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The Huron Expositor, 1987-11-25, Page 3THE HURON EXPOSITOR, NOVEMBER 25, 1987 — 3A '4'.1.40411.0W +14 PV19,4,-• LORNE VILLA APARTMENTS is one of the finest 17th Century sub divided into six apartments. The building to the rear and right buildings in Seaforth Once a private residence, it has now been of Lorne Villa used to be a coach house, but is now a duplex. , • SUMMER PICTURE - This more seasonal shot of Lorne Villa from an earlier time, shows_hoinutuch the_huldinO_appearanc_els enhanced by_plants and greenery. House reminder of ays gorre b In a town as old as Seaforth thereis history all around us, and daily we walk by buildings out of the past without paying them a second glanee. • The entire Main Street is a provincially designated Heritage Conservation district; but there are many other designated heritage buildings in this community. • The Lorne.Villa Apartments, located at 92 Goderich Street, is one such building. It has within it a style and manner that is definite- ly of an earlier time. But it alto houses a person who has lived in the building since its early days and is with it still. The building itself is one •of the most im- pressive nineteenth century homes' in Seaforth. Its size is such that it now contains six apartments and. has almost as much space again which isn't being utilized, but it was originally built to house a single family of four. Butthe wealth of the original Victorian residents is apparent not only in the large proportidns of the building, but also in the interior appointments. There are multiple fireplaces so that each of the apartnients now has its own stone fireplace. The wood- work framing the windows and doorways, in the stairway bannister, and throughout the entire building lends a richness which is not to be found' in modern homes. Even in the apartments, with their modern furnishings, the woodwork lends a reminder of years Past. The building is currently owned by Tom Schoonderwoerd, but immediately prior to that it was under .the ownership of Mabel Crouch who now lives in Apartment 1 in the 'building. Mrs. Crouch has a long acquain- tance with Lorne Villa as it was her grand- father who Wilt it. norti„,1)1cfau1 had the building , er- some time around 1886490 as a rec private residence. A United Empire Loyalist, Mr. McFaul named the building for the Governor General of Canada who was at that time the Marquis of LOrne. Mr. McFaul was the Paymaster on the roads. His work took him to Seaforth where he first taught at the public school (Maplewood Manor), and eventually became principal: Mrs. Crouch says her grandfather did not earn a lot of money, but he worked hard to afford his house. Labor was not as expensive in those times, she says, nor were materials. But Why ner grandfather built such a huge house for his small family is an enigma to Mrs. Crouch, and she can recall other members of her family often wondering the same thing. The coach house alone has been transformed into a duplex today. Mrs. Crouch's grandfather married Grace Henderson and they had a boy and a girl, who were both named after their parents. John McFaul Junior, Mrs. Crouch's father, was a concert singer and he travell- ed with an opera company. Mrs. McFaul's aunt, Grace Mullen, also sang with many professional opera companies in Canada and the United States. Mrs. McFaul has many fond memories of her childhood days when she would tortie to Larne Villa, from her home in Toronto, to visit her granparents and her aunt. THE MAIN ENTRANCE to Lorne Villa is through these heavy weeder' doors. Double John McFaul allowed possession of the doors are common in this spacious Victorian home, as is the woodwork evident here. home to go to Mrs. Mullen after the death of Corbett photo. their father. Mrs, Mullen lived in the home {, for many years and the house came to be in- correctly known as the Mullen House. Upon the death of Mrs. Mullen Lorne Villa was signed over to the estate of her brother ‘,0, John McFaul. But Mr. McFaul had already passed away and the house came into possession of his children -Mrs. Crouch, her brother and her Sister. Neither her brother nor her sister wanted to keep Lorne Villa, but Mrs. Crouch had a lot