Designations

This one and a half storey, stone farmhouse was probably built in the 1860s by Township of East Whitby farmer John Magner. After changing hands a number of times, the house and property was then sold to Charles Norman Robson of Oshawa’s Robson Leather Co. Ltd. in 1944.

In the first half of the twentieth century, there was a trend among successful businessmen and industrialists to acquire farms and convert them to country retreats or hobby farms. Often just outside urban centres, the dwellings became architecturally stylish conversions of older structures. Gothic revival farmhouses, for example, had architect designed Craftsman or Arts and Crafts style makeovers.

The Robson house conversion in 1944-45 is near the closing years of this trend. The remodelling was more a reworking of the layout to meet the requests of an affluent owner than an attempt to achieve a new architectural style. It is also notable for being undertaken during the Second War, when there was some fear that urban centres would be targeted. Robson, however, being affiliated with the No. 20 Elementary Flying Training School at Oshawa Airport, may have been aware that by mid-1944 the end of the conflict was near. The war had been lucrative for Robson Leather Co., who was contracted to supply the Canadian forces with boot leather.

• Georgian style one and one half storey stone building and stone addition;
• Two storey frame addition;
• Cut stone and field stone masonry;
• Four gable dormers on south façade;
• Stone chimney;
• Unique doorcase openings and window openings;
• Gable roof with returned eaves and moulded cornice and frieze;
• East facade verandah;
• Outbuildings:
  • Frame stable and barn structure including concrete silo;
  • Frame carriage house;
  • Peacock pens;
  • Frame root cellar.