History of Halifax City

by Thomas B. Akins

The great destitution of the laboring part of the population during the winter, as usual, rendered it necessary on behalf of the Commissioners of the Poor for the town to call on the inhabitants for contributions in addition to the annual poor rate assessed. The poor house at Halifax was then, as has been the case frequently since, the receptacle for transient paupers from the country, and the sum of £300 was voted this year by the House of Assembly towards the expenses of the establishment.

The charitable societies of St. Patrick and St. Andrew dined together on the respective anniversaries of their patron saints. Richard J. Uniacke, the Attorney General, occupied the chair at the St. Patrick's dinner, and Dr. Samuel Head the Vice. The Governor, Mr. Philip Woodhouse, the Commissioner of the Dockyard, the Bishop of Nova Scotia, the Commanding Officers of the Garrison and other distinguished guests were present at both dinners.

A fire occurred in the southern part of Granville Street this winter, which destroyed the chocolate manufactory of Mr. John Ferguson and his dwelling house. The fire companies of Halifax at this time were, perhaps, the most useful institutions in the community. These companies consisted of several hundred gentlemen each, who formed themselves into a company for the purpose of rendering assistance at fires. Each member provided himself with a leather cap, two or three buckets, canvas bags, etc., on which were painted the name of the owner and device of the company. The members were elected by ballot. They held quarterly meetings and occasionally dined together, and gave annual balls at Mason Hall. The Heart and Hand and the Hand in Hand Companies were the oldest, but the Sunfire Company was the most exclusive. The Phœnix Company was also very efficient, being composed chiefly of young tradesmen of the town. The Engine Company was a very ancient institution, and tolerably efficient, considering the kind of machinery they had to work with. The Axe Company, as now, was composed of carpenters and others suitable for such work at fires. It was customary for the soldiers in garrison to turn out at fires and form lines with the inhabitants for the conveyance of water by buckets, handed through the lines from the harbor or the wells and tanks of the town. One feature which is now never seen at fires was the guard which was furnished by the military to take charge of the property removed to the streets from the burning houses. Scarcely a pile of furniture or goods could be observed without a sentry over it with fixed bayonet pacing up and down. The supply of water was principally drawn from the wells and pumps which were kept in order by the Magistrates of the town. These pumps have been before noticed. The inhabitants of the suburbs, however, depended for good water on their private wells. Almost every house in Brunswick and Lockman Streets had a good well in the garden or near the house. The north suburb lots were of very large dimensions; fruit gardens were numerous; the plum, the Dutch cherry and red and black currants were raised in abundance. The caterpillar and other vermin which now infest the fruit gardens had then not been imported.

Among the names of merchants who were carrying on business this year in Halifax we notice those of John Pryor, father of the late City Judge, Henry Pryor, William Strachan, White, Creighton & Co., Ironware Merchants, Wallace & Russell, Hardware and Wines, at the corner of Hollis and Prince Streets, now occupied by the Union Bank; Prescott & Calkin, Fruits, etc., in Granville Street; James Leishman & Co., Woolen Ware, lately from Glasgow; Hartshorne, Boggs & Co., Hardware, etc., at the old stand, corner of Granville and George Streets, and S. & W. DeBlois at the opposite corner. The firm of Hartshorne & Boggs existed for many years. The head of the firm, the Hon. Lawrence Hartshorne, retiring from business, the name was altered to Boggs & Hartshorne; the late Thomas Boggs became head of the business and Lawrence Hartshorne, Jr., afterwards County Treasurer, was junior partner. The business continued until the old corner building was taken down, about the year 184-, and replaced by the fine stone edifice erected by Mr. George E. Morton on the site.

Scarff & Bain, afterwards James Bain[81] & Co., carried on an extensive importing business at the corner now occupied by W. & C. Silver. James Romans, Boots and Shoes, who succeeded Mr. McNab at the old corner of Granville and Prince Streets, lately owned by Mr. Robert Romans, who succeeded his father in the business; John Witham and Thomas Donaldson, the former Groceries and Wines, the latter Confectionery, were fashionable resorts on the lower side of Granville Street. Mrs. Jane Donaldson carried on the business after the death of her husband and finally retired to her residence at Birch Cove on the Basin, which had been purchased from the late Andrew Belcher on his leaving the province for England. Sherwood, which was built by Bishop Stanser, was also the property of Mrs. Donaldson. The late William Donaldson afterwards sold it to Thomas Kenny, Esq. James Donaldson, the brother of Donaldson of Granville Street, was also a Confectioner and carried on business at the corner of George and Barrington Streets, now occupied by Cragg Bros., opposite the Parade, and was afterwards succeeded by the late Adam Esson. The principal auctioneers were Bowie & DeBlois, Moody & Boyle, Fillis & Perkins, and Charles Hill & Co. The latter carried on business in Bedford Row near the corner of Sackville Street. Among the dry goods stores were Israel Allison & Co., Carnot & Alport, where Mr. Duffus afterwards erected his stone building; Thomas Cleary, M. G. Black, Winkworth Allen & Co., in Cochran's Buildings near the market. Among the importing and West India merchants, Abram Cunard & Co., Lawrence Doyle, Collins & Allison, Collins' Wharf; James Forman, Sr., James and Michael Tobin, Tobin's Wharf; Thom, Salter & Co., Ship Chandlery.

A court for the summary trial of actions in the town was established this year. The Commissioners named by the Governor and Council were James Forman, Richard Tremain, William Minns, Charles Boggs and James Tobin. The Commission bears date in April of this year.

In addition to the public schools before mentioned, Mr. Thomas Crosskill kept a good school for young men in rear of the Acadian School, entrance from Barrington Street; his classes were more advanced than those of Mr. Bromley. Mr. Addison kept his classical academy in Marchington's Lane. There were several schools for young girls. Miss Wenman kept a school for small children in Granville Street; she was one of those who were burned out in the great fire before mentioned. Mrs. Henry in Barrington Street and Mrs. McCage, for young ladies, also in Barrington Street, in the brick house lately the property of Mrs. Doctor Slayter.

On the 25th April, 1818, a public meeting was called to petition the British Government to make Halifax a free port so that foreigners might have access and take cargoes of the produce of the country or merchandise imported into it; accordingly, on the 27th May, an order of the Prince Regent in Council was obtained making Halifax and St. John, New Brunswick, free ports. Halifax was declared by proclamation of the Governor bearing date August 13th.

At the request of the inhabitants of the town an Act of the Legislature was obtained this year authorizing the leasing of 25 acres of the Common for a period of 999 years at a small ground rent. The lots were each 60 feet in front by 330 feet deep. These lots were gradually disposed of and the broad street known as Spring Garden Road was laid out with the lots fronting on it. Very few of these lots were built on at first, and not until many years after was there any appearance of improvement in this part of the town. The only residence westward of the General's quarters was the house of old Colonel Pyke, the Police Magistrate, which stood in the field next his brewery.

About this time the late John Stayner, of Water Street, commenced to erect the building known Brookside, afterwards the residence of the late Hon. Joseph Allison. Many years afterwards John Spry Morris, the Surveyor General, erected the building, and planted the trees, lately occupied by D. Cronan. The fields on the west side of Queen Street, opposite the General's quarters, known as Pedley's Fields, or Smidtville, were not then built upon and the whole space from the present line of Queen Street to the Tower Road was occupied as pasture for cattle. Queen Street led up to Fort Massey military burial ground; it was covered with grass and seldom used except for military funerals.