History of Halifax City Part 9

Brigt. "Somerset," S. Gardner, Master, 230 bbls. sperm.

Brigt. "Sally," P. Worth, Master, 200 bbls. do.

Brigt. "Industry," W. Chadwick, Master, 84 bbls. do. 26 bbls.

headmatter, and 300 do. black oil, also 3000 cut bone.

The "Andromeda," frigate, commanded by Prince William Henry, from England, arrived on 17th August, 1788; he was again received with the usual honours and the town was illuminated. The Prince attended a sham-fight on the Common, on 10th September, in which, the 4th, 37th, and 57th Regiments took part. Three soldiers were wounded by bursting of their muskets during the performance.

On 21st October, the new Chief Justice Jeremiah Pemberton, took the oaths and his seat on the bench, and his patent was then read in open Court.

Wednesday, Oct. 22nd, was launched at the south end of the town, a handsome brig, the property of Messrs. Gouge & Pryor; she was the first vessel of the size ever built in the town.

The following gentlemen composed the Magistracy of the town this year, viz:--Benj. Green, John Cunningham, John Newton, Charles Morris, George Smith, William Sherlock, John George Pyke, Thos. Cochran, Anthony Stewart,[53] W. Taylor, Stephen N. Binney, J. M. F. Bulkeley, Revd.

Michael Houseal, James Gautier, William Morris, Charles Morris, junior, Daniel Wood, junior; Matthew Cahill was High Sheriff.

[Footnote 53: Anthony Stewart was a gentleman from the province of Maryland; he was the father of the late Judge James Stewart, who married a sister of the late Chief Justice Sir B. Haliburton and who died in 1830, and was succeeded on the Supreme Court Bench by R. J. Uniacke, junior.]

It appears that the rank of Esquire was not applied to any person, at this or any previous period, except Magistrates and high public functionaries, and persons to whom it was accorded in consequence of their personal wealth and rank in society. Being a member of the House of a.s.sembly did not confer the t.i.tle.

There was then no regular police establishment in the town, the Magistrates, by turns, attended to police duties with the aid of the town constables, who were annually appointed. All special matters were discussed and settled at the special sessions, which was generally a private meeting of Magistrates in the back office in conjunction with the Clerk of the Peace. Criminal charges of a delicate nature, or when private character was likely to be affected, were usually investigated with closed doors, and no information made public until found to be necessary for the ends of justice. This system continued until Mr. John George Pyke received the appointment of Police Magistrate, about 60 years since. His duties were merely to relieve the Magistrates from the more onerous duties of attending daily at the Police office. Colonel Pyke became incapacitated by age about the year 1825 or 6, when Mr. John Liddell was appointed, who had to his aid three or four Police Constables, two of whom had attended his predecessor, and the valuable a.s.sistance of David Shaw Clarke, the clerk of the peace. Such was the arrangement until the Act of Incorporation in 1848.

The "Royal Gazette" was published by Anthony Henry, until about 1801, when it fell into the hands of Mr. John Howe, from Boston.

The "Weekly Chronicle," another paper, was at this time established by Mr. William Minns, stationer, in Barrington Street, opposite the north-end of the Grand Parade. It was commenced in 1787, and continued to exist until about 1828 or 9.

Among the merchants who advertized in these papers we find the names of James Vetch, opposite the woodyard; David Hall & Co., in Hollis Street, opposite Government House, (Crown Prince Building); and George Bell, Granville St. The shops appear to have contained both groceries and dry-goods, like the country stores of the present day. A. & R. Leslie were at the corner of Duke and Water Streets, near the Pontac. Lawrence Hartshorne, Hardware, corner of Granville and George streets, between the market house and the parade. This old corner, so many years known as Hartshorne & Boggs' corner, had a gun at the corner of the platform which extended down the hill to the lower corner, occupied by one Hart, a Jew, afterwards known as Martin Gay Black's, and now occupied by the new building of the Merchant's Bank; this walk was the resort of the merchants in the morning, and the fas.h.i.+onable and idle in the afternoons.

1789. On the night of Friday, the 23rd January, Cochran's buildings, a range of three-storey buildings in the market square, were totally consumed by fire. Firewards were John Fillis, J. G. Pyke, R. J. Uniacke, Michael Wallace, Geo. Bell, Lawrence Hartshorne, William Lawlor, Charles Hill.

