Sydney Allen House

Description
Sydney Allen House is a charming one-and-a-half storey wood frame house built in 1936 located on the northeast corner of Shepherd Avenue and McLean Street in North Quesnel, BC. The historic place includes the building and the parcel of land it occupies.

Heritage Value
Sydney Allen House is located in North Quesnel which is an older residential neighbourhood in the city. While not in its original form, the house is a physical reminder of the people who shaped the development of Quesnel. The house was built by local area contractors Dezell & Sons from Williams Lake who built many buildings in the area including the Quesnel School in 1939.

The house is named for Sydney Allen who was born in 1888 in England. He came to Quesnel in 1914 to work in the Assessor’s Office. In 1915, he joined the Army and while serving overseas he met his wife Rose. They returned to Quesnel in 1919 and Sydney began his thirty-nine year career as a public servant. He worked at the government office, as Chief Clerk and then in 1953, he became the Government Agent. Sydney and Rose lived on a farm outside of Quesnel for sixteen years before they moved into the city. The couple were involved in many community organizations. Rose was on the Women’s Association for the Hospital and the Anglican Church. Sydney was a Freemason and a member of the Masonic Hall.

The house was purchased in 1952 by Richard and Myrtle (Lattman) Marsh. Richard worked with his father cutting and hauling wood, delivering ice, and baling hay. He started his own successful business, Marsh Sand and Gravel, which he later sold in 1959 to Quesnel Redi-Mix. Myrtle and Richard then owned and operated a small grocery store across from the Quesnel High School and Richard drove the school bus. Later he owned and operated Quesnel Appliance and Refrigeration until his retirement in 1978. The Marsh family is recognized for their contribution to the development of the community with streets named in their honour.

Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of Sydney Allen House include:

• a handsome one-and-a-half storey wood frame house built in the 1930s;
• interesting windows of various sizes and shapes;
• it compliments the other buildings on the street of similar scale, proportion and style;
• a gable roof with central chimney;
• stucco siding and a long rectangular form;
• a symmetrical façade with a projecting central entrance with pediment;
• window in the peak of the half storey.