Description of Historic Place

The William Hilyard Shaw Residence is the eastern section of a dual complex, located on Duke Street in the City of Saint John. It is a two-storey, brick, Queen Anne Revival complex, with both entrances to the complex in the central portion of the building flanked by rounded two-storey bays.

Heritage Value

The William Hilyard Shaw Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and its association with William Hilyard Shaw and Henry Bridges.

The William Hilyard Residence is recognized as being a part of the building boom near the turn of the 20th century in Saint John. After the Great Saint John Fire in 1877 razed a majority of the Central Peninsula of the city, commercial and residential areas of the city were rapidly rebuilt in the 1890's and early 1900's. When the city began to expand again at the beginning of the 20th century, lots such as this, outside of the reconstruction area, were built upon. Built in 1894, the William Hilyard Shaw Residence is a good example of a unit of a Queen Anne Revival dual residence complex from this period of expansion from the early 20th century in Saint John. Although, as a whole, the complex has a symmetrical front façade, the individual unit exhibits the typical off-centre entrance of this style. The curved two-storey bay window also creates an imbalance on the front façade of this residence.

William Hilyard Shaw Residence is also recognized for its association with William Hilyard Shaw. Shaw lived here from 1911 to 1921. Upon his return to Saint John after a short time in Montreal, he entered the office of J. H. Scammell and Company, ship brokers, as secretary-treasurer. He later became a partner in this firm, which changed its name to J. T. Knight and Company.

William Hilyard Shaw Residence is also recognized for its association with Henry S. Bridges and the adjacent Saint John High School. Mr. Bridges occupied this residence from 1922 until his death in 1932. He taught school throughout New Brunswick. For years, as Superintendent of Public Schools, and later as Principal of Saint John High School, he pressed officials for better accommodation than what was available at the Union Street School. He was the main proponent of having Saint John High School constructed in September 1931. Fittingly, the new school was built within view of his residence. Mr. Bridges was also the first chairman of the Province of New Brunswick's Board of Film Censors.

Source: Department of Planning and Development - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements that describe the Queen Anne Revival architecture of the William Hilyard Shaw Residence include:
- rectangular two-storey massing;
- brick exterior walls;
- roof-line cornice with dentils;
- decorative brickwork in fascia band along the cornice;
- windows and entrance with sandstone lintels and sills;
- rectangular vertical sliding wood windows;
- course of dentils above the first storey windows running the width of the complex;
- two-storey curved bay window;
- paired wood paneled doors with transom window;
- sandstone steps.