Address: 534 Dunedin Street
Built: 1909
1912 householder: Dr. Harry Dier, dentistThis Edwardian Arts & Crafts-style house was built in 1909 and designed by Victoria architect Robert McKinney. He also designed the house next door at 540 Dunedin. Building plans for both houses were commissioned by Mrs. Murray Brown, who lived at 1189 Yates Street. Possibly these houses were intended as investment properties. In any case, McKinney designed a very handsome building at 534 Dunedin.
The building plans describe an 8 room home, having a front gabled roof with side-through wall gables. The front has a recessed balcony, often called a sleeping porch, with ornamental posts and railings and three double-hung windows. The front corner entry porch is supported by distinctive square pillars. On the right (east) side, the front parlour and dining rooms were graced by decorative octagonal windows. A group of three leaded, diamond-pane windows brought light to the hall. The plans also show a fireplace inglenook off the den on the main floor. Originally, there were finials at the crest of each gable. These have been removed but most of the other exterior architectural features – such as patterned shingles in the top of the gable and a dentils course above the recessed balcony and the entry porch – have been preserved.
In 1912 this was the Dier family home. Ontario-born Harry Dier and Mabelle Dier were 31 years old when they were enumerated in June 1911. He was a dentist and she was a homemaker. Their daughter, Sarah, was 9 years old and son, Branwood, was 2 years old. The household included Mrs. Dier's parents, James Wilson, age 53, and Elizabeth Wilson, age 50. They, too, were from Ontario. With the exception of Dr. Dier, who was a Baptist, everyone in the family belonged to the Anglican church. The family lived here from 1910 until 1914, when they moved across town to Fairfield.