Mackie House
1021 Hamilton Street • Gabled Vernacular • Built 1909 • Builder: Eli Bayliss
Steeped in history and shaped by resilience, the Mackie House is one of the oldest homes in the Moody Park area.
Built in 1909 by Eli Bayliss, this gabled vernacular house—with its steep rooflines and full-width porch—was later owned by the Mackie family and, from 1931 to 1937, was home to the Barber family.
The Barber family’s story is one of both love and loss. Two sons, Bruce and Mayo, served in WWII and never returned – Bruce, a Seaforth Highlander, was killed in the 1943 Sicily campaign; Mayo, with the Canadian Scottish Regiment, drowned in Prince Rupert. A third brother, Brian, died in a logging accident in 1949 at just 17. Their mother, Lillian, passed away in 1936.
The current owners uncovered original fir beams and floors during renovations. Now on the City’s Heritage Register. Heritage advocate Shelley Fralic, writing in the 2009 tour booklet, called it a house “to preserve and to cherish.”
On tour day, the owners will share the personal histories of the Bayliss, Mackie, and Barber families—stories that continue to live within these walls.
This home features a special display honouring brothers Private Mayo Grenville Barber and Corporal Bruce Barber – New Westminster soldiers who lived here and served in WWII.
A Soldier Lived Here: Private Mayo Grenville Barber
Mayo Grenville Barber was just 21 years old when he died in service near Prince Rupert in the fall of 1941. A member of the Canadian Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C., he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Archie John Barber of New Westminster. Though his life was short, his sacrifice is part of the deep wartime history that runs through this city’s homes and families. Pvt. Barber is buried at Fraser Cemetery in New Westminster.
A Solidier Lived Here: Corporal Bruce Barber
Born in Grandview, Manitoba, Bruce Barber enlisted in Vancouver in 1939 and served with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. On August 5, 1943, he was killed in action during the fierce battle for the Salso Valley in Sicily. He was initially buried in a field grave and later laid to rest at Agira Canadian War Cemetery. Bruce was 24 years old. He left behind his father and three remaining brothers.