D. McNicoll House [Braeleigh]([1905])
8 Forden Avenue [Côte-Saint-Antoine Street], Westmount, QC, Canada
Residential, Urban house [detached, basement, 2 floors, attic, 5 bedrooms, 2 servants' rooms]; brick and stone; composite

Client: D. McNicoll
Architect: E. & W.S. Maxwell

Description: David McNicoll, the Vice-President of the CPR and Director of Molson’s Bank in 1911, was born in Arbroath, Scotland in 1852. Before working for the CPR he settled in Ontario in 1874 and worked for the Northern Railway of Canada and the Grey and Bruce Railway. In 1905, Mr. McNicoll engaged Edward and William Maxwell to design his urban house in Westmount. Edward, though American trained, was profoundly influenced by the English Arts and Craft movement led by William Morris. The qualities of comfort and utility enriched by craftsmanship characterized this splendid residence known as Braeleigh. It is a design exercise with restrained grandeur and a careful study in its proportions as well as in its site location. The distinctive feature of the main façade is the Baroque cartouche over the entry and the symmetrical composition of forms under the gabled roof. Like many houses on the mountainside it has a fine greenhouse. The ground floor plan depicts an L-shape, with a spacious hall containing a monumental staircase. The hall is flanked at both extremes by the drawing room and dining room. The service facilities, kitchen and pantry are located at the rear of the house.

Holdings: Urban house (detached, basement, 2 floors, attic, 5 bedrooms, 2 servants' rooms); brick and stone; composite
68 Drawings: 51 ink on linen; 2 ink on paper; 5 pencil on paper; 2 watercolour on paper; 8 blueprints
1 Survey drawing: lot plan
3 Presentation drawings: floor plans, elevations
13 Development drawings: foundation plan and walls, floor plans, attic floor plan, elevations, section, garage
11 Working drawings: floor plans, attic floor plan, elevations, section, chimney
37 Detail drawings: elevation, garage, hall, bedroom, conservatory, drawing room, dining room, library, pantry, bathrooms, structure, stairs, fireplace, mantelpieces, chimneys, windows, dormer, gables, bay, doors, furniture, radiator screens, fittings, cornices, friezes, steelwork, plasterwork, entry gate, portico
3 Consultant drawings: site plan, topographical plan, entry gates
Comment: 3 drawings by Rickson A. Outhet, Landscape Architect, dated 10/1905, are included.

Comments: 3 drawings by Rickson A. Outhet, Landscape Architect, dated 10/1905, are included.