Description of Historic Place

The Fred P. Elkin Residence is a wooden, two-storey residence built circa 1911 in a residential area of Duke Street in Saint John's Central Peninsula. This Queen Anne Revival residence with some Craftsman elements has a two-storey bay window, an off-centre entrance and a deep roof overhang over part of the second storey.

Heritage Value

The Fred P. Elkin Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with Manchester Robertson Allison (MRA).

The Fred P. Elkin Residence is a good example of Queen Anne Revival residential architecture with Craftsman influences from the early 20th century in Saint John. This style is expressed through its semi-octagonal bay window with semi-octagonal roof. The varied massing of the roof-lines and windows creates an asymmetrical layout. This building has a prominent portico with a large projecting pediment. Both portico and pediment are supported by their own columns. The building has a broken roofline, with the section over the porch sweeping down over the second storey in a bell cast shape typical of Craftsman designs. Contained in this roof segment is a Craftsman-style horizontal triple-window dormer.

This building's early occupants were a series of middle class citizens. Its earliest occupant was an employee of Manchester Robertson Allison (MRA), Saint John's leading department store at the time of the residence’s construction. Established in 1868, the prosperity of MRA grew over time and its large number of employees stabilized the employment rate of Saint John. Many new homes were constructed through the first few decades of the 20th century for MRA employees. This property and the neighbouring property to the west were first occupied by MRA employees, and were built in the same year to a very similar plan. The building was first occupied by MRA clerk Everett P. Jones, who stayed only a few years. By 1925, Fred P. Elkin, who stayed until after 1940, had taken occupancy. He was manager of RC Elkin Ltd. Ship Brokers.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of this Queen Anne Revival building with Craftsman elements include:
- window placement and proportions;
- vertical sliding windows;
- asymmetrical façade;
- steep modified mansard roof with bell cast flare forming the portico roof;
- two-storey semi-octagonal bay window with semi-octagonal roof;
- horizontal triple-window dormer with shed roof.

The character-defining elements of the entrance include:
- portico roof supported by square columns and extending laterally, engaging the bay window;
- large projecting pediment supported by square pillars;
- wood-paneled door with glass upper panel.