in towers below conical roofs
- entrance with large entablature and Doric columns
- wood cladding
- Maxwell’s signature Gable apex.
The character-defining elements that describe the setting of the property include:
- 27 acres of salt air garden, set high on the top of King Street.
Architectural Style: Villa
Other Names: Cliffside, Kingsbrae Gardens
Source: CC Archives, WW, JL, Montreal Gazette, June 19, 1928 page. 4, The Globe and Mail June 19, 1928, p.12, McGill University Maxwell archives.
