Description of Historic Place

The Robert Blair Residence is a brick two-and-a-half storey Second Empire building with two three-storey bay windows flanking a central entrance. It is located on Orange Street, within the Orange Street Preservation Area of Saint John.

Heritage Value

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

Built between 1877 and 1878, the Robert Blair Residence is recognized as part of a collection of Italianate, Queen Anne and Second Empire buildings that were built after two thirds of the City of Saint John were destroyed by the Great Saint John Fire in 1877. Designed by R. C. John Dunn and Morgan Smith, and built by the firm of Gilnty & Vair, for Robert Blair, this residence was the first brick structure to be built on the north side of Orange Street following the fire. The use of brick and the design of this building represent the will of the city to rebuild, as well or better, after the fire and sent a message that the city would be more resistant to fire in the future.

The Robert Blair Residence is also recognized for its association with Robert Blair. Born near Londonderry, Ireland, Blair came to Saint John in 1835. He became president of the Saint John Gaslight Company. Formed by a group of local businessmen in 1845, this firm was responsible for providing gas, for the first time, to the City of Saint John. Authorized by the Common Council to lay pipes under the city streets, the company was given the contract to provide gas lights throughout Saint John. By 1846, the first street lights were lit. Five years later, the company provided gas to 140 street lights and 750 homes and businesses. By 1860, that number had doubled. Blair remained at this residence until his death in 1894. His widow, Mildred Blair, and two of his sons, Alfred C. and Thomas B. remained at this address for several years following. Alfred C., and his brother Andrew, were co-proprietors of a private bank known as “Blair & Co.” Thomas, the youngest brother of the Blair family, established a career as a prominent bank manager for the Bank of Nova Scotia until 1905, when he acquired a managerial position in the Royal Bank. This house remained in the Blair family until 1920.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Robert Blair Residence include:
- symmetrical two-and-a-half storey massing;
- brick exterior walls;
- mansard roof;
- central shed dormer with segmented arch opening and ornamented with dentils;
- cornice ornamented by dentils and other decorative brickwork;
- two three-storey bay windows with upper storey cornices ornamented by dentils;
- rectangular vertical sliding wood windows;
- segmented arch window openings in the bays with decorative brickwork headers and sandstone sills;
- brick stringcourses across the front façade;
- central double window with brick segmented arch hood lintel and sandstone sill;
- segmented arch entrance;
- transom window:
- double wooden doors with segmented arched stain glass upper panels;
- sandstone steps.