THE GRIGOR HOUSE
I had mentioned in another thread that I've always loved the charming creepiness of this place. Surprisingly there's not a lot of images/info online but a few days ago I did come across a pretty interesting article by Garry D. Shutlak on pg.9 of the June 2002 edition of the Griffin. I don't usually like to just paste a bunch of text but I thought I could save you a little clicking & scrolling. I've added some images and at 2-3 minutes it's a pretty interesting little read, or , if you're like me and still use your index finger to point at the words while moving your lips attempting to silently read to yourself then it's going to take much longer.
Date: 1879
Source: NS Archives - https://novascotia.ca/archives/builtheritage/archives.asp?ID=87
City Rambles: The Grigor House, a Gothic pile that’s been a home and a hospital
This splendid asymmetrical L-shaped Gothic brick, stone and wood cottage was erected on lots 245, 246 and 247 in the fields formerly owned by Andrew and John Smith, more commonly known as Smith’s Fields subdivision. John Henry Grigor, a teller of the Bank of British North America, was the son of the Honorable Doctor William Grigor and Catherine Louisa, fourth daughter of James Forman. He married Samuel Locke’s daughter Letitia in September 1862. The following month he purchased the land and the following year began construction of the house. Built by George Lang, the style of the building is strongly reminiscence of “Fernwood,” designed in 1862 by architect David Stirling for James Thomson. Unfortunately J. H. Grigor died at the age of 32, December 19, 1863 at his home at Freshwater Bridge, the former Trider house. The unfinished residence was put up for sale by James Forman, who as appointed the administrator of the estate. It was purchased by George Lang for £1,000 ($4,000) Mr. Lang was owed $2,890 by the estate. It appears that Mr. Lang completed the house, adding a stable and coach house to the property. It was purchased in September 1868 by John R. Murray of T. Boggs & Company, hardware merchants, for $6,200. In 1878, James W. Murray, assistant Commissary General, occupied the house, living there until 1881. Among the group of other nineteenth century tenants were Louisa M. Morrow, widow of James B. Morrow, Ann Brown, widow of Daniel M. Brown and Alexander M. Little. In 1895, Donald F. Archibald, High Sheriff of Halifax County, took up residency and with various members of his family lived there until 1912.
The Grigor House as it appears today
Source: My images
Between 1913 and 1916, the house became the Halifax Hospital for Women with E. Kirk MacLellan, physician, and Millicent Demme, superintendent. It reverted to a private residence in 1917 occupied by John F. McCarthy, collector at Farquhar Brothers, plumbing and heating contractors. In 1929 Willard W. & Ella Murray acquired the property. Mr. Murray was a sleeping car conductor with the Canadian National Railway until his death in 1936. Mrs. Murray occupied the house until her death in 1964, living there for many years with her daughter Aileen and her husband Royce N. Pitman. The family occupied the house until 1998, a tenure of sixty-nine years. In 1960, the fourteen-unit “Seaforth” Apartment building was erected on the lawns and gardens of the property. In 1963 the street address became 5470 Victoria Road and in 1965 it was changed to 1067 Bland Street, its present address. In recent years the owners have removed the wooden addition which, if not original to the house, is shown on Hopkins City Atlas of Halifax, 1878. This addition may have been the coach house mentioned in earlier advertisements. Another building on the property worth noting is the small stable building on the edge of the property at the intersection of Victoria Road and Bland Street. It became 19 North Bland and was converted into a grocery store in 1898. The street address was later changed to 1069. The first grocer was Samuel F. Archibald who was followed by assorted others until 1988 when it became an interior decorating establishment and in 1996 a tailor shop. In 2000/01 it was converted into a rental unit.
Source - NS Archives - Plate K of 'ol trusty - https://novascotia.ca/archives/maps/plate.asp?ID=13
Also, check out that ironstone fence, eh? One of my favorites around town.
Fence Source: Google Maps - https://www.google.com/maps/@44.636612,-...S-rGZ0IRDwWNKSZlKSaYw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Article Source - HTNS.ca - Griffin June 2002 - https://www.htns.ca/pdf_Griffin/G0206-2.pdf
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