On 9th February, an advertis.e.m.e.nt appeared in the "Gazette," as follows: "I am directed by His Excellency the Governor, to acquaint the several gentlemen called upon on Friday last to form a Fire Company, that he desires their attendance at the 'Golden Ball' on Thursday next, at twelve o'clock, to agree to rules and regulations. (Signed) Jas.

Gautier."

On 15th August, the jail was broken open, and a prisoner for debt, one Livesay, who had been imprisoned at the suit of William Stairs, escaped, for which Sheriff Green was prosecuted; Green stated that he had repeatedly represented to the Council the insecure state of the jail.

Mr. James Clarke succeeded Mr. Green as Sheriff of Halifax, this year.

The Dockyard at this period was in full operation. The Commissioner in charge was the Honorable Henry Duncan, who was also a member of His Majesty's Council. Doctor John Haliburton, father of the late Chief Justice Sir Brenton Haliburton, was Surgeon of the Naval Hospital, Mr.

Provo Wallis was Master Superintendent, Elias Marshall, foreman of s.h.i.+pwrights, William Lee foreman of carpenters, Alexander Anderson and Provo F. Wallis, Chief Clerks.

A great scarcity of bread was felt in the town this summer. Vessels sent to Canada for wheat, returned empty. On the 9th July, the Governor received a letter from the Governor of Canada, stating the great scarcity of provisions in the Province of Lower Canada or Quebec, that a famine was dreaded, and requesting him not to obstruct the exportation of corn and flour from Halifax to Quebec. But the Justices of the Quarter Sessions presented a memorial which had been laid before them by the bakers of Halifax, setting forth that there is not more of flour in the town than sufficient to provide bread for three or four days, whereupon it was ordered by the Council that no vessel be permitted to clear out with bread or flour to Quebec, except the brigantine "Ceres,"

until further consideration.

There were amateur theatrical performances this winter at the Pontac. It would appear that the old theatre in Argyle Street, in the recollection possibly of some of the oldest inhabitants, was in operation this year.

We find plays advertized to take place there in February and March. This building stood on the spot on which the present Acadian School was afterwards erected. It was the only theatre in the town during the time of the Duke of Kent. It was afterwards occupied by Walter Bromley as a public school upon the Lancaster plan, until removed to make way for the present building, in the year 1816.

The first Agricultural Society was formed in Halifax in the year 1789; the Hon. Richard Bulkeley was the first president, and Mr. James Clarke,[54] (afterwards Sheriff Clarke,) was the first secretary.

[Footnote 54: Sheriff Clarke was father of the late David Shaw Clarke, for many years Clerk of the Peace, and one of the police Magistrates of the town.]

The old Block House on the Citadel Hill being in a ruinous condition, was taken down this year, but the flag and signal staffs which were on it, were preserved.

June 1, 1789. The old gaol and garden were offered for sale at auction.

This old building was in Hollis Street, nearly opposite the present Halifax Hotel, and was formerly the property of the late Mr. Robert M.

Brown.

On the 16th June, in conformity with the Act of the Legislature formerly pa.s.sed, the Governor was pleased to nominate Hon. Henry Newton, Hon.

Thos. Cochran, James Brenton, John Newton and R. J. Uniacke, Trustees of a Grammar School forthwith to be erected in the town. "These gentlemen chose Mr. William Cochran, of Trinity College, Dublin, and lately Professor of the Greek and Latin languages in Columbia College, New York, to be master. Mr. George Glennie, who was regularly educated in the University of Aberdeen, to be usher, and Mr. Thomas Brown, already well known in this town, to be teacher of writing, arithmetic and mathematics. It is thought proper to give this early notification to the public, but until a suitable building can be provided, the school will be opened without delay in the room where the a.s.sembly of the Province meets."

The Legislature after this met in the building known as Cochran's building, which was erected at the Market Square after the fire before mentioned, and the old building appropriated permanently for the Grammar school, which remained so until lately, when the school was removed to the private residence of Mr. Gilpin, the head master, and the old building sold.

The following advertizement appeared in the "Royal Gazette": "Information for Masters of Vessels. The Block House on Citadel Hill, which was a conspicuous object, is removed, having been in a ruinous condition. The flag and signal staffs remain." "The hulk of the large s.h.i.+p, sometime since stranded at the back of Thrum Cap, was beaten to pieces in the last gale."

