246 9th Street - Willment House

The Willment Home written by Fletch Manning in 2004

This is about Ida Willment’s cozy, two-story home on the east side of Reston. The house was built in 1903 and believed to have been constructed by a C.P.R. employee.

In 1907, Mr. Thomas Wilkins and wife Emily (Stonehouse) with their two children Tom Jr. and daughter Kathryn bought the house. Son, Tom took the printing trade at the Recorder, later becoming the owner and publisher of the Killarney Guide. At that time the house seemed so far out on the prairies.

Mr. and Mrs. Dodds (George and Maggie) retired from their farm south of Reston and bought the home from Wilkins. They lived here until 1958. The home was rented for a short term to Larry and Veda Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. Baker, and to Glenn and Heather Walker. In 1966, the Dodds sold the house to Harry and Ida Willment. Harry passed away and Ida still resides here. She says there have been two extensions to the east side but the rest of the home is much the same. The houses were constructed so soundly in the early settlement days.

When talking to the owners of these old houses, one topic has often arisen. It is stories of the “pipe hole”. Years ago The kitchen (or dining room) had a pipe that went from the kitchen range, across the ceiling and up a pipe hole to the second floor. From there the pipe exited to a chimney. The purpose of the extended pipe was to heat the second floor with the heat from the kitchen stove.

Later heating changed and the pipe was no longer needed, but there remained a “pipe hole”. There was quite an ornate iron cover put over the hole and when removed one can see down to the kitchen (or which ever room was below). There are many comical stories of what went on as viewed from someone on their tummies, peeking down the “pipe hole”. Do you have any?

One mother had the pipe hole cover put back onto the ceiling after renovations, just so she could remember where it was and recall pleasant family memories.