River."96 The Pagoda remained a social centre of Winnipeg
during the entire period of the Eden’s occupancy. The
Ladies’ Aid of All Saints Anglican Church were given the
use of the grounds in September 1890,97 and earlier, garden
and tennis parties were held here.98

On 21 May 1890, a fire took place at the Eden house
which was confined with moderate damage to the kitchen.99
Despite the Waterworks being located at the western edge of
the Point, there was no water, as it was Company policy to
shut off the water during the night. This necessitated the Fire
Brigade putting their hoses into the Assiniboine River.100 The
quenching of the flames led to a twenty—five dollar gift to the
Brigade from Eden,101
upon the City Council to get the Waterworks Company to

and Insurance Underwriter pressure

change its ways.102 The fire, and the garden parties behind
them, the Edens began to sell their property. Lots 25—28
were sold ofic on 30 May 1890103 and, on 11 September
of that year, Lots 21—24 with The Pagoda on them, were
sold to the Honourable William Strutt.104 It is believed
that Strutt was a titled Englishman who had given Eden a
$14,000 mortgage on the property in 1883.105 Strutt bought
the property for $10,000. In May of 1891, Lots 21—24 were
vested in the names of William M. Fisher (1857—1920) and
his wife Amelia Leckie (1863—1936), for $8,000, the Edens
having left the premises by late January.106

Fisher, the manager of the Western Canada Loan
Company, changed the name of the property to “Elmsleyf’m
During 1892, Fisher added new plumbing to the house108

CHAPTER 3

 

and, in 1900, architect S. Frank Peters was hired to
design a 20' x 38', one—storey, brick veneer addition.109
The Fishers also expanded the property during 1894
with the addition of Lots 18—20, probably at that
autumn’s Tax Sale.110 Jack McMahon, another Point
citizen, would later (1968) recall that Fisher had very
good landscaping on the property. To cut the grass, he
used a mower drawn by a horse wearing leather shoes
so that the turf would not be cut.111 After 1890, Fisher
got into land development, starting with a partial
resurvey of the Point in 1893 and winding up with
the foreclosure sale of Happyland Park in 1914. In
the meantime, "Elmsley" was a centre of Winnipeg
Society, hosting among other things, a reception for
artist Mary Riter Hamilton in 1912. As early as 1897,
the Nor’Wester had proclaimed the Fisher home to be
“an ideal house for entertaining”.112

William Fisher died at Elmsley on 18 January
1920.113 While Mrs. Fisher lived until June 1936,114
and while she continued to own Lots 18—20 until
1925,115 she did not own Elmsley after 1922.116 The
property consisting of the house and Lots 21—24 was
taken over by the Royal Trust Companym which
owned this as a rental property until 1938.118 In
1929, the trust company sold off Lots 21—22,119 and

it was the house on its two lots that Dr. and Mrs.

 

 

:4

 

in», mswfl'fig Ir - '

rFOR RENT

ATTRACTIVE RESIDENCE, 147 EASTGATE
ARMSTRONG'S POINT .

Premises being decorated and renovated throughout.
crate rent. For particulars apply

Fairbanks=Rattray, Limited

genus Bronx gas PORTAGE AVENI

Mod-

 

W.M. Fisher Residence, 147 East Gate, c. 1882. Under a new owner,
Eden’s “Pagoda” became “Eimsley” where the Fishers lived until
his death in January 1920. After that, it became a rental property
as seen in this 1926 advertisement. (LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY OF MANITOBA,
WINNIPEG TRIBUNE, 30 OCTOBER 1926, R 8 (0))

H. Bruce Chown bought early in 1938.120 Some $2,000

worth of repairs were made by the Chowns that spring121

29