On the 15th October, Charles Hill advertized for sale at auction, the ground where the Court House stood, now known as Northup's Corner; measuring on Buckingham Street, 94 feet, and on Argyle Street 43 feet.

On the 17th July previous, the old Court House, and the building adjoining, known as Kirby's soap-house, and other buildings, were destroyed by fire.

1790. In the month of July, this year, the whaling fleet arrived, after a successful voyage. The brig "Prince William Henry," Capt. Pinkham, with 110 barrels of sperm oil; brig "Hibernian," Capt. Worth, 100 barrels sperm and 32 black oil; s.h.i.+p "Parr," Capt. Chase, 480 sperm and 100 black oil, and brig "Harvest," Capt. Kelly, with 200 sperm. In August following arrived the "Romulus," with 170 bbls. sperm oil.

Among the chief merchants of the town at this time were William Forsyth, Philip Marchington,[55] Brymer & Belcher, Hardware merchants, successors to Thomas Robie; Michael Wallace, retail store-keeper; James Moody, Hollis Street; Sabatier, Stewart & Co., Chas. Geddes, dry goods, lower side of the Parade; Richard Kidston, general merchandize; George Deblois, William Millet, Charles Hill, Hugh Kelley, all auctioneers.

John W. Schwartz kept store at the corner of Granville and Buckingham Streets; Lawrence Hartshorne, at his corner, had a general a.s.sortment of cutlery, etc., D. Hall & Co., in Hollis Street, opposite Government House; Ann Bremner kept a dry goods shop at the north-west corner of the parade; Peter Lynch kept a hat store at the sign of the "King's Arms;"

C. C. Hall & Co. was the chief dry goods store in the town; Benjamin Salter, s.h.i.+p Chandlery, Water St.; John Fillis & Son and G. & J.

Thirlock were among the wholesale dealers; Linnard & Young were the fas.h.i.+onable tailors; Richard Courtney had a shop at the lower side of the parade, William Sellon in Granville Street, King & Story in Marchington's buildings, John Butler Dight, wholesale store in Marchington's buildings; C. C. Hall & Co. had this year removed to Marchington building; Winkworth Allen, general dealer, in Cochran's new building. Mr. Wm. Millet the auctioneer, on the 9th Sept. advertized for sale, "a negro man and sundry other articles." In the following year, James Forman & Co. occupied a store on Copeland's wharf, also Benjamin Salter. The British Coffee house was kept by John Gallagher at the head of Marchington's wharf. Mrs. Sutherland's coffee house, was at this time, one of the chief places of resort for Public Committees and Societies, as well as for Public entertainments; concerts were held here throughout the winter, commencing in September. The Halifax Marine Society, which had been established in Halifax for several years, held their quarterly meetings at this house. There was a house of entertainment then kept on McNab's Island by one Mary Roubalet, for tea parties in the summer. It was called the Mansion House.

[Footnote 55: Mr. Marchington was a Loyalist from New York. He commenced business in Halifax soon after his arrival, and acc.u.mulated a large landed property in the town. He owned all the land on the north side of the lane known by his name, leading from the ordnance into Argyle Street, since called Bell's Lane, also the wharf adjoining the Ordnance yard, long known as Marchington's wharf, afterwards the property of Tim Connors. He died at Halifax; he was the grandfather of Major Welsford, killed in the Crimean War, whose monument is to be seen in the old English burial ground.]

On the 12th day of January, 1790, James Clarke and George Geddes, Church Wardens of St. Paul's, advertized that in consequence of the inclemency of the weather on Sunday there was so small an attendance in church, that the contributions towards the clothing of the children in the Sunday Schools in the town, were so small, that they desired to invite contributions from the inhabitants for the relief of the orphans and others attending the schools. In February following, the church wardens again advertized the distribution of clothing to the poor children of the Sunday Schools: 15 great coats, 64 s.h.i.+rts and s.h.i.+fts, 70 pairs stockings and 35 pairs strong shoes, which cost 30 7s. 2d. The St.

Paul's school had nineteen boys and sixteen girls in attendance.

On the same day, there was a visitation of the Halifax Grammar School by the Governor, the Bishop, the Trustees and others. The attendance during the winter was usually about 60. The school was addressed on this occasion, by one of the elder boys, and after the examinations in the Latin cla.s.ses, writing and arithmetic, several scholars repeated pieces and dialogues. Mr. Cochran was the headmaster; he shortly afterwards accepted the charge of the Academy at Windsor; and the Rev. George Wright was appointed in his place. His salary was 150 per annum from the Legislature, with what he could get from the pupils. The number of scholars was 68. He states his loss in the shape of discount on his Treasury warrants amounted to from 15 to 20 per cent., in consequence of the delay in payment.

