The Laurelridge: Harold C. Beckett

The [Ottawa] Evening Citizen, 28 April 1947

   This drawing and its accompanying text appeared in the same issue (indeed on the same page) as the advertisement for the Rideau Gardens Annex lots featured in the previous post.

   Before the advent of the the pre-built suburb, magazines and newspapers regularly featured house plans aimed at young couples looking to become first-time home owners — which, in times of scarcity,  meant building your own. These placements didn't actually offer enough information to be of much help to the novice builder, but the article would usually provide contact information so that one could order detailed working plans from the designer. It was like a home seamstress working from a Butterick pattern — only larger, and probably less often.

   This example from the Ottawa Citizen features the work of Harold Champ Beckett, Architect (1890-1970). You can read all about his work here. Of this design Mr. Beckett writes...

    The popularity of early Colonial architecture has deservedly endured since the days when the beginnings of our Eastern cities were being hewed out of a primitive wilderness. Throughout the New England States and Maritime Provinces are houses dating back to the 18th century which possess the distinctive charm that goes with good design and and detail. Our forefathers found that the characteristics of the basic materials which go into building, consisting of lumber, brick and stone. [I’m sorry, I realize that isn’t a sentence.] Scientific advances of our present era have not bettered their use though present construction methods are somewhat different.
   The “Laurelridge” is a very economical two storey design containing 3 fair sized bedrooms. These are all over National Housing Act minimum, with large closets. Total first floor area is 580 square feet and the cubage is 16,016 feet.
   Exterior materials are brick to belt course with cedar siding above. The large living room bay is roofed by a second floor overhang. This increases area in bedrooms and produces a strong horizontal shadow line.
   This is another house suggestion proposed for readers of The Evening Citizen by Harold C. Beckett, M.R.A.I.C. 52 Chatam St. West, Windsor, Ontario.