Address:
337 Douglas Avenue - Edmund Killer and Marion Dorthea Davis Killer House
Summary:
Edmund and Marion's house at 337 Douglas Avenue was built in 1916
Property Details:
Edmund N. Killer was born on December 4th, 1876 to parents John and Lizzie Killer in Waterloo, Ontario. After attending school there, he started out as a clerk with Waterloo Mutual Fire where his father was an inspector. In 1906 Edmund married Marion Dorthea Davis in Toronto and they rented a house at 166 Wright Avenue in the west end. In 1912, they purchased the lot at 337 Douglas in the Brantwood Survery but remained in Toronto where sons John (1911) and Edmund (1913) were born. In 1916 their house in Oakville was built. On their arrival there the family was finally able to
The family enjoyed life in Oakville with Edmund commuting to work in Toronto. However, a double tragedy struck in July 1923 when his father passed away suddenly in Waterloo. The following month their elder son John drowned at the age of 12 at their family cottage on Lake Bernard near Sundridge.
The family remained in Oakville. Edmund Junior, also known as
By this time, Edmund and Marion had moved to Port Credit and rented out their house on Douglas before selling it in 1944 to Marion Robertson Banting. Edmund passed away in 1958 and Marion in 1981.
The second owner of the house was Marion Robertson Banting. She was born in 1896 in Elora, Ontario to parents William and Florence. Marion’s father, William, was a well-known doctor in Elora and practised there for over 50 years. On graduation from high school, Marion trained in nursing and joined the staff at the Christie Street Hospital in Toronto with the Voluntary Aid Detachment which served the First World War vets. It was here that she met her future husband Dr. Fred Banting. They were married in 1924. As well as nursing, Marion was involved in the Girl Guide movement and was a former commissioner of the Parkdale area.
Their son, William, was born in 1929. The marriage was not to last though, and they divorced in 1931. Afterwards, Marion joined Simpsons downtown store as a manager of the customer service department and moved to Oakville in 1939 where her son attended Appleby College. He would go on to become a documentary filmmaker. Frederick Banting died in Feb 1941 in a plane crash and Marion’s father William died a few weeks afterward. In 1944, Marion’s health failed and she died in September 1944. The house was passed to her son William upon her death.
The house was recently designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act and was also moved north onto a single lot.
enjoy the seclusion and privacy of country life while sacrificing none of the modern conveniences afforded by the city, as described in the Brantwood promotional booklet of 1913.
The family enjoyed life in Oakville with Edmund commuting to work in Toronto. However, a double tragedy struck in July 1923 when his father passed away suddenly in Waterloo. The following month their elder son John drowned at the age of 12 at their family cottage on Lake Bernard near Sundridge.
The family remained in Oakville. Edmund Junior, also known as
Bud, attended Oakville Trafalgar High School and then spent a year at the University of Toronto. He had obtained his private and commercial pilots licence before joining the Royal Air Force as a flying officer with 99 Squadron in 1936. He was called over to England in 1937 and when war broke out, Edmund carried out many raids over Germany in a Wellington Bomber. His last raid would be the bombing of the Krupp munitions works at Essen where he was the only pilot in the squadron who failed to return. He is commemorated on the Runnymede war memorial in Surrey, England and the Oakville Trafalgar High School Honour Roll.
By this time, Edmund and Marion had moved to Port Credit and rented out their house on Douglas before selling it in 1944 to Marion Robertson Banting. Edmund passed away in 1958 and Marion in 1981.
The second owner of the house was Marion Robertson Banting. She was born in 1896 in Elora, Ontario to parents William and Florence. Marion’s father, William, was a well-known doctor in Elora and practised there for over 50 years. On graduation from high school, Marion trained in nursing and joined the staff at the Christie Street Hospital in Toronto with the Voluntary Aid Detachment which served the First World War vets. It was here that she met her future husband Dr. Fred Banting. They were married in 1924. As well as nursing, Marion was involved in the Girl Guide movement and was a former commissioner of the Parkdale area.
Their son, William, was born in 1929. The marriage was not to last though, and they divorced in 1931. Afterwards, Marion joined Simpsons downtown store as a manager of the customer service department and moved to Oakville in 1939 where her son attended Appleby College. He would go on to become a documentary filmmaker. Frederick Banting died in Feb 1941 in a plane crash and Marion’s father William died a few weeks afterward. In 1944, Marion’s health failed and she died in September 1944. The house was passed to her son William upon her death.
The house was recently designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act and was also moved north onto a single lot.
Click to Enlarge
337 Douglas Street
337 Douglas Street plaque
The house before 1923
L to R: Norman Davis, John, Dora and Edmund Killer in 1911
L to R: Edmund and John Killer
Marion Banting
Fred and Marion Banting on their wedding day
Bill Banting at Appleby College
337 Douglas Street
337 Douglas Street plaque
The house before 1923
L to R: Norman Davis, John, Dora and Edmund Killer in 1911
L to R: Edmund and John Killer
Marion Banting
Fred and Marion Banting on their wedding day
Bill Banting at Appleby College