Description of Historic Place

Pugsley Building is located on the corner of Prince William Street and Princess Street in the Trinity Royal Preservation Area of Saint John. Built in 1879, it is a four-storey Italianate building constructed of brownstone with Ohio stone trimmings.

Heritage Value

Pugsley Building is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for being a viable legal and professional building over the years.

Pugsley Building is one of a collection of commercial, Italianate and Second Empire buildings that were built between 1877 and 1881 after two thirds of the City of Saint John was destroyed by the fire in 1877. Although many of the post fire buildings in Saint John were built of traditional red brick, John Dunn, the architect that designed the building, used brownstone brick which was associated with New York and Chicago architecture. This building is a good example of commercial Italianate architecture from the rebuilding phase in Saint John after the fire.

Pugsley Building was named after the prominent Pugsley family who owned this building. It was given the name the Pugsley Building. Two of the leading Saint John families in the legal profession were the Ritchie family and the Pugsley family.

The Pugsley Building is also recognized for its association with the many long-term businesses which occupied the building over the years. In 1883, the storefront of Pugsley Building was used by druggists William Hawker & Sons, liquor dealer Michael Finn and by the Halifax Banking Company. The longest tenure of these three occupants was that of Michael Finn. In 1870 Michael went into partnership with Charles Patton as liquor dealers. In 1877 their premises on Water Street burned. In 1880, they moved to this newly constructed building. They stayed in business until 1888 when Michael continued the business alone until his death in 1904. The liquor business, at this time, was very lucrative.

Three other long time occupants of this building were the General Insurance firm of Lockhart & Ritchie, the tobacco shop of Arthur Fred Deforest and the Fountain Restaurant. Lockhart & Ritchie moved to this establishment in 1909 and stayed until 1955. Frederick Arthur Deforest operated a tobacco shop at this location in 1919 until 1969. Maud Perry opened The Fountain Restaurant in 1924 and although the proprietorship changed The Fountain Restaurant remained in operation until 1979.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that define the Pugsley Building include:
- brownstone construction with Ohio stone trimmings;
- shares the same set-back as other buildings along the blockface;
- projecting metal cornice with brackets;
- sandstone corner trim;
- rows of sandstone running horizontally connecting the window sills;
- sandstone headers;
- more than 100-year-old painted sign on corner trim showing direction to the Hotel Aberdeen;
- 1879 datestone.

The character-defining elements that describe the storefront include:
- large pilasters;
- three recessed entrances that all have wooden doors and transom windows;
- storefront cornice.

The character defining elements that describe the Princess Street entrance include:
- large peaked sandstone pediment;
- sandstone Roman arch with keystone;
- deeply recessed entrance.