Description of Historic Place

The George Robertson Residence is a two-storey brick Italianate building with a pair of single-storey bay windows on the front façade. It is located on Germain Street within the Trinity Royal Preservation Area of the City of Saint John.

Heritage Value

The George Robertson Residence was designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and its association with George Robertson.

Many of the buildings in the residential district of Germain Street were constructed in the latter part of the 19th century or early 20th century as all the older buildings were destroyed in the Great Saint John Fire of 1877. Long established as one of the wealthier areas in the city, Germain Street is known for its many fine residences and stately architecture. Built between 1883 and 1884, the George Robertson Residence is a good example of Italianate residential architecture from the rebuilding period in Saint John after the fire. This style is evident in details such as the pair of single-storey bay windows with wide moulded cornices, the symmetry of the front façade and the brick corbel bands along the moulded cornice. The use of brick was a statement of the attitude of post-fire resilience in the city.

The George Robertson Residence is also recognized through its association with George Robertson. Robertson established a wholesale grocery business on King Street in 1868 along with his partner, M. L. A. Corbet. By 1873, the business was incorporated and officially named, “George Robertson & Co.” The stock of the business included teas from England, fruits from the Mediterranean, fruits and canned goods from the United States, coffees from England and the United States, sugar and molasses from the West Indies, and much more. A prominent member of the Saint John Board of Trade, Robertson’s aspirations included making the company one of the mediums for developing trade in Canada by way of Saint John. He served as a Captain in Saint John’s City Light Infantry for a time, in addition to being a member of St. Andrew’s Society, and an elder in St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. He remained at his Germain Street residence until 1905.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements that describe the Italianate architecture of the George Robertson Residence include:
- rectangular two-storey massing;
- brick exterior walls;
- moulded cornice supported by wooden scroll end brackets;
- brick corbel bands along the cornice;
- two single-storey bay windows with moulded cornices on either side of the front façade;
- vertical sliding, one over one, recessed rectangular windows with sandstone lintels and sills;
- entablature over entrance supported by stone, scroll shaped brackets;
- rectangular transom window over a pair of two paneled, wood and glass doors;
- sandstone steps at the main entrance;
- sandstone plinth band;
- recessed basement level, two paned windows with wood lintels.