Historic Sites of Manitoba: Naylor House / Ches-Way Apartments and Ches-Way Annex (797 Honeyman Avenue / 240 Chesnut Street, Winnipeg)

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Occupants | Photos & Maps | Sources

Located on the northwest corner of Broadway [now Honeyman Avenue] and Shore Street [now Chestnut Street] in Winnipeg, this residential dwelling was commissioned by dry goods merchant Harry Patrick Naylor in 1905, with architectural designs acquired from George William Northwood. The home was built by contractors John James Wallace and William John Akins. The two and a half storey brick home originally measured 32 feet by 32 feet and was completed at a cost of $6,000.

The Naylors relocated to 53 Maryland Avenue around 1908, as well as taking up residence in Glenboro, and the premises was next occupied by merchant John Francis Fumerton (1863-1964), of the Fumerton Building, from whom Naylor had acquired Fumerton’s Glenboro-based business. Occupancy next included family units of Alexander “Alex” Calder and Charles A. Hunter. By 1918, two small additions had been made to the rear of the residence, a two-storey addon in brick and the furthest rear a single storey in wood frame.

In the spring of 1924, the property, then described as having eight rooms, was put up for mortgage sale under the Real Property Act, after which it appears Thompson retained occupancy. By the latter half of the 1920s, single and double-room suites were being rented out. Around 1927, it became home to Elizabeth Cadham (previously of the Cadham House / River Apartments) and another renter. Shortly after her death on 17 January 1928, the property was listed for sale, and it is approximately at this time, in late January 1928, that the first mentions of the Ches-Way [at first spelt Chesway] Apartments appeared in local newspapers, the name being derived from its corner location at the junction of Chestnut Street and Broadway.

The Ches-Way Aparments were formally established and, by 1930, the building contained six apartments. In 1937, an expansion at 240 Chestnut Street was commissioned to the eastern side of the existing multi-unit dwelling; the addition again built by the Akins and Wallace, now operating as the Akins and Wallace Realty Company. It measured 56 feet at its widest to a depth of up to 26 feet and was completed in October at a cost of $12,000, with the brick addition featuring nine new suites across its three levels. The new addition at 240 Chestnut took the Ches-Way Apartments name, with the original residence of 797 Broadway becoming the Ches-Way Annex. The separate names persisted through the 1960s.

In February 2019, the property was put up for mortgage sale, following renovations and a 2018 fire in the Chestnut Street portion.

Occupants/Owners

Period	Occupant/Owner
1905-1908	Harry Patrick Naylor (1870-1945)
1908-1910	John Francis Fumerton (1863-1964)
1910-1913	Alexander “Alex” Calder (1842-1936)
1913-1916	Louise Hunter & Charles A. Hunter (1873-1955)
1917	Mr. & Mrs. A. W. Smith
c1918	Mrs. Alice Davis (widow of Harry Davis)
c1919	Leo A. Sparks
1920-1927	William J. Thompson
1927-1928	Elizabeth Cadham (1855-1928, widow of James Henry Cadham) Mrs. Jessie Simpson

Photos & Coordinates

Ches-Way Apartments at right and Ches-Way Annex at left (July 2018) Source: Nathan Kramer Ches-Way Apartments (July 2018) Source: Nathan Kramer Ches-Way Apartments (July 2018) Source: Nathan Kramer Rear elevation of the Ches-Way Annex (July 2018) Source: Nathan Kramer Ches-Way Apartments at right and Ches-Way Annex at left (December 2021) Source: George Penner Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88551, W97.16446 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: George William Northwood (1876-1959)

Sources:

1901, 1906, & 1911 Canada censuses, Automated Genealogy.

1921 & 1926 Canada censuses, Library and Archives Canada.

Death registrations [John Francis Fumerton], British Columbia Vital Statistics.

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 2416/1905, City of Winnipeg Archives.

Western Canada Fire Underwriters’ Association, H7 614.41 edc Series 2 Volume 1 - Sheet 157, Archives of Manitoba.

Western Canada Fire Underwriters’ Association, H7 614.41 edc Series 3 Volume 1 - Sheet 157, Archives of Manitoba.

Deaths and funerals [Thomas Goodaire], Manitoba Free Press, 16 April 1917, page 8.

“Mortgage sale of valuable city property,” Manitoba Free Press, 16 April 1924, page 16.

“Bachelor suite of one room [ad],” Manitoba Free Press, 25 September 1926, page 39.

“To let, 2-room suite [ad],” Manitoba Free Press, 7 September 1927, page 26.

“Pioneer buried,” Manitoba Free Press, 20 January 1928, page 7.

death notice [Elizabeth Cadham], Manitoba Free Press, 20 January 1928, page 7.

“One large bright room and bathroom [ad],” Manitoba Free Press, 15 May 1928, page 30.

“Two rooms and kitchenette,” Manitoba Free Press, 28 January 1928, page 38.

“Chesway apts.” Manitoba Free Press, 23 April 1928, page 25.

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 499/1937, City of Winnipeg Archives.

“Big advance in building; 40 permits issued [Permits taken out],” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 April 1937, page 4.

“Ches-Way Apts.,” Winnipeg Tribune, 30 August 1937, page 40.

“New block,” Winnipeg Tribune, 16 September 1937, page 55.

“New block - Ches-way Apartments,” Winnipeg Free Press, 29 September 1937, page 40.

“Mortgage sale ad,” Winnipeg Free Press, 9 february 2019, page C14.

Companies Office corporation documents (CCA 0059), 24E - The E. B. Nash Company Limited, GR6427, Archives of Manitoba.

Companies Office corporation documents (CCA 0059), 93H - H.P. Naylor and Company Limited, GR6427, Archives of Manitoba.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

Preparation of this page was supported, in part, by the Gail Parvin Hammerquist Fund of the City of Winnipeg.

We thank George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 30 June 2022

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