| I M A G E S: Drawings | |
E. Lafleur House([1900-3]) 3484 Peel Street [314 Peel Street], Montreal, QC, Canada Residential, Urban house; brick and stone; composite Client: Eugene Lafleur Description: Eugène Lafleur was born in 1856 and was a well-known lawyer in Montreal. After studying at the Montreal High School, he acquired his law degree from McGill University. He apprenticed with Justice Archibald for three years and formed partnership with Mr. Witherspoon in 1884. Later in 1900, along with his friends, he started a new firm called Lafleur, MacDougall, Macfarlane & Pope, Advocates. He worked as Professor of International Law at McGill University from 1889 to 1908. He was appointed as the President in 1911 of the International Boundary Commission, to settle the boundary disputes between the United States and Mexican Governments. He was an active member of many clubs, which included Mount Royal, Hunt, Saint-James, Polo, University, and Laurentian.
The house designed for Mr. Lafleur by the Maxwell brothers on Peel Street is capped by a large pyramidal roof with two gables projecting from it. The south façade with the main entrance to the house is enhanced by the corbelled dormer at the centre with sculpted panels. Two Châteauesque style small gabled dormers flank the large one to give an embellished appearance to the façade. The highly ornamented oriel projects from the façade supported by the large keystone sheltering the arch entrance doorway. The square block in the middle, capped by the pyramidal roof, is chamfered at the edges on the ground floor for a small opening and a decorated motif in the form of canopy. The stone course runs at the junction of the ground and first floor level differentiating the ground floor and the first floor. The basement of the house is distinguished from the brick façade by its stone cladding. The east elevation facing Peel Street is a gable front, which comes out of the central pyramidal roof at the backdrop. The dormer similar to the south elevation is corbelled with sculpted panels. The bay projection, which runs the height of the façade, features rectangular windows different from the ones in the first floor. The details are more elaborate, and all windows are treated with keystones, which elegantly contrast with the red brick building.
The plan features a similar concept to the J.T. Davis House (368) and J.K.L.Ross House (590) where the placement of drawing room and dining room are at the extreme ends connected by the large hall. A small vestibule leads to the central passage, which opens onto a hall to the east, and the stairs and dining room to the west. The hall occupying the entire depth of the house has a south-facing fireplace and leads to the drawing room overlooking the Peel Street. The stairs lead to the first floor, which accommodates a master bedroom and a guestroom. A large library and sitting room on the first floor, are above the dining and the drawing room located on the ground floor. The attic floor has two large bedrooms with a governess room and playroom. The basement with two servants’ bedrooms also contains a kitchen and cold storage areas. Today, the house for E. Lafleur is one of the best examples of Maxwell brothers’ urban houses in Montreal. Holdings: Urban house; brick and stone; composite | |
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