Built in 1874, this Italianate house originally functioned as both a residence and a bakery for the Taylor family. John Taylor Junior, a native of Weston, Ontario, married Miss Emma Taylor, a native of London, and subsequently, the couple moved to London to start up a bakery and raise their family. At 477 Tecumseh Avenue, they opened the Westminster Bakery in 1876 and provided fresh baked goods to the High Street area as well as greater Westminster and South London. The bakery attracted much of its clientele from the heavy traffic on Wellington Road. In south London, Taylor's main competition was Parnell Foods Ltd.(est. 1880) at Bruce and Edward streets approximately 1.5km west of Taylor's bakery. In addition to selling baked goods directly from 477 Tecumseh Ave., Taylor may also have sold at the Chester Street and Ridout Street shopping area or within the City of London.

In 1911 the house passed from John Taylor to his son William and daughter-in-law Eleanor. The house remained in the Taylor name until the 1940s being rented over the years to various middle and working class tenants. This may be indicative of the post war year climate as suburbs appeared around the city and the wealthier moved away from the city centre.

477 Tecumseh was built by local and prominant bricklayer, James Luney. Luney also built 479 Tecumseh among others in the area. The house features a very simple and understated Italianate style with its round headed windows, brick voussoirs and front gable. Brick pilasters on the corners and decorative vergeboard on the front gable help complete the Italianate design. The house also features parapet fire walls, a very unique feature for a house outside the downtown city core. Built to protect the house from neighbouring fires, the parapet walls indicate that the house was built with the expectation of further residential growth in the area. The city of London had already experienced several devastating fires including one in 1844 which destroyed 30 buildings and one in 1845 which destroyed over 150 buildings.

Historical information researched and provided by Sarah Bennett, Masters in Public History, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.