Description of Historic Place

The Rev. Henry Pope Residence is a brick two-storey Italianate building with a projecting central bay that encompasses the entrance. It is located on Orange Street within the Orange Street Heritage Preservation Area of Saint John.

Heritage Value

The Rev. Henry Pope Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with its former occupants.

The Rev. Henry Pope Residence is recognized as one of a collection of residential, Italianate and Second Empire buildings that were built between 1877 and 1881 after two thirds of the City of Saint John were destroyed by fire in 1877. Orange Street consists of four blocks and displays many fine Victorian homes. Many of the residents on this street were connected to Saint John’s lucrative mercantile history or were connected to the sea. This residence is an example of brick Italianate residential architecture from the rebuilding period in the Orange Street area in Saint John after the fire.

The Rev. Henry Pope Residence is also recognized for its association with the home's original occupant, Rev. Henry Pope. He was born in Nova Scotia, about 1824. In 1848, he was ordained to the Methodist ministry and was pastor at several locations throughout the Maritime Provinces, eventually settling in Saint John. He occupied the chair of the Eastern British America Conference. In 1874, he was elected the first president of the New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Conference. In 1877, he received the title Doctor of Divinity from Mount Allison University. Rev. Pope passed away in 1900.

The Rev. Henry Pope Residence is also recognized for its association with Charles E. Scammell. Born in 1848, he entered the shipping business at an early age with his brother, Joseph H. Scammell. Together, they formed the well known and long established firm of Scammell Brothers with vessels sailing to all parts of the world. Later, Charles operated a ship chandlery business on Water Street for many years. He was the Saint John representative of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. Charles Scammell lived in this residence from 1900 until his death in 1924.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Rev. Henry Pope Residence include:
- similar set-back with neighbouring buildings;
- rectangular two-storey massing;
- brick exterior walls;
- symmetrical placement of rectangular 2/2 vertical sliding wooden windows;
- cornice ornamented with corbel bands;
- brick segmented arch openings;
- segmented arch multi-paned transom window over the entrance;
- double three-paneled wooden doors with glass upper panels;
- brick stringcourses connecting the window sills on both storeys;
- continuous brick headers along basement level windows.