The winter was very severe; The harbour was frozen over, and the dest.i.tute condition of the poor very great. The gentlemen amateurs of the theatre, sent 25 to the Rev. Mr. Weeks, of St. Paul's, Dr. Andrew Brown, of the Presbyterian meeting house, and Mr. Houseal of St.

George's in Dutchtown, for the poor of their respective parishes. The overseers of the poor, Jonathan Tremain, James Gautier, James Kerby and Andrew Belcher, met at the "Golden Ball," to a.s.sess the inhabitants of the town for the poor rates.

The Court House having been destroyed by fire, the Quarter Sessions held their sittings on the 19th February, in the long room of the "Golden Ball," for the trial of offenders. The "Golden Ball" was kept by Edward Phelan this winter, who occupied the north end of the building as a store for general merchandise.

An Act of the Legislature had been pa.s.sed this year, and was published early in May, reciting that the destruction of the Court House by fire, and the inconvenient situation of the present a.s.sembly House, made it necessary that a more suitable place should be provided, and the state of the Province finances not being such as to admit of the expense of erecting a proper and suitable building, it was therefore enacted, that Commissioners be appointed to treat with Thomas James and William Cochran, for their building opposite Government House, for 200 per annum, and to expend 100 in furniture for the purposes of the meeting of this Legislature and the Courts of Law. This building lately erected after the fire, stood on the spot now occupied by the new Dominion Public building, and continued to be the place of holding the General a.s.sembly, the Courts of Law, etc., until the Province Building was completed for their reception in 1820. The building in which the Legislature formerly held its sittings, and which was now appropriated for the Grammar School, was this year repaired at the public expense.

In June, the Grand Jury addressed Chief Justice Strange on his arrival from England. The names of the Jury were:--Richard Kidston, foreman, William Millet, Lawrence Hartshorne, G.o.dfrey Schwartz, Winkworth Allen, John Davis, J. Forbes, James Lewis, Benjamin Salter, James Strachan, William Lawlor, Martin s.h.i.+er, John Boyd and Alexander Copeland.

In the autumn, the Secretary of the Province announced to the people of the town, that in the event of a war with Spain, and the withdrawal of the troops from the Province, it would be necessary to call out the Militia for the defence of the town, and the Colonels of regiments were called upon to hold themselves in readiness, and to make returns of the state and condition of their respective regiments.

About this time, Captain Stack was a regular trader between this port and Ireland, and sold his cargoes of beef, salt pork, lard, etc., at auction, at Charles Hill & Co.'s rooms.

The Halifax Bar addressed Chief Justice Strange, on his leaving for England on a visit, this autumn. The address was signed by S. S.

Blowers, R. J. Uniacke, James Sterns, E. B. Brenton, James Stewart, Daniel Wood, Foster Hutchinson, J. Prout and W. H. O. Haliburton.

At a Court of Quarter Sessions, held at Halifax, in June term of this year, the Sheriff, pursuant to law and by virtue of a warrant directed to him by the Justices of the Sessions, to lay out a road in the north suburbs of the town, reported that he had laid out the road by a jury, in the manner following, viz:--Beginning at the north-east corner or angle of Lot No. 2, on the road leading from the Dockyard to the Naval Hospital; thence to run north 28 west, 40 feet; thence north, 59 east, 238 feet, which leaves a road of 40 feet wide, between Allbright's ground and the Hospital fence; thence north, 28 west, 660 feet; thence north 20 west, 664 feet to the road leading to Fort Needham, leaving the road 50 feet wide between the sh.o.r.e at the Narrows at high-water mark, and the Lots Nos. 3 and 4. This notice was published, that all persons who might think themselves aggrieved by the laying out of the road might have an opportunity of being heard before the sessions, on Tuesday, the 5th September, 1790. It was signed by Thomas Wood, Clerk of the Peace.

This road was intended as a continuation of Water Street northward, to meet the road which leads up from the water to Fort Needham, but it does not appear to have been on the line of the present road, but to have gone through the northern end of the Hospital grounds, along the water side, below the site of the old magazines.