479 Tecumseh Avenue is a side-hall plan Ontario cottage, likely built between 1885 and 1887 by John Luney. A side-hall plan house has a corridor that runs from the front to the back of the house along one exterior wall and all original rooms are located on the same side of the corridor.

Luney was born in England on December 4, 1861 and immigrated to Canada in 1875 at just 14 years old. Upon arriving in London, he lived with his older brother James. Both brothers were bricklayers and James Luney went on to become an established builder. John Luney lived here with his wife, Martha, and two children until 1910, when they moved around the corner to 129 High Street.

Post 1890 also witnessed many small, modest homes being built and the area became an increasingly middle class neighbourhood. 479 Tecumseh Avenue is an early example of this type of home, which was a practical, inexpensive house for a working class family, like the Luneys, to construct. This is due to its single storey, small lot size and local white brick which came from the banks of the Thames. Red brick was more expensive to build with in London as it had to be brought in from Hamilton or Toronto. To make red brick in London would have been expensive due to the addition of iron oxide as a dye.

Brickmaking was one of the only industries unique to the London South area. As early as 1816, a brickyard was established on Commissioners Road, west of Wharncliffe Road South and by the 1860s, there were as many as 16 brickyards in this area. Commissioners Road had so many brickyards during this time, that its original name was actually Brick Street. Brickmaking and masonry were particularly important to London South around the time of annexation in 1890, when the area experience a building boom. During this period, many brick homes were constructed by middle class families.

The original square structure has not been disturbed by two additions to the rear and remains an excellent example of a gothic revival Ontario cottage. The house has retained its original, white brick and has a typical centre gable with arched window underneath. The house has several arched windows, including a lancet arch on the east side, which is characteristic of gothic revival architecture. The intricate wood vergeboard and decorative brackets, also typical of Ontario cottages, was a way for builders to demonstrate their craftsmanship on an otherwise simple structure. Finally, this house features a beautiful triple arched doorway with glass sidelights and carved consoles. This style door was popular in London throughout the 19th century and is unique to the city with few, if any, found anywhere else.

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