Blden- Days In Charlottetown Ar Vividl pecylegdg

MOIUI. Utllti I. 1955

Scene of Bustling Activity

Even Before

Incorporation

ChIrlottetown'I dcv ' Inca its incorporation in 1855 can best be appreciated by I glance at conditions at I still earlier period when the town was emerg- ing as I thriving business centre and colonial capital. The follow- ing description. taken from the files of the old Prince Edward Island Magazine of more than half I century ago, was compiled by I then "old timer" seats I vivid picture of the town and its activities in the early part of the nineteenth century.

I one had visited Charlotte- town at that time he would prob- ably have come by iiator. either in I sailing packet front the main- land or in one of the larger sailing vessels that plied hctiieen here and the Old tfoiintry.

By the latter came iiiziny of our earliest settlers. 'i'lit-ir first new of Charlnttetoiin was a shore front broken by only one short wharf or jetty at the foot of Queen

and pre-'

and did quite I large business there.

On the other side of Pownal Street. near where Foster's forge later stood. there was an old wind- mill. Around it were I number of buildings ' ' ding I well known boarding house kept by I Mrs. Wbelan.

Next to Mrs. Whelan's was I house occupied by I Mr Macloean; land then the barrack fence block- Jed all progress further west.

l Tl-IE GARRISON

Charlottetown at this time was I garrisoned town - or we might call it so, for then we had I com- pany of permanent soldiers. with their captain, one or two lieuten- 'aiits, an ensign. a doctor, I com- missary, and an ordnance store .keeper. The barracks were two :long, low buildings. situated on lthe ground reaching south from the jail square il1()W Connaught

Street. Near the Iicnti of tlic tildisquare" Sydney Street w Wm"

landing place viere a nuniber of buildings fairly close loglvlller Partly up Queen Street also they were not iery iiitlt-ly separated. but outside of that radius the houses and other I)ilIl(IlllL1S were few and far lJ('Iilt't3ll.

Passengers tlisciiitiai l-mi. and cargo was loaded limit the iai'gei'. vessels by lighters. icsscls of:

light draught came ill to the uiinrf to discharge.

Taking up the t.lt'.Nt'l'll)llt'fl of the old houses of that tune it is per-

Sireet. and int-liiding Union Street westwardiv to the water.

All along that part now called the Esplanade and the loner cor- ner of Water Street was The Bat- tery, of nine guns. Earth works, were thrown tip six or eight feet high all round on the bank. ori viztier front. and any one passing along the shore could see the muzzles of the cannon pointing towards the harbor.

eupied by the Countess of West moreland and her daughter Lady Jane Georgiana Fane. both of whom had returned to England. The Countess being I landed pro- prietress, had been living here

The soldiers' quarters hacked on and closed up the end of Dor-

to look after her estate. Captain Orlehar lived in a house on Kent

haps best to start with vliv Post i'Il9Sl91”- K1118 and 93” OI W3l9l'lS"'e9l 0Wl1ed by Henry Palmer.

Office. This was a building. one story in hornt, and

commissioned officers buildings;

.1,u,l,,,med Streets. The ordnance and non-'E5Cl-. I188? the Present City Builds

ing. He afterwards moved to I

not much wider. it was l)Lilll tiliout; I'Cm'hed (mm water sllieei D0'm' boll” 0” Prince Slreeli "'3' "C"

mo. and the first imsiiiinxttir oil Charlottetown ivas Ilttlljitlllln; Chappell. fie was a l)i'L':ui)ll.'ll itirnd! of John Wesley, and a firm Blottin- dist.

The Old Post ()t'fit-e was iiseil until 1834 or tht-reatioiiis, iilicn it was pulled down. it was the sec-. and house south on Water Street from the corner later oi-ciipied by Sidney Grey. In Mr. Ch.'ippell's time the corner was tcnzintcd by the widow Smith. Ali-, ('h.-ippt-ll. on the 5th .It:'.;.', l7.".". twik nos session and passed his first night h the structure.

WATER ITREET AREA

last of the old Post Office there were but one or two little build- ings before the river was reached: at high tide the water overflowed the land very nearly up as far as lie Post Office.

