House Summary

The Cockshutt Summer Cottage, situated near Brantford Township, was constructed circa 1901 as Frank and Lenore Cockshutt’s summer residence. This Greek Revival style home features a full height portico, just one of the home’s many grand architectural features. During Lenore and Frank’s residency, many extravagant garden parties were held on the grounds. The property had three full-time gardeners, a chauffeur, and two girls who served as “the help.” The home was later inherited by Gordon Cockshutt who, at some time, sold the home to Dr. N.G. Lathouras of Brantford who took in foster children and wards during his residency. Afterwards, the home passed hands from the Jansens to the Malcolms. Over the years, renovations have been made to the home for restorative purposes.¹

Timeline

c. 1901 – Cockshutt Summer House was Constructed¹

Frank and Lenore Cockshutt built the home to be used exclusively as a summer residence. Lenore held many garden parties over the years of the Cockshutts' ownership.

19?? – Inherited by Frank and Lenore’s son Gordon Cockshutt¹

19?? – Purchased by Dr. N.G. Lathouras

The Brantford doctor previously lived at 119 Erie Ave., Brantford.

19?? – Purchased by Peter and Margaret Jansen¹

2005 – Purchased by the Malcolm’s¹

The back porch was rebuilt.

Summary of Inhabitants

Frank Cockshutt

Born in 1857 to settlers Ignatius and Elizabeth Cockshutt, Frank married Lenore Cockshutt and had two sons – Frank and Gordon. One of Frank’s sons was deaf, as can be known from Frank’s letters back and forth with Alexander Graham Bell asking him for advice on how to handle his son’s disability.³

Frank was a prominent member of the Board of Trade around the year 1890, and was also on the Parks Board. In 1889, he became the president of the Cockshutt Plow Company and remained so until 1911. In 1893 he was the first president of the Slingsby Manufacturing Company Limited. Frank Cockshutt died in 1938.²

Architectural Features

The Cockshutt Summer home is a Greek Revival style two and a half storey house with an exterior of horizontal siding, and engaged columns on the back wall. The home has a symmetrical rectangular plan, aside from the additional veranda on the exterior right side, and a low pitched hipped roof with cross gable pediments. The pediment on the back wall has a six light flush fan window, and the main entrance opposite of the back wall has a triangular multi-paned window inside the pediment. The back wall features a full height portico supported by square columns, a common Greek Revival feature. At the second level of the portico is an entablature stretching the full length of the façade. There are also matching square columns supporting another entablature over the door of the main entrance. Above the entablature on this wall is a Palladian window with a flush light fan transom, another feature common to the Greek Revival architectural style. The home has double hung flat shaped windows that are multi-paned exclusively on the top half. The door on the main façade is flat with flat side panels and transom.

At the centre of the roof there is an octagonal tower with a spherical finial. Placed along the edge of the roof are multiple small gable dormers with pediments, in keeping with the architectural style. Decorative eave brackets are present along the trim of both the house and pediments. In the center of the roof on the back wall and the two walls perpendicular are three redbrick chimneys.

Special to this property are the front gates that were originally situated at Watchers Steam Property and purchased by Lenore and Frank Cockshutt. The blacksmith who made these gates is also responsible for making the Princes’ Gates at Ontario Place.¹

At some time a garage was built on the property. There was also an ice house that has since been removed. During the Malcolm’s residency, the back porch has been rebuilt and restored. The property has a carriage house (pictured) and what used to be a cottage that is now used as a barn and storage.¹

Notes

1. Malcolm, Scott. Personal Interview, July 2016.
2. Montreal Gazette. "Frank Cockshutt Dies: Prominent Citizen of Brantford, Ont., was 80," March 5, 1938.
3. Library of Congress. "A Letter From Frank Cockshutt to Alexander Graham Bell, April 11, 1893." Retrieved July 2016.

References

• Library of Congress. (Retrieved July 2016). "A Letter From Frank Cockshutt to Alexander Graham Bell, April 11, 1893."
• Malcolm, Scott. (July 2016). Personal Interview.
• Montreal Gazette. (March 5, 1938). "Frank Cockshutt Dies: Prominent Citizen of Brantford, Ont., was 80."