This Old House                     Pearl Critchlow June 2006

         “La Maison Robert” was for sale .It was situated on Range 25 in the  Parish of  St. Bruno de Montarville on the south Shore of the St. Lawrence near Montreal. The parish consisted of 6,000 residents. St. Bruno was an original seigneurie ,founded in 1710. The little village was built on the South side of Mount Bruno. With its’ many apple trees and 5 lakes it was a beautiful site.

         In 1959 we were desperate for a home for our growing family. We were a family of five, Walter, myself and children Beverley, Alan and Linda who were then eight six and four. We approached the builders of a housing development  in the village but we could not afford the cost of their homes They were asking $10,000.  On the salary of a journeyman plumber we could not consider buying one. It was suggested we look at an old farm house on the outskirts of town. It was $8,500 with a down payment of $500.

         We drove a few kilometers out of town and found the Robert house. It was a huge edifice of brick, stone and mortar with a wrap around porch. The children tumbled out of the station wagon and ran to see the barn across the road and the pond on the Robert property. We entered the house by the kitchen and found a huge room with the hot water tank in the corner, a sink on the wall, and a narrow set of cupboards with a counter of zinc.

         The house was three stories high with nine rooms. We found the front entrance was a beautiful combed double door. It was dated 1921. It opened into a large central foyer. On the ground floor were a kitchen, bathroom and pantry.. There was a dining room with wood folding doors leading to a double living room. From the kitchen there was an oak staircase leading to the four bedrooms off a large hallway. On the second floor there was a door leading to stairs to the attic.

         Much to our delight we found the upstairs floors were wide pine boards and the downstairs narrow birch. The best part was the walls and ten foot ceilings throughout the house were varnished B.C. fir. That clinched it. We borrowed the $500 down payment and the house was ours.

         We moved in March 29th. The snow was up to the porch so we slid the furniture across the white stuff.

         It soon became apparent the slate roof needed to be replaced and a furnace installed. We realized the best way to furnish this home was with French Canadiana when we found a gorgeous pine armoire in the attic. It had to be dismantled to get it down the narrow stairway- no easy matter with its’ early Canadian construction. It was built with hand crafted iron nails then the joints were wedged and plugged. It was re-built and lovingly cleaned and waxed with bees wax. This was the start of a wonderful hobby of collecting and refinishing Quebec pine furniture. We eventually filled the house with three armoires, two top on tops, beds and dressers. Many more items included a spinning wheel, cradle, dry sink, table and chairs, and much china and glass.

         The children played in the barns and enjoyed the animals. They swam in the pond in the summer and skated in the winter. We all enjoyed the hill at the side of the property where we skied and tobogganed. I had a huge kitchen garden at the foot of the hill in the summer. In 1963 another child, Mary Jane was born. She was terribly spoiled by her Brother and Sisters.

         Eventually we built a modern kitchen and bathroom while the rest of the house was left as it was originally built.

         In 1974 the older children were moving on and it was time for new challenges. After living in this house for 15 years it was at last known as the Critchlow Home.

         This Old House is now surrounded by new homes. The little parish is now a large city and the house and property recently sold for $500,000. The pond is filled in, the barns are gone but the hill has been preserved as a park. Although the property has become quite valuable in my memories it will remain priceless.  

         Pearl Critchlow.