The land on the south side of Water Street. opposite to the old Post Office. was vacant until be- tween 1835-40. when Andrew Dun- can built upon that site his ship- yard. and launching therefrom the ant vessel, called the Robert Hutchinson. Duncan's shipyard occupied the space later occupied by McMillIn'I coal depot and U'ull'I mill.

OI the cornc where the Rail- way round-house later stood was the residence of Major Beet. which was built .It In early day by Don- ald McKay. merchant, who was lost by shipwreck on St. Paul's Island, Newfoundland, in 1824.

The dwelling house. store and afterwards foundry of Waters 8 Birnie (the foundry was under the management of Wm. Hobbs. broth- In of John Hobbs. I resident of Charlottetown) was situated on lie land later occupied by Judge W. S. Stewart. Adjoining this on lie westward was a property pur- chased and ,' '- afterwards by D. Reddin. father of Judge Iteddin. who had I store on Queen ltreet and did I considerable shipping business on this site. where he built I wharf at the foot of his property which afterwards was joined with I wharf built on Is eastern side by Andrew Dun- can. later to be known as the lteam Navigation Wharf.

lNG5' CORNER

Crossing Great George Street we come to "lngs' Corner". This lot. It that early period. belong- ode Mr. Gainsford. He had I' bakery attached.

Next to Gainsfordls was the old Lougwnrth House. which disap- peared about the time Charlotte- town became incorporated. Then came I house owned by William Bntt.

Coming to the corner inter oc- cupied by Mr. Morris. there was I house and store occupied by T. B. Tremaine. who did I general busi- ness. He afterwards conducted the ferry between Charlottetown Ind Ioutbport. adding to its facilities by providing I "teamboat"-I fen-fully made concern operated by four horses walking around In uprmit windlass to which was at- tached I bevel gear which set the paddles in motion.

were clustered I b o in

toss bonus mentioned I nuhiberi

ii.-zirdly toward Sydney Street. l

The whole of the land was sur- rounded by a high, pointed picket fence. There was a large double uziic opening on the .lail Square and I sentry marched backwards mid forwards continually.

The officers lived in houses nearby. Commissary Lamont re- sided in I house later owned by Mrs. J. D. Mason on the west part of Richmond Street. and Dr. Poole lived at Frogmnre. on the corner of Rochford and Eiiston Streets. A number of retired naval and military officers were also setled there. some were com- paratively wealthy. others had good positions under the English Government. and there were al- so many descendants of the old Loyalists. who had come to the Island from the United States years before.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Government House. at that time. was not Is it in now. The main building was the unis but there was no verandah. and the portion was supported by four round pil- Lars, standing on stone supports and reaching above the ' story. Then was sufficient room for I horse and carriage to drive or stand underneath. Is the car- riage drive passed along close by the front door and undcmenth the portion. Any stranger coming in the hnrboin oould see at once thntltwuabulldlngefsome importance.

" ' Edmund Fanning. the second English Governor of this Island, knowing the necessity there was for I prop: residence

granted one hundred Icru of land to the Governor General for all time. on which n suitable resid- ence should be erected. The pre- sent Government House was built on this land about 1830. It is said that Governor Ready. the then Governor, planned it after one he had lived in It Barbados. When the house was completed the furniture. and everything neces- sary to make it comfortable for the residence of His " ellency. was sent from England It the expense of the British Govern- ment: fuel and light were pro- ylded. the Governor's salary paid, also that of his private secretary. the orderly and one or two iter- vants. The sides de camp were chosen from the military. I posi- tion much thought of. A sentry. marched backwards and forwards before the door and it ati the lodge gate. No one dared en- ter the grounds without permis- slon.

His Excellency, sir Henry Vere Huntley. wn the Lieutenant Gov ernor from 1841 to 1847. Every year on the Queen's birthday he held I levee at Government House. followed in the evening by I state dinner or ball.

Sir Henry was I fine-looking man. with ruddy complex' Ind white hat. One amusement he took great interest in was the Tnndeni Club, II it was called

oi

iii!

3; . Elli gifts

for the Lleutanan Governor. 54:

copied by John Higgins. COLONIAL PARLIAMENT

The opening of our Colonial Parliament in the early 1840's was a very grand function. The Lieutenant-Governor, dressed In his military uniform. with his outriders. aides-decamp and sec- retary. the officers from the gar- rison and the naval officers all in full uniform. preceded by the sergeant-at-arms, drove from Government House to Parliament Building. where the soldiers from the barracks were drawn up in line. The booming of cannon an- nounced His Exccllency'n arrival. and crowds lined the streets to see the show.

