1639 15 Ave SW
-Built in late 1912, and first occupied by victor C. Best, a veterinary surgeon, and his wife Winnifred.
-In 1915, the McKay family moved in. George McKay was born in Tignish, Nova Scotia in 1878 and moved west in 1909 after the death of his first wife and 3 week old son. He married Edna and they had a daughter Phyllis, born in 1911, and a son Rayworth.
-George McKay was a carpenter who partnered with John Ross McTavish in 1925 to form McTavish and McKay Co Ltd, a general contracting firm. Their successful business focused on custom residential construction and later commercial construction and renovation. The company was awarded contracts for many high profile projects in developing Calgary, including churches and schools (renovations to Western Canada High School in 1958, construction of Knox Presbyterian in 1960, renovations to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in 1964, and construction of the Elephant and Giraffe House at the Calgary Zoo in 1964).
-The house was divided into suites during World War II, and portions rented out through the 1970s. After George passed away, Edna McKay remained here until 1962 (she lived 47 years in this house!!). It became a single family residence again in the 1980s. The current residents, the Hanna family, have lived here since 1994.
(Article from the Calgary Daily Herald – July 22, 1936)
Phyllis McKay to Wed Tonight Scarboro United
Bride to Have Three Attendants at Marriage to Mr. W.R. Hymas
Scarboro United Church will be decorated with huge baskets of pastel pink peonies this evening at 7:30 o’clock for the marriage of Phyllis Eileen, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. George McKay, to Mr. Wilfred Edward Hymans, son of Mr. And Mrs. William E. Hymas of Calgary. The ceremony will be performed by Rev. Dr. Robert Paton and the bridal music will be played by Mr. Thomas Jenkins.
The bride, who will be given in marriage by her father, will wear an unusually lovely gown of pure white Chantilly lace over taffeta. A waist-length coatee fashioned of the same material has the long graceful train attached, and the veil, worn in halo style over the bride’s hair, will fall to the end of the train. She will carry a shower bouquet of Madam Butterfly roses and valley lilies.
Preceding the lovely bride will be her attendants. Mrs. Fred Singleton, the matron of honor, in pale blue, and the bridesmaid, Miss Beatrice Trono, of Blairmore, who has chosen daffodil yellow. The gowns, fashioned on similar lines with pleated frills from the knees to the floor are of fine silk net. Tiny pleats are used at the necklines also and the short jackets have very full, long sleeves. Halo hats in net to match the gowns, and banded in tiny pastel flowers and bouquets of pink roses and mauve sweet peas will complete the ensembles.
A Kate Greenaway frock of pale pink net with a blue sash and a wreath of flowers in her hair, will be worn by the charming little niece of the bridegroom Miss Marilyn Hymas, who is to be the flower girl. She will carry a basket of sweet peas.
Mr. Fred Singleton will be the groomsman and the ushers will be Mr. Donald Uren and Mr. Rayworth McKay, brother of the bride. During the signing of the register Mr. Howard Hymas, brother of the bridegroom, will sing.
House Reception
Peonies will also be used in large quantities throughout the rooms of the bride’s home, where the reception will be held following the church service. The bride’s mother will receive wearing a jacket gown of Lido blue triple sheer with trimmings of lace and a wide-brimmed straw hat to match. Her shoulder spray will be of talisman roses. Mrs. Hymas, mother of the bridegroom, has chosen a handsome gown of black triple sheer crepe in ankle-length and a French model hat with black straw brim and entire crown of white velvet flowers. Her corsage will be of Madam Butterfly roses.
Vases of pink rosebuds and sweet peas with white candles in crystal holders surrounding the wedding cake will centre the table. Mrs. W.A. Simpson and Mrs. D.W. Detwiler have been invited to preside at the coffee urns. Mrs. Walter Hymas and Mrs. Dudley Batchelor will cut the ices and those who will assist in serving are Mrs. W.G. Gibbons, Mrs. Fred Brown, Mrs. William Teskey, Miss Violet Surplis, Miss Jane Gilbert, Miss Louise Detwiler, Mrs. Howard hymas and Mrs. Rueben Gardiner.
Photo captions:
View E down 14th Ave in 1910 from Scarboro. Sharon Avenue still runs along the base of the hill, where Royal Sunalta Park is now. The Calgary Tennis Club is in the foreground just to the right of centre. We are just off the photo to the right!
Aerial view of Sunalta in 1924. Still a lot of empty lots.
Hand-tinted photo postcard of Scarboro United, built in 1929. From collection of Calgary Public Library.
1930s lace gowns and a picture from the 1953 Fladderjohn- Bannerman wedding at Scarboro United.
The pink peony photos are from shrubs still in the gardens at 1639 – 15 Ave SW. Wouldn’t it be fun if they were the same plants?
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