Hycroft is a Vancouver Gem

The columns are covered up with vines at the Hycroft entrance

Earlier this week my aunt treated me to a violin and piano recital at Hycroft, an architectural gem in Vancouver. It was formerly a residence and a veteran's hospital before its current owner, The University Women's Club of Vancouver took over in 1962.

For the most part the rooms on the ground floor are relatively well maintained, and there aren't many places like this with such history and elegance in the city.

The recital was held in this drawing room

Hycroft is located on McRae Avenue, and that's because the original owner was Alexander McRae who had the home built for him and his wife Blanche and their three daughters. 

Originally from Ontario, McRae started out in banking and insurance in Minnesota and then expanded to land development on the prairies.

The family arrived in Vancouver in 1907 and commissioned British-born architect Thomas Hooper to design Hycroft. Hooper seems to have good timing, arriving in Vancouver after the great fire of 1886, when two land-clearing fires got out of control and destroyed many parts of the city.

It took two years for Hycroft to be built, featuring 10 fireplaces, six solaria, two lounges, a dining room, drawing room, library, several bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and a ballroom with a sprung floor. imported tiles were used as well as rare woods and ornate plasterwork.

In 1912 McRae was asked to join the military and he was appointed Brigadier-General and head of the British Ministry of Information under Lord Beaverbrook. 

Nearby is this dining room with a fireplace

McRae was also actively involved in provincial and federal politics for almost 30 years, first as a Member of Parliament for Vancouver North in 1926, and four years later he was appointed to the Senate.

He later turned down an offer of Canadian High Commissioner in London because of his wife's health, an she died in 1942. That same year as a contribution to the war effort, the family gave Hycroft to the federal government to use as a veterans' convalescent hospital; the contents of the house were sold at auction. The building functioned as a hospital from 1943 to 1960.

Then in 1962 the University Women's Club of Vancouver was looking for a clubhouse and purchased a part of the Hycroft estate, but it wasn't without its challenges. At the time women were not allowed to have a mortgage, which meant the members had to pay in full. So they did a lot of fundraising as well as using their personal savings to purchase the property. 

These days the UWCV holds various events at Hycroft daily, including a buffet lunch -- we could smell the staff preparing food while listening to the recital! and mahjong too! They also rent out the place for various events -- what a gorgeous venue for a wedding.

A detail of the fireplace tiles

The recital was fantastic too! Violinist Domagoj Ivanovic was accompanied by a pianist and they present a lively program with Brahms' Sonata in G major, Op. 78, followed by his scherzo called Sonatensatz.

After the intermission, we were treated to Wieniawski's Polonaise in D major; Slavonic Dance No. 2 by Dvorak; Stravinsky's Petroushka; Piazzolla's Three Tangos; and with Halloween coming up he could not resist playing Bazzini's Dance of the Goblins.