The Provincial Building was rather unpretentious. Its arched windows and doors were the only indication of its importance. It was I wooden building about 55 feet long. and about 8 feet in width .situated on Queen Square at the north side of the present Market House and about thirty feet in from Queen Ind Grafton streets. This building was divid- ed into two rooms. the Council r-k r and f E” Room. with I hall about eight feet in width between them. Ind II Inte- room off each chamber. Over the ball were the galleries for each House. .Ind II the! WIN lmlll. few people could be admitted to the opening.

The building was afterwards used for post office. court house. and police court. It was eventu- 'Illy moved to Euston street and made into tenents.

The other buildings on Queen one were the round Market House, St. Paul's Church Ind St. Paul's Ilndny Ind week-day school.

PROVINCIAL BUILDING

In May of '0 the cornerstone of the present Provincial Building was laid. Ind by the next spring the stone work had risen only to the lower window ledges. The portico was not the some II now. the heavy stone work and arch were not there. but there were four handsome round pillars on each side, front and back; they were then only half way up; Ip- parently they are the some pil- lars that are now on the balcony. The building was finished with

only the portlco, but changed some years after, which improv- ed its appearance very much. There had been a few brick houses built in Charlottetown pre- vious to this time, but nothing so grand II I stone building had before been contemplated. The stone had to be brought from Nova Scotln and also the stone cutters and builder. Many, watch- ed it with pleasure, and It last when the stone work of the Pro- vincial Bullding was completed. the ground was levelled off by I gang of criminals who were brought every day from the jail. chained to the cart they hauled along. The men not only levelled off the ground. but broke up the useless stone and spread it all around the building. Criminals had in the same way to keep the streets in order. and it was I much harder lesson to them and f example to others than their punishment is now.

ROUND MARKET HOUSE

Everyone who has seen views of Charlottetown in the olden time, has noticed the round Mar- ket House. It was situated on the north side and close to the pres- ait Post Office. The roof of the building wns carried on fully sevui or eight feet beyond the main well all around. and sup- ported every ten feet it so by posts. Around the main wall and fastened to it by hinges were flaps about two feet brood. which could be raised and made into tables. supported by iron or

d supports.

I Sometimes when the tables in-

Ev-ry you-. late in septembu-. I Fair was held on the Square about an Market noun; then it was that the people from the country made I greater effort. Mnnyfroin fsrandnear csmeio town. bringing their fat cattle, horses, pigs, etc. Every available

rpm inside Ind outside thel

building was taken up. As there werenopostsocfencestoiie the animals to, of stock had to tie them U carts. Everything was primitive in those days, but Fair-day was I gain day fdr the hucltsters, Every- one who could provide I semb- lance of I tent. wen four posts

stuck in the ground Ind covered with patchwork quilts. old sails

In 1849 with the old Round Market House, the Colonial J

or something of like nature, brought there her beer, cakes. apples and plums. for the refresh- ment of the hungry people.

Places of entertainment and "good stabling" were few and far between, and as Charlottetown was then famed for its mud. Queen Square on Fair-day was ankle deep.

STREET CONDITIONS

The streets in spring and aut- umn were something like the Square; there were no sidewalks then nor for many years after; all had to walk in the middle of the street, both summer and win- ler. Ladies were trained dresses on the street for it was the fashion. and considered graceful, but the mud was destructive and many handsome dresses were de- stroyed. lf persons attempted to walk close by the houses or shops, they were liable at any

lsr batch or go through I broken one. and in winter the snow banks were not cleared away ex- ceptfmmt.hedoors,Ioyoumay be sure the walking was danger- ous.

