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 Peake-Carvell Building - Charlottetown, PEI Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 46° 13.913 W 063° 07.493
20T E 490370 N 5119819
This, the Peake-Carvell Building, and the Peake House on Water Street were both built by (or for) banker, shipbuilder, ship owner, politician and merchant James Ellis Peake are the only two on the block which remain from their era.
Waymark Code: WMQT1C
Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Date Posted: 03/25/2016
Views: 8
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.
James Peake, merchant, shipbuilder, politician and banker, built this substantial structure in 1856-57. It replaced an earlier wooden building built by Peake in 1828. Based on its style one would imagine this to be a much older building than it is. Luckily for the researcher its construction is referenced in both city council minutes and insurance records.
The building was initially divided into three units. In 1858 two of these housed stores, the third was set up for the Bank of Prince Edward Island. The store spaces were originally occupied by businesses run by Samuel A. Fowle and George F.C. Lowden. By 1862 Carvell Brothers had moved into the store spaces, eventually expanding into the space occupied by the bank.
The September 14, 1912 issue of the Examiner reported that Carvell Bros. had purchased the building from the Peake estate. Carvell Bros. continued to operate from this site until 1976 when the property was bought by the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation. The Corporation sympathetically renovated the building and repaired its slate roof. Shortly before the sale of the building, Carvell Bros. donated a number of business records found in the attic to the Public Archives and Records Office. These records were associated with businesses operated by the Peake and Brecken families.
From the City of Charlottetown
Peake-Carvell Building
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
The Peake-Carvell Building is a three storey, brick, Early Commercial style building located on the corner of Queen Street and Water Street, in Charlottetown’s historic commercial area. James Ellis Peake (1797-1860) built the building in 1856 to replace a wooden building that had been on the site. It is located close to the once bustling wharves where merchants shipped their goods to destinations throughout the world. The Carvell Building is part of the Harbourside Complex, a group of residential and commercial properties. The designation encompasses the building’s exterior and parcel; it does not include the building’s interior.
HERITAGE VALUE
The heritage value of the Peake-Carvell Building lies in its association with merchant, James Ellis Peake, its association with the Carvell Brothers' firm, its Early Commercial style architecture, and its importance to the Queen Street and Water Street streetscapes.
James Ellis Peake had the large, brick, Early Commercial style building constructed in 1856, to replace a wood framed building, originally on the site. Peake came to Prince Edward Island from Plymouth, England in 1823 and quickly became a successful politician, shipbuilder, ship owner and merchant, perhaps operating in cooperation with the family business, Peake and Sons, of Plymouth. Interestingly, the building is located just down the street from the Peake Family home and close to where the Peake No.1 wharf once existed.
The Peake-Carvell building was divided into three sections or apartments. Two of the apartments housed businesses owned by merchants, George Fish Crowe Lowden and Samuel A. Fowle & Company. Lowden was a tobacco and flour merchant while Fowle sold a variety of items including rope, leather, tobacco and molasses. By 1862, these merchants were replaced by the Carvell Brothers, another merchant company, who now occupied two thirds of the building. The third apartment housed the Bank of Prince Edward Island, the Island’s only bank at the time. The bank would later move to its new quarters, a brick building on the corner of Great George and King Streets in 1868. James E. Peake was a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of PEI.
The empty space left by the bank was soon assumed by the Carvell Brothers' firm, making them the sole tenant of the large building. The Carvell Brothers were a produce wholesale company begun by Mayor of Charlottetown and later, Senator and Lieutenant Governor, Jedediah Slason Carvell (1832-1894) and his brothers, Jacob and Lewis. The firm exported primarily oats to England, but also acted as shipping agents, merchants and auctioneers. The Examiner newspaper of 14 September 1912 reported that the Carvell Brothers had purchased the building from the Peake estate. The firm operated from the site until 1976, when the building was bought by the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation and sympathetically restored. The building now houses a variety of tenants including the Merchantman Pub and various offices.
The Early Commercial style dates from before the 1860s. It was often characterized by a ground floor reserved for storefronts, double hung windows in the upper levels, simple mouldings, and a balanced façade of either shingles, clapboards, or brick. The Carvell Building is an excellent example of this style in the City.
The Peake-Carvell building, with its location in a historic section of Queen Street near the wharves from which local merchants imported and exported their goods is a tangible reminder of the importance of the age of sail in 19th Century Prince Edward Island and the economic prosperity it brought the City of Charlottetown. As one of many heritage buildings in the area, the Carvell Building contributes to the Queen Street and Water Street streetscapes.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
- The overall massing of the building with its symmetrical facade
- The size and shape of the brick construction
- The placement and style of the windows, including the large six over six windows of the first, second and third floors with their stone lintels and sills
- The style and placement of the paneled doors with their transom lights
- The first floor recessed storefronts with large sign band extending the length of the building’s façade
- The stone quoining on the sides of the building
- The gabled slate roof, with its raised parapet gable ends
- The style and placement of the chimneys
Other character-defining elements include:
- The location of the building on the corner of Queen Street and Water Street
From Historic Places Canada
URL of Page from Heritage Register: [Web Link]
Address of site:
23-25 Queen Street
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
C1A 4A2
Site's Own URL: Not listed
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