Description of Historic Place

The Robert Magee Residence is a wooden two-storey Italianate residence with an ornate two-storey bay window on the front façade and an extension that runs along Canterbury Street. It is located on Queen Street in the Trinity Royal Preservation Area of the City of Saint John.

Heritage Value

The Robert Magee Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with the occupants.

Built in 1891, the Robert Magee Residence is a good example of residential Italianate architecture from the rebuilding period following the Great Saint John Fire in 1877, a catastrophic fire that razed two-thirds of the city.

The Robert Magee Residence is recognized for its association with the original owner, Benjamin Blizard, and for its association with the Magee family. This home was built for Benjamin Blizard, an agent with J & J Taylor, Toronto Safe Works. He was born in 1859, son of lumber dealer Stephen Blizard, and as a young man was involved in his father’s business. Just four years after having this home built, he sold the home to Robert M. Magee and moved to Hampton.

The Magee family lived in this residence for 74 years from 1895 to 1969. Robert M. Magee was the son of David Magee and was born in 1854. David Magee was the founder of the well known firm of D. Magee Sons Ltd., which specialized in fur and leather hats. Robert was a member of this firm for many years until the business dissolved in 1929, as a result of the Great Depression. About the time of WWl, he also became engaged in the fire insurance business. He was a member of the Union Club and St. Andrews Curling Club, as well as a great follower of curling. Robert died in 1929 shortly after the business dissolved and the home was left to his son Robert D. Magee. The younger Magee was manager of Knowlton and Gilchrist Ltd., a large Saint John insurance agency. He was also Grand Secretary of the Masonic Grand Lodge of New Brunswick for 20 years (1937-1957), which is the second longest occupancy of this position in the history of the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Robert Magee Residence include:
- wooden two-storey rectangular massing;
- clapboard siding;
- rectangular vertical sliding wood windows;
- wide wooden cornice with decorative paired brackets;
- two-storey semi-octagonal bay window with bracketed cornices over each storey;
- paired wooden doors with segmented arch transom window;
- bracketed entablature over the entrance;
- elevated entrance;
- brick foundation.