Children were often run over and badly injured by horses and sleighs, and as country people with their loads very rarely used ullgb bells, I law had be be

o old Cathedral which, was erected menyyeers later) was then only in frame. The first Roman Catholic church was found too small to hold is in ' members. Ind it was thought advisable to build I much larger place of meeting. The small church was moved beck. and I new one erected on the ume site. corner of Great George and Dor- cheater streets. Many thought the new chapel (Is it was generally called) altogether too large, and that they would never have I con-

gatlon large enough to fill it. Eli: corner stone was laid in 1343. Ind we have been told the first

HYIIDMAII & COMPANY LIMITED

E8'I'. 1872

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND'S

OLDEST

I INSURANCE AGENCY EXTENDS

l

GOIIGIIATULATIOIIS

-to tiircin or g

Queen Square As It Appeared Over A Century Ago

Building, old St. Paul's Church, and a section of Richmond Street on the right.

funeral in the new church after it was opened was that of Hon. John Small Macdonnld. who died in me. The priest was Father Malachlas Reynolds. lately from Ireland. Ind had his nephew, John Kenny, B. A., living with him. The Roman Catholic Bishop, Right Rev. Bor- iglard D. MacDonald. lived at Rus-

CD.

St. James church was on its pres- ent site. corner of Powunl Ind Fitzroy Streets. The pastor. Rev. Mr. McIntyre. had returned to Scotland, and II the Presbyterian were without I minister for I while. they had to go to other churches. Quitya number took sittings in St. Paul's. which was then a new church, as it had been built only I few years before.

The clergyman who preceded the Rev. Mr. Maclnwre in St. James was the Rev. Mr. Macintosh. His tesidence was on Queen Street, be tween Kent and Fitzroy. He was I very tall man and always put on his gown and hands before leav-

home for service in the Kirk.

into cel-1118 mm"""”'” "0"" HehIdInoIdIcl'vIntmIklwho.Y

along with other duties kept his clothes brushed and in order. At one time Mr. Macintosh had leave ofabsenceforswhlleundavery short man was sent to relieve him. Old Betty the maid was very indig- nant It this. "He would wear out all the mIister's gown t- pesin talo that street 171' it trailing If- ” .

FIRST 81'. PAUUI

The first St Paul's was a

Queen Square, opposite the Brown in Trinity Church there for some on the corner of Richmond

Block, and in about fifty yards years. It was pulled The mute,-,0 Rag, it 5,, pa";-5 mortal Hall is now). There in The new were on each side of the choir. and

from the street. down about '41 or '42. church proved too small for all

had I three decker pulpit -clerk's

desk. reading desk and puIpIt- METHODIST CHAPEL

one towering above the other, the pulpit on I level with the gallery.

med with fringe and t ' The pulpit hangings were pt sented by the Countess of Westmoreland. who also gave handsome pulpit hang- logs to the Kirk and an altar! frontal to the Roman Catholic Church. - The monuments to the memory of General Fanning who was Gov- ernor of P. E. Island for eighteen years and of Governor Sir Ai-teas William Young. who died at Gov- ernment House in 1835. were plac- ed on the east end wall of St. Paul's. one on each side. Governor was buried under the churc .

St. Paul's had the only pipe organ then in Charlottetown and! womoysayon thlslslnnd. ltwasl I fairly good instrument and was built by Watson Ducheniin. foundu of the firm of Duchemln Bron. It his factory near his residence. corner of Prince and Sydna streets. This organ was Ifteb wards suit to Georgetown and used

the tramp, tramp W50 Wanted P3WI- End lh0."IY 3" marching up the stairs and into terwards about twentyfeetinlength the”. pews could be heard all was added to it at the east end. It mmugh an church,

The Methodist - Chapel W88 8 part and the Communion table in

and each one having crimson silk square wooden building with upper veiveg 11.331335 and cugmong mm. and lower windows. It was situated

Prince Streets (where Hesrtz'.

nothing very prepossessing in" appearance. but it was nicely ished inside and furnished in comfortable pew: (not Ilketii prisoners' box kind that were St. Paul's). There was a gailo all round the four sides, the pulp stood at one side of the ceiiti

they made

Continued on Page 4

GREETINGS To All On This CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY

OF OUR CITY

Iiand ii STORE

J. and T. MORRIS LTD.

1855

may Fe pardoned if we say the I00 years since the incorporation of the City of Clierlottetown mum iust I little more to use

It also marks the Centenary of our firm.

' We on not I little proud of this achieve-

ment and express tlienlu for your patronage.

' J. & T. iioiiiiis LIMITED

trttiimt y . 15 watt: tmpt ..

TOGETHER wE CELEBRATE OUR CEINTENNIALS

1855 - 1955

a wow