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 Peake House - Charlottetown, PEI Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 46° 13.890 W 063° 07.528
20T E 490325 N 5119776
Known to Historic Places Canada by its address of 50 Water Street, the Peake House was built for well known banker, shipbuilder, ship owner and merchant James Ellis Peake in 1835-36.
Waymark Code: WMQT1B
Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Date Posted: 03/25/2016
Views: 10
Apart from the Peake House (50 Water Street) and store, now known as the Carvell Building, (23-25 Queen Street) there is little left on this block to remind the viewer of its early commercial character. At one time the block boasted a number of major wharves including the Pownal Wharf built in 1843-45, the Lord's Wharf and, closer to Queen Street, the Peake No. 1 Wharf, later owned by the Pickard Coal Company. It was from one of these that the Fanny sailed for the California gold fields in 1849. It was here also that the hull of the Castalia was hauled up, roofed over and used as a venue for social events such as Lady Mary Fitzroy's bazaars of the early 1840s.
This fine building was built in 1835-36 as a home for the Hon. James Ellis Peake (see above). The quality of the architecture and the prominence of the location speak to the importance of Peake in Island society at the time. James Peake was a director of the Bank of Prince Edward Island, a merchant and a ship owner. By 1847 he was launching approximately 13 ships a year and ran a trading business between the Island and Plymouth, England. It was a Peake vessel, the "Fanny", that carried an Island contingent of fortune seekers to the California gold fields in 1849-50. Peake married Barbara Lelia Alice Brecken shortly after moving into 50 Water Street and the couple had a number of children.
By 1857 James was in failing health and decided to return to his native England with his family. When they left the Island the Peake's auctioned off their furniture, but didn't sell their home. After Peake's death in 1860 ,his sons returned to Charlottetown and were later followed by their mother, sister Fanny and brother-in-law Charles Leigh. In their absence the house on Water Street had been occupied by Thomas Heath Haviland, uncle of the Peake boys. 50 Water Street became the home of Fanny and Charles Leigh and their family. When they moved to Fitzroy Street in 1888 it was sold to Henry Douse.
A newspaper advertisement of 1895 offered the comfortable brick dwelling house to let. It was described at that time as being in the possession of Henry Douse Esq. A later owner of the property was the George Batt family. In the 1970s the house was bought and renovated by the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation (CADC). The CADC purchased the property from G. Stewart MacKay Real Estate Ltd. for 55,000.00. After renovations it became home to the offices of the PEI Institute of Man and Resources. [4] Later the house became the offices for law firm, Carr, Stevenson & MacKay. The firm would remain in this location until 2013, when new offices at 65 Queen Street were completed. 50 Water Street is a symmetrical building of Island-made brick, topped at a later date with a rounded dormer. An inner centre hall is accessed through a vestibule featuring a door capped by an attractive fan light.
From the City of Charlottetown
Peake House
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
50 Water Street is a two storey, brick, Georgian influenced former residence that has been converted into office space. Successful businessman and politician, James Ellis Peake (1797-1860) built the residence in 1835 and lived in the home with his family for many years. The building was converted to office space in the 1970s and now houses law offices. The designation encompasses the building’s exterior and parcel; it does not include the building’s interior.
HERITAGE VALUE
The heritage value of 50 Water Street lies in its Georgian influenced architecture, its association with the James Peake Family, and its importance to the Water Street streetscape.
James Ellis Peake had the large, brick home constructed in 1835 and 1836. He came to Prince Edward Island from Plymouth, England in 1823 and quickly became a very successful banker, shipbuilder, ship owner and merchant, perhaps operating in cooperation with the family business, Peake and Sons, of Plymouth. Peake had his home constructed close to his warehouses and wharves where his ships docked. The Georgian house is one of the earliest in the City and is notable for its symmetrical and balanced façade, prominent corner chimneys, and solid brick construction.
Shortly after building his home, he married Barbara Leila Alice Brecken (1807-1870), who was a member of the Island’s social elite. The pair had a family of six. Unfortunately, due to Peake’s arthritis, the family returned to Plymouth in 1856 in search of a cure. Peake’s condition worsened and he died in England in 1860.
The Peake Family stayed in England for a time but would eventually make their way back to the Island and 50 Water Street. When they left for England, they auctioned off their furniture, but did not sell their home. A prominent relative of the family, Thomas Heath Haviland, stayed in the home while they were out of the country. All of the Peake Family, except one child, came back to the Island, including Peake’s sons, who would follow their father’s career path. The Peakes’ oldest son, James Peake (1842-1895) and his wife Edith Haviland (1847-1931) lived in the home until 1875, when they decided to move to the more fashionable, west end of Charlottetown. The residence was also home to James Ellis Peake’s youngest daughter, Fanny (Peake) Leigh (1846-1910) and her husband, Commodore Charles Leigh (1838-1902), who would eventually sell the home to Henry Douse.
In the 1970s, the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation acquired the former home and converted it to office space. After the conversion, the Prince Edward Island Institute of Man and Resources moved in to 50 Water Street and remained for a time. The building currently houses law offices.
50 Water Street calls to mind some of the most prominent citizens of Charlottetown who made fortunes during the heyday of the shipbuilding era on Prince Edward Island. A handsome former home located in a historic area near the waterfront where the Peake family built their business, 50 Water Street is an important part of the Water Street streetscape.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
- The overall massing of the building and symmetrical facade
- The size and shape of the Island brick construction
- The symmetrical placement and style of the windows with their stone lintels and sills
- The centrally placed paneled door with its transom light above
- The gabled roof, with centrally placed rounded dormer. The dormer
was a later addition but adds to the attractiveness of the building.
- The placement of the large chimneys on either side of the building
Other character-defining elements include:
- The location of the building on the corner of Water Street
From Historic Places Canada
URL of Page from Heritage Register: [Web Link]
Address of site:
50 Water Street
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
C1A 1A4
Site's Own URL: Not listed
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