Description of Historic Place

The Former Married Officers' Quarters is a one-storey red brick building with an L-shaped plan, a recessed main entrance on the west elevation, slightly arched lintels above most of the openings, a hipped roof with two chimneys over the principal section of the building, and a small rectangular addition on the south side elevation capped with a flat concrete roof. The Former Married Officers' Quarters is located a short distance from the archaeological remains of the former submarine mining establishment, on the northwest side of Georges Island National Historic Site of Canada, and is one of only six remaining structures from the second developmental phase. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Former Married Officers' Quarters is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values:

Historical value:
The Former Married Officers' Quarters is associated with the internal administration of a coastal defence establishment in the early years of the 20th century. The Former Married Officers' Quarters was constructed during the second developmental phase of the submarine mining establishment at the Halifax defence complex (1885-1905) and was an integral part of this permanent establishment. Few buildings remain from among the many structures built for submarine mining at the Halifax defence complex or elsewhere in Canada.

Architectural value:
The former Married Officers' Quarters is a very good example of turn of the century English cottage style dwellings with its characteristic massing, fenestration and architectural detail. It is a specialized military structure designed to provide living quarters for the married officer personnel and their spouses.

Environmental value:
The Former Married Officers' Quarters reinforces the military character of the former submarine mining establishment, and is a conspicuous landmark visible from the city of Halifax and familiar to visitors to the island and local boaters.

Sources:
Rhona Goodspeed, Former Officers’ Married Quarters No.125, Georges Island, Halifax Harbour, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Building Report 95-001, Vol.2.

Former Officers’ Married Quarters No.125, Georges Island N.H.S.C., Halifax Defence Complex, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Heritage Character Statement 95-001.

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements of the Former Married Officers' Quarters should be respected, for example:

Its turn of the century English cottage style, its competent craftsmanship and good quality materials as manifested in:

-the composition of the building which consists of a medium pitched hipped roof and an L-shaped plan;
-the pattern of trimmed door openings and the combination of single and paired four-over-four double hung
windows, trimmed with artificial stone lintels with a camber on the underside and a lug sill in the same
material; and,
-the brick cavity walls constructed in the Flemish bond pattern with a bull nosing at the front door jambs and
the timber joists and plates, as well as the brick chimney stacks with a quadruple course oversailing and fired
clay pots.

The manner in which it reinforces the military character of the setting as, evidenced in:

-its proximity to the archaeological remains of the establishment and compatibility with the remaining
structures still standing on Georges Island;
-its value as landmark, visible from the city of Halifax and familiar to visitors to the island and local boaters.