KLO House

The heritage value of the KLO house is primarily due to its association with the Kelowna Land and Orchard ('KLO') Company, which was formed to irrigate and subdivide an expansive area south and east of the original Kelowna townsite. The building also has value for its association with a number of important residents, some of the associations emphasizing Kelowna's strong British connections. The historic place also has value as a good example of Arts-and-Crafts-inspired design, with interesting architectural details.

The Kelowna Land and Orchard Company was a major player in agricultural land development in early Kelowna. It was formed by W.R. Pooley (see 3690 Pooley Road), E.M. Carruthers, and T.W. Stirling (see 2124 Pandosy Street) in 1904 to purchase the Lequime property of 6,500 acres, located south of Mission Creek.

The two-storey house with fieldstone facing was built in 1908 to serve as a residence for the KLO Company's manager. The first occupant was Edward Maurice 'Ted' Carruthers (1873-1959), director and manager of the company and an important member of the Kelowna community. Carruthers had come to Canada from Scotland in 1889, and to the Kelowna area a year later. In 1910 he was sent to London to operate a sales office for several of the development companies; when he returned in 1914 it was as a manager of the Land and Agricultural Company of Canada's properties in the Belgo area on the other side of Mission Creek.

After his years with the KLO and Belgo operations, he returned to the business of real estate and insurance. He was closely connected with St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church, and was president of the hospital board from 1926 to 1929. For many years he served as a justice of the peace.

Among other KLO managers who resided in this house was H.C.S. Collett (1881-1975) (known as 'Shorty' because he was so tall) from 1915 until 1924, when the property was sold by the Okanagan Loan and Investment Trust Company, which had taken over ownership after the KLO Company went into bankruptcy in 1923. Collett moved to Okanagan Mission and became real estate manager there for the Okanagan Loan and Investment Trust Company, and later operated his own real estate business.

In 1929 the house and the 11-acre orchard property were bought by Francis Thorneloe, Sr. (1882-1967), who moved here with his wife Ethel Jean (1880-1970) from Okanagan Mission. They named the orchard 'Pinehurst'. Ethel Thorneloe served as president of the St. Mary's Anglican Church Guild for many years.

In 1944 the property was bought by Frank Turton (1909-1987) and his Kelowna-born wife, Doris (b. 1911), the daughter of George Ward (see 2287 Ward Road). Frank Turton, a native of Hull, England, worked on a coffee plantation in East Africa before coming to Kelowna in 1931. Frank was an avid sailor and a founding member of the Kelowna Yacht Club. Doris served as president of the St. Mary's Anglican Church Guild.

Major additions were made to the house in 1966, at which time stucco covered the original wood siding. The house is still occupied by the Turtons' son, E.P. 'Ted' Turton.