The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877Stewart, George
History
The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877
Stewart, George
Saint John (N.B.) -- Fire, 1877
The last theatrical performance at the Academy of Music was on Tuesday
evening, 19th June, when Louise Pomeroy, an actress of charming genius,
sustained the _role_ of "Juliet" in Shakespeare's tragedy of the
affections, "Romeo and Juliet." On Wednesday night she was to have
performed "Rosalind" for the second time in St. John, in the delightful
comedy of "As You Like It." The company then playing were under the
management of Mr. William Nannary, with Mr. P. Nannary as assistant
manager, and Mr. W. E. Kelly, of Halifax, business agent. Mr. George B.
Waldron was stage manager, and his wife, Isabella Waldron, the leading
lady. The other members of the organization were R. Fulton Russell, F.
G. Cotter, G. T. Ulmer, Harry Pierson, Belvil Ryan, Mr. Padget, Mr.
Eberle, J. Reddy, Mr. Vanderen, Mr. Donaldson, W. F. Edwards, C. Mason,
Lizzie May Ulmer, Pearl Etynge, Little Bell Waldron, Mrs. Edwards, Mrs.
Vanderen, Miss Hill, Mabel Doane, and Florence Stratton. All of these
artists suffered by the fire. Some saved their wardrobes, only to have
them stolen afterwards.
[Illustration: The Burland Desbarats Lith. Co. Montreal
ACADEMY OF MUSIC.]
After Dr. McAvenny's office was burned, the fire shot into Messrs.
Miller and Woodman's double house, the late residence of Hon. A. McL.
Seely, and it was soon shattered to its basement. The fire then spread
as far as Duke Street, burning on its passage Dr. W. Bayard's house, and
the old McGrath residence, which latterly contained Dr. James E.
Griffith's office. On the other side, the Grammar School was the first
victim after the Old Chapel.
This building was a plain wooden house of rather squat appearance. It
was erected on two lots of land, 80 feet front by 200 deep, which in
1807 were sold by Thos. Horsfield for £100. The first teacher was James
Brimner. In 1818 Dr. James Patterson took charge, and remained head
master till nearly the close of his life. Rev. Mr. Wainright,
afterwards rector of New York, and who died Bishop there, was at one
time a teacher in the Grammar School. The masters who have taught here
have been judiciously selected, and the school has been very successful
from the first. Messrs. Hutchison and Manning, and Rev. Mr. Schofield,
and latterly Rev. Dr. Coster, are all gentlemen of fine scholastic
attainments and excellent imparters of knowledge to the youth. For many
years the Corporation gave a gold medal annually to the bright boys of
this institution of learning, and many of our prominent lawyers,
doctors, engineers and merchants have been educated here. H. W. Frith,
Esq., was for many years secretary to the Board who controlled this
school, and continued in that office till the new school-law came into
force. The Grammar School in its last days was a free school of the
highest grade.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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