2753 Cavendish Avenue

2753 Cavendish Avenue is a 1 1/2 storey, wood frame, Craftsman-style residence situated in the Willows Beach area of Oak Bay. Originally a beach front house, the lot has been subdivided, with a new house located in the former garden. It has a side-gabled roof with smaller gabled extensions and a front dormer with balcony above a large front porch that wraps around the ocean side.

Heritage Value: 

2753 Cavendish was built in 1912 for Edward Hamilton-Smith, a teacher. This house is representative of the type of house popular during the pre war building boom and illustrates that a beach-front home was within the means of a middle class family of that period. A daughter, Patricia Hamilton-Smith, a well known teacher, remained living in this home until her death in the early 1990's. It is valued as being a contractor-built home in original condition, on part of its original property near Willows Beach. It is also notable as being only one of a pair of houses on the street retaining their original finishes and exterior detailing.

This area of Oak Bay was the site of First Nations settlement prior to incorporation in 1906, and an archeological dig took place in the now-former garden in the 1970's. The site of the dig is now on the neighbour's property to the east.

Character Defining Elements: 
  • Craftsman-style exterior
  • original cladding of narrow siding on main floor and shingle cladding on the second floor and basement levels; wide trim boards and heavy brackets supporting bargeboards
  • upper balcony above front door with beams, brackets and porch railings
  • large brick chimney
  • double hung windows with multi-panes in top sash on upper floor
  • wrap around porch on north and east facades with Classical columns and four shingle clad columns
  • interior original finishes including door and sash trim (some painted) throughout
  • three original fireplaces
  • intact original floor plan (except kitchen)
Identifying Names: 
Hamilton-Smith House, The Edward Woodford Hamilton-Smith House
Locality: 
Cranmore/Willows
Ownership: 
Private
Community: 
Oak Bay
District: 
Capital Region District