In doing my seven years of research into William Raymond Yelland, the architect I am almost 100% positive that the Derry Brothers were building his designs.
Modest versions of his designs, but his designs none the less.
The one exception which you do not see is the WR Yelland's Normandy style. You would tend to think that this style of his would be very expensive to build. I'd imagine that the Derrys wanted to build the simpler and easier to build homes. Although some edited versions do appear in Estudillo Estate's Begier Avenue. I'll blog about that relation on another date.
The Broadmoor, Lealand Heights and Estudillo Estates neighborhoods by Derry, Weaver & Derry and the later Derry Bros., appear to be outright collections of his designs from other areas where he worked.
In this case study we look at the Bosso residence from the Oakland Tribune clipping. It was to be built on Harbord Drive in Rockridge Highlands.
When comparing the Bosso residence to the Derry Bros. constructed home at the corner of Benedict Drive and Estudillo Avenue we can see that there is a definite relation between the two houses.
I find the Lealand Heights (Bay-0-Vista) home to be very much like the Bosso Residence. Both houses have the garage over on the right side. The left side of both homes juts out at the staircase. The staircase in both houses has a large stepped side railing. Both houses contain a porthole window.
It appears that both houses were as I like to think on the drawing boards in his office at the same time.
It's interesting to note that the new owners of the San Leandro home added the room above the garage just like the sun-room depicted in the illustration for the Bosso Residence.
So, where the Derry Brothers building Yellands? My years of research point very heavily toward that conclusion.
