The history behind the familiar: the former residents who called Surrey Gardens their home
By Michael Walsh
Previously published in WestmountMag.ca
Do you have a list of city streets that you plan to explore at some point in time? I certainly do, however many of them are on the “upper level,” posing a bit of a challenge without a car.
It doesn’t have to be the Grand Canyon, it could be a city street, it could be the face of another human being – Everything is full of wonder.
– A. C. Grayling
High on my list is Surrey Gardens – for several reasons. The street has a delightful name; it contains a beautiful, wide grass median (tree boulevard), an eclectic array of homes dating from the 1930s to the 1960s, and a stunning backdrop comprising the Basilica of Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. In addition, although it is a relatively new street (by Westmount standards), it has a wealth of stories, from housing a military hospital to serving as the home of Canada’s most successful car rental companies.
Intrigued by these stories and coupled with an exceptionally warm May weekend, I finally managed to visit the street named after one of my many childhood homes.
Surrey Gardens honours a county in southeast England that borders Greater London, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire. Surrey derives its name from the Saxon term “Suthrige,” meaning “southern Kingdom.” Interestingly, for a small county, the area attracted many well-known individuals, including Lewis Carroll, H.G. Wells, and Aldous Huxley.
‘The original residents were hardworking honest business people, many of whom immigrated to Canada. Their homes can be viewed as a testament to the limitless opportunities afforded to them in their new country.’
The first striking aspect of the upper-level streets is the size of the residences. They are large; however, their size is not related to rank or wealth – a persistent misconception about the City of Westmount. Several reasons dispel this common belief. Firstly, when these homes were constructed, the lower portion of the city was saturated with parks and old homes. Secondly, the large homes were built as life-long residences for many family members – and in several cases, with the intention of generations of family occupancy.
The original residents were hardworking, honest businesspeople, many of whom immigrated to Canada. Their homes can be viewed as a testament to the limitless opportunities afforded to them in their new country. In addition, their attention to a myriad of architectural details not only enhanced the residences but also added collectively to the city’s overall beauty.
At this point, let us take a leisurely walk along Surrey Gardens and discover some of the street’s forgotten stories while gaining an appreciation of one of the many elements that add to the city’s uniqueness.
1 Surrey Gardens (renumbered as 90 Summit Circle in 1954)
Gerald W. Birks, Birks Jewellers (1940)
J. B. Torphy, Torphy & Miquelon Lumber Ltd. (1955)
No. 4 Convalescent Hospital (1944)
“A second division of No. 4 Convalescent Hospital, to accommodate about 45 members of the R.C.A.F. convalescing from wounds, sickness or injuries resulting from duty overseas, will be located in the Westmount Mountain home of the late L. H. Timmins… The three-story home… has been loaned to the air force for the duration of the war. It is located at 4 Surrey Gardens. The property comprises about 78,000 square feet and includes a tennis court and a bowling alley in the basement of the house.”
– Montreal Gazette, March 14, 1944
21 Surrey Gardens
Emil Nenniger, consulting engineer (1952)
“A Montreal engineering consulting company, formed in 1911, grew in the following decade in SNC (today’s SNC-Lavalin). The company’s founders were Arthur Surveyer, Emil Nenniger and Georges Chenevert (whose last initials form “SNC”). Their engineering projects included building the Daniel-Johnson Dam on the Manicouagan River, which earned the company global recognition. In 1991, the company merged with Lammarre Valois International (Lavalin), forming SNC-Lavalin, one of the world’s largest engineering companies.”
“Today, in honour of Emil Nenniger’s outstanding contribution to engineering, McGill University offers annual memorial fellowships to outstanding engineering students.”
– GNU Free Documentation License
31 Surrey Gardens
Sam F. Tilden, president and manager, Stanley Garage & Tilden Drive Yourself (1955)
Sam Tilden founded Tilden-Rent-a-Car, which grew into a worldwide franchise. The company partnered with National Car Rental in the United States, Europcar in Europe and Nippon Rent-a-Car in Asia.
By the early 1990s, the company, now known as Tilden InterRent, had a rental vehicle involved in an accident in New York City that caused several deaths and extensive property damage. Facing the prospect of multiple lawsuits (later dismissed) in 1996, the company sold its entire operations to National Car Rental (today known as National).
36 Surrey Gardens
Bernard Ziff, president, Union Pipe Machinery Limited & Steel Factories Limited (1955)
43 Surrey Gardens
Norman Pitt, managing director, Canadian Refractories Limited (1945)
Founded in 1932, Canadian Refractories Limited used locally sourced alumina and silica clays to manufacture refractory cements and plastic firebricks for high-temperature industrial applications. They were the first Canadian company to end the country’s dependence on refractory imports from the United States.
46 Surrey Gardens
W. R. Miller, R. Meat and Company (1920)
Ste. Croix Peres, Emile Deguire C.S.C. (1945)
Provincial House Fathers of the Holy Cross (1950)
Reverend Laurent Lapalme, elected in Rome as superior of the Canadian province of the Fathers of the Holy Cross (1950)
– Maison des Prédicateurs (1952)
“MUC police are… investigating the murder Tuesday night of Jeannette Vachon, 44, found in a rooming house at 46 Surrey Gardens in Westmount.”
– June 12, 1975
Feature image: 31 Surrey Gardens – © Andrew Burlone
Other images: Michael Walsh, unless indicated otherwise
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Michael Walsh is a long-time Westmount resident. He is happily retired after nearly four decades in higher education technology. Today, he enjoys spending time discovering the city’s past and sharing stories of the majestic trees that grace the parks and streets. He can be contacted at michaelld2003 @hotmail.com or through his blog, Westmount Overlooked