of memories from her childhood days. She and her husband bought her brother's and sister's Shares of the home, and in 1964 Mrs. Crouch became the owner. Mrs. Crouch hail the massive house renovated to make it into apartalents. M. Frank Lamont did the work for her and the house lent itself very well to apartments, one long living rooni was large enough to be divided into a kitchen, bedroom, living room and bathroom. So by spring of 1985 the first apartment Was ready to rent. In 1973 Mrs. Crouch's husband died and she left her home in Toronto in 1974 to come and live at Lorne Villa. She has lived there since and owned the building up until last year when she sold it to Mr. SchoOnderwoerd. The meet house was bought by Mr. Hogg and turned into a duple* facing James Street. Addition to apartments Mr. SchoOnderweerd has no plans for changing Lorne Villa, except some idea work that hes to be done in the yard. Lorne Villa, like really buildings in' Seaforth, wffl remain as it is as a teroinder of our heritage. EDrrOR'S NOTE - The feature on Lorne Villa 16 the fitst ot number of fetitUres to be FORMER HOUSE OWNER - Mabel CrouCti, the former owner of Lorne Villa, site in Written about the heritage homes and front of the massive windows in one of the apartmenta. Mrs. Crouch Says people have buildings' In Seaterth. These features always admired the woodwork around the WindoWs and throughout the house. Corbett appear on a monthly basis. photo. - • 1 DIFFERENT ANGLE - This recent, photo of Lorne Villa as seen from the other side of IN EARLIER DAYS Lorne Villa looked a lot different. There was no driveway on the the walk, shows how little the building has been altered over the years, especially when front lawn, as the coach house was used. There was also no need for the carport which compared to the photo directly left. Corbett photo. . ' • is there today, and there were several more trees. 1 INTERIOR GLIMPSE - Mrs. Traviss, one of the tenants of Lorne Villa, sits beside the or- nate stone fireplace in her upstairs apartment Corbett photo. • COMMUNITY CALENDAR If you're organizing a' non-profit event of interest to othet Seaforth area residents, phone the recreation office at 527-0882 or the Expositor at 527-0240. or mail the information to Communi- ty Calendar, The Huron Expositor, Sox 69. Seaforth, Ontario. NOK 1WO welt in advance of the scheduled date. Space for the Community Calendar is donated by The Huron Expositor Wed., Nov. 25 1:00-3:00 p.m.- Moms and Tots Skating 130-4:00 p.m. - Senior Shuffleboard 4:30-5:30 p.m. - Tween Ringette 5:30-6:30 p.m. - Atom 1 Practice 6:30=7:10 p.m. - Centenaire Practice 730-9:00 p.rn. Minor Broomball 8:00-9:00 p.m. - Special Gospel Meeting in Seaforth & District Community Centres Committee Room. All Welcome. Come and bring your friends. 9:00-11:00 p.m. Ladies' Broomball 7:30-930 p.m. - Wood Carving at S.D.H.S. 8:00-10:00 p.m. - Mixed Volleyball at S.D.H.S. Thurs., Nov. 26 430-5:30 p.m. - Novice Practice 5:30-6:10 p.m. - Bantam Practice 6:30-7:30 p.m. - Minor Broomball 730-12:30 a.m. - Men's Broomball 7:30-9:10 p.m. - Men's Eradketball at S.D.H.S. Fri., Nov. 27 4:00-5:00 p.m. - Senior Houseleague Practice 5:00-6:00 p.m. - Junior Houseleague Practice 6:00-9:00 p.m. - NOVICE TOURNAMENT 9:00 p.m. - Brussels vs. Centendires 'at., Nov. 28 1:30-2:30 p.m. - Story Hour at the Library 730-8:30 a.m. - Figure Skating 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m, - MINOR HOCKEY's 10TH ANNUAL NOVICE TOURNAMENT Sun., Nov. 29 12:30-4:30 p.m. - Novice Tournament 5:00-6:00 p.m. - Petite Ringette 6:00-7:00 p.m. - TWeen Ringette 7:00.8:00 p.m. - Junior Ringette 8:004:10 p.m. - Penguins vs. Flyers 9:30-1100 p.m. - Bruins vs. Hawks Mon., Nov. 30 4:30-8:30 p.m. - Figure Skating 7:30-9:30 p.m. • Wood Refinishing Tues, Dec. 1 5:30-6:30 p.m. - PeeWee Practice 6:30-8:00 p.m. - Milverton vs. Bantams 8:00-10:00 p.m. - Brussels vs. Midgets Wed., Dec. 2 1:00-3:00 p.m. - Morns and Tots Skating 00-4:00 p.m. - Senior Shuffleboard 4:30-5:30 p.m. - 1Ween Ringette 5:30-6:30 p.m. - Atom 1 Practice 6:30-7:30 p.m. - Centenaire Practice 7:30,9:00 tint - Miner BitOmball" 9041:00 p.m. - Ladies' Broomball 730-9:30 p.m. - Wood Canting at S.D.H.S. 8:0040:00 p.m. 7 Mixed Volleyball at S.D.H.S.