11 Commonwealth Avenue

11 Commonwealth Avenue

11 Commonwealth Avenue was designed by architect Nathaniel J. Bradlee and built ca. 1868, one of two contiguous houses (11-13 Commonwealth) built for merchant Frederick Hall Bradlee.  He and his wife, Lucretia (Wainwright) Bradlee owned and lived at 13 Commonwealth and their son-in-law and daughter, dry goods commission merchant Henry Ward Abbot and Elizabeth Gair (Bradlee) Abbot, owned and lived at 11 Commonwealth.

Elizabeth G. Abbot is shown as the owner of 11 Commonwealth on the 1874 Hopkins map and on the 1883 and 1888 Bromley maps.

Henry Abbot died in October of 1880.

Elizabeth Abbot continued to live at 11 Commonwealth.  By 1900, her son and daughter-in-law, Henry and Isabel (Anderson) Abbot, lived with her; they had married in May of 1898 and he probably had lived with his mother at 11 Commonwealth prior to his marriage.  He was an artist and noted ornithologist.

Elizabeth Abbot died in December of 1902.

By 1905, 11 Commonwealth was the home of architect William Langley Morrison and his wife Mary Ellen (Ruby) Morrison.  Mary R. Morrison is shown as the owner on the 1908 Bromley map.

They continued to live there in 1909, but by 1910 had moved to 127 Revere Street.  Although they had moved, Mary Morrison continued to be shown as the owner of 11 Commonwealth on the 1917 Bromley map.

By 1910, it was the home of wool merchant Jacob Frederick Brown and his wife, Mariette Starr (Seeley) Brown.  They probably first leased the house from Mary Morrison, but had purchased it by 1919, when he applied for (and received) permission to construct a three-story rear addition to provide for a conservatory, pantry, and bathroom.  He is shown as the owner on the 1928 Bromley map.

They continued to live there in 1929.

The house was not listed in the 1930 Blue Book.

By 1931, it was the home of publisher Charles Edward Bacon and his wife Pauline (Conant) Bacon.  They had lived at the Hotel Somerset in 1930.

In May of 1937, they applied for (and received) permission to construct a two-room 12 foot by 22 foot rear addition on the second and third floors.  Charles Bacon is shown as the owner on the 1938 Bromley map.

Pauline Bacon continued to own the house (and may have lived there) in 1959, when she added a kitchen and bathroom on the sixth floor, and converted the house from a single-family to a two-family dwelling.