London Farm is a four-acre historical site that overlooks the south arm of the Fraser River. The site features an 1890’s farmhouse in a park-like setting surrounded by heritage and herb gardens, a restored barn from the Spraggs family, old farming equipment, chicken coop, bee apiary, garden allotments and large lawns with picnic tables and gazebo.
History of the Farmhouse
Charles Edwin London, aged 16, and his brother William, aged 17, arrived in British Columbia from Ontario in 1877. Three years later, the brothers purchased 200 acres of land for $2000, erected a small farmhouse and began clearing and draining the land in preparation for farming. In 1888, Charles married Henrietta Dalzeil and started building the farmhouse that still stands today.
The Farmhouse was built in two stages, with the back, northern wing being completed first and the front, southern part of the house added in the 1890s and finished in 1898. The house is situated in its original location and offers a glimpse into settler life in Steveston during the late 1800s. In addition to the house and farm, the Londons established a general store and post office. The family also built a wharf to receive supplies and to ship their milk and produce (hay, oats, and vegetables) to New Westminster.
In 1921, Lucy (the London’s eldest daughter) and her husband, Herbert Howse, bought the farm. They farmed and raise their family at London Farm until 1948. Thereafter, the Farmhouse was rented by a series of families until its purchase by the City of Richmond in 1978.
