Casa Maley 1605 Victoria Avenue M. M. H. Site #80 has been sold,
5/25/2010 at 7:34 AM
This building is one of my favourite Heritage Homes, and was designed by Brandon architect and city engineer Mr. W. H. Shillinglaw. Named ‘Casa Maley’ it was constructed in 1912 at a cost of $12,500 for Mr. Henry Fitzgibbon Maley founder and owner of the Brandon Brewing, and Bottling Company.
Casa Maly was constructed at the end of Brandon’s first great economic boom.
It is built in the European style and this three story Tudor house has a spacious interior that includes an ornate staircase constructed in quarter cut oak and wood detailing of exquisite craftsmanship can be seen throughout the house.
It has currently been used as a bed and breakfast establishment.
The Brandon Brewing and Bottling Co. built a new soda water plant on First Street and Pacific Avenue in 1905.
In 1906 the Brandon Brewing and Bottling Co. ran foul of the MacDonald Temperance Act when court action was brought against them.
The prosecution alleged the company forwarded some beer to Moosomin with instructions for reshipment to a Brandon buyer living only one block from the brewery.
Defence for the brewery insisted that the brewery’s interest ceased when goods doing to another province were accepted by a transportation company. This defence failed and the maltsters were fined two hundred dollars.
In 1939 it was decided that the Brandon Brewing, and Bottling Co property qualified to be demolished. Tenders were posted, but the eleven hundred dollar bid submitted by Brandon local building wrecker Joseph Redman was rejected.
The winning bid of one thousand dollars was awarded to the Winnipeg Wrecking, and Salvage Company.
The preferred ‘wheedlers’ levelled the structure, and then skipped town, leaving the area piled high with rubble. “This is a ‘sin’”, declared one Councilman who insisted the Wreckers should remove the mess, but on further study of the successful Tender papers it was revealed that the words ‘reserve the right’ to leave debris on the site was an important part of the contract.
The city works department were ordered to complete the job.
Casa Maley house has been featured in the Annual Doors Open Heritage Walking Tours, which are held in mid-July.
Source:
http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/hrb/mun/m080.html
Brandon a City By G. F. Barker.