146 Bayswater

Area of Bayswater

At the time of 146 Bayswater's construction, Bayswater Avenue was called Fourth Avenue. Hintonburg had not yet been assimilated into Ottawa (and would not be until 1907). Instead, Fourth Avenue was located in a larger area collectively known as Bayswater. The boundaries of Bayswater were the Grand Trunk tracks, Carling Avenue, Preston Street, and Parkdale Avenue. It was a relatively quiet and secluded place—only twenty people lived there in 1890.

The names listed are as follows:
1. Thomas Church (foreman at Bronson's saw mill)
2. John Ralph (team owner)
3. Hugh Sparks (carpenter)
4. John Hogan (Section foreman of the city)
5. Jas. Riddell (official at the Bronson mill)
6. David Cuthbertson (Contractor)
7. John Kennedy (occupation not remembered)

The area was surrounded by farmland. Much of it was owned by the Sparks Estate, and some of it belonged to the Experimental Farm. It seemed to be almost like the countryside, especially due to the proximity of the Farm. In the summer, cows would be driven from the Farm towards Somerset St. and walk over the lawns, much to the chagrin of the residents.

In 1899, the Hintonburg Waterworks system began pumping water through the area. Farmland was sold very quickly to builders and contractors. Many of the residents were employees of the Canadian Pacific Railways and Grand Trunk Railways. It is then that the J. Oliver & Sons company began building their factory on Oliver St. (now Gladstone Avenue).

In 1907, Hintonburg voted to join Ottawa. It was at this point that numbered streets (such as Fourth Avenue) and streets labelled with the cardinal directions were renamed. This marked the beginning of growth for Hintonburg. Ottawa wished to encourage development in the previous area of Bayswater, so gave the region a low fixed assessment rate for twenty years. No factories were constructed, aside from the J. Oliver & Sons furniture factory, but many people were attracted by the low assessment and built their homes there. Additionally, the proximity of the Canadian Pacific and the Grand Trunk Railways meant that many railway workers built, bought, or rented houses in the area.

During the Great Fire of 1900, Hintonburg managed to largely escape the blaze. It was protected in the east from Rochesterville due to the tracks of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Only four houses on Fourth Avenue burned down, including 146 Fourth Ave (now Bayswater Avenue). The other three buildings were those belonging to John F. Kennedy, James Campbell, and George Rochester. They likely caught fire from the burning wood flying through the air.

After the fire, the number of residents in Hintonburg increased by one hundred, because many displaced Rochesterville residents moved there. Some of them moved in with existing residents and others took advantage of the many empty lots to build new houses with their insurance payouts. It continued to be fairly countrified: indeed, a James Berrigan or Barrigan owned a barn located at 146 Bayswater which burned down in November of 1917. Sadly, one horse was burned beyond aid, and the damage cost $300 (the equivalent of over $6000 in 2025). It is not clear whether James Berrigan lived at 146 Bayswater at this time or simply rented space there, but the existence of his barn speaks to the type of homes that were built there. It may also indicate the proximity of the Experimental Farm.

Bayswater Avenue increased in size between the years of 1948 and 1965. A fire hydrant was added by 1956.




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