End of year piece

Tags

150, 1864, 2016, 2017, Canada., Charlottetown, Christmas, Confederation, move, PEI, Province house

Today is the Third Sunday in Advent, 11 December 2016, a beautiful Sunny morning again in Charlottetown on the banks of the Hillsborough river. What I like most about our home is the light coming through our East, South and West windows not to mention the Northern windows (facade) which give the late afternoon glow at Sunset. The view is panoramic which is a bonus for me. The peace and quiet, the friendly people, the lack of stress and the slower pace of life on the Island is very attractive.

PEI seen from the sky

In January 2016 at the beginning of this old year change was afoot, we knew that we had to make a decision, our landlord had indicated his willingness to sell the condo and he was willing to amend our lease so we could exit easily, would we stay in Ottawa were we had lived since 1976 or would we move away.

We had been in August 2015 to Charlottetown, seen the city in the bustle of Summer, cruise ships and all. We had made plans to return in Winter at the suggestion of our friend J.W.D. to see what it was like when the city is quiet and tourist businesses were closed. Metro Charlottetown has a population of about 45,000. still the smallest Provincial Capital of our Dominion. https://www.tourismpei.com/charlottetown-pei

Our biggest concern was if there was anything to do in the low Season. We did return to Charlottetown in February and were here during the Island Statutory Holiday called Islander Day, which is the third Monday of February, we flew from Ottawa to Moncton and then drove the short distance over the Sea Bridge to PEI.  Weather wise it was Winter but much milder than what we had in Ottawa, though this was not our primary concern, our concern was to find enough activity so that we could busy ourselves. We did find a trove of things to do, easily accessible and welcoming to anyone interested immediately.

My first contact was with the Art Gallery at Confederation Centre this giant Memorial theatre, library and Art Gallery dedicated to the Fathers of Confederation who in 1864 had gathered in Charlottetown to map out how Canada would be united into one country.I was hired on the spot based on my previous experience in Ottawa at the National Gallery.

We then proceeded to look actively for a property to rent, many tried to get us to buy a house but frankly we were not interested. We wanted to live in the old 500 block area of original Charlottetown of 1765, close to the quays and surrounded by homes dating from 1820’s, we looked and looked and could not find what we wanted on our shopping list. Then our friend D.S. suggested some properties he knew the owners were looking to rent. We also learned that on PEI homes for rent or for sale do not come on the market, it is all by word of mouth. Someone will rent or sell to you because you fit the portrait of someone they would want to have commerce with. We were recommended by an Islander and so the doors opened. That is not to say that Islanders are not welcoming, no, simply that they guard what they have. PEI is a lot like a small Principality in a way.

Now back in Ottawa we had to make arrangements for our move over 1000 Km from Ontario to PEI. The expense in any move is the truck rental from a reputable firm, we also wanted to use containers to save money on this move. Myself and our friend B.P. did two trips, one to sign the lease and look around the property again, we had only seen it once in February at night. It was fine then and perfect now. The second trip was a few days ahead of the truck itself and carrying our two hounds.  We arrived in May, the truck followed with 4 tons of belongings, it all went pretty smoothly and I then had the apartment totally repainted in colours we liked by a painter who is well known for his work on the Island’s Lighthouses.

When Will arrive in July all was in order. We had changed our licence plates on the car and got our PEI Driver’s licence which was pretty quick, under 30 minutes. We also had to change our Provincial Health Coverage and that was achieved in about 2 minutes, so fast in fact that I was left a little surprised. The Health Ministry then phoned me a week later to tell us Welcome and not to worry all was in order.

Will also found something of interest to him, joining the Board of the PEI Symphony Orchestra. peisymphony.com

Of course 2016 was also the year of the big trip, marking my 60th Birthday, Will’s 70th and our 39 years together as a couple. We returned to Ireland who in 2016 is celebrating the Easter Upraising of 1916 which led to Independence. We travelled all around the Republic and visited Belfast where Will’s family come from, a big tourist mecca these days. I can now say I have seen all of Ireland and crossed the Atlantic from Southhampton to NYC. on a liner. It was a memorable trip, like many of our trips together. http://www.belmond.com/grand-hibernian-train/

Now we are about to celebrate our first Christmas on the Island and the New Year in Charlottetown, already the Festivities for the 150th Anniversary of Confederation has been announced, 2017 will be a very busy year. It all starts with a $100K display of fireworks in front of Province House on Great George Street a few steps away from our home. http://www.city.charlottetown.pe.ca

It has been a whirlwind year and a happy year for us, a new chapter. We have made lots of new friends, socially it has been a very active busy year.

 Peake’s Quay, Confederation Landing and Marina

 

You do the math

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1864, Canada., champagne, Charlottetown, Conference, Constitution, dancing, drinking, Fathers of Confederation, France, PEI, Spo, USA, Washington

There was 31 delegates at the Charlottetown Conference in 1864 and 17 tons of Champagne on the SS Victoria which brought the delegates to PEI. That is an awful lot of Champagne for one conference on writing up the Canadian Constitution and making a deal to united the colonies into one Country, classic case of In Vino Veritas. Though you will be told that the delegates had their meetings at Province House the Seat of the Legislature, most meetings took place at the Cross Key Tavern on Queen Street and the Bar Keep was both keeping the minutes of the deliberations and serving drinks. All this while the Circus was in town for the first time in 20 years. Unlike France and its bloody civil war dubbed a revolution, or the American tax revolt of 1776 with unhappy landowners like G. Washington and co., we chose to have a party and a stiff drink with much dancing and food every night. They call Canada boring, I cannot think of another country born this way.

This rondelle with snippet of information can be found at the Memorial to the Fathers of Confederation. Canadians are a funny lot.

The Fathers of Confederation at Fanningbank, the Official Residence of the Lieutenant Governor of PEI in Charlottetown.

In 2016 some 152 years later on the same veranda of Fanningbank, Dr. Spo trying to call the Fathers of Confederation on his iPhone, unbelievable.

The front Porch of Fanningbank today, not much changed at all.

Canada Day 2016

Tags

1864, 1867, Canada Day, Canada., Confederation, PEI, Strawberries

This Canada Day is the 149th Anniversary of the Birth of our Dominion (Kingdom).

To celebrate here in Charlottetown is somewhat unique since it is the birthplace of the whole idea of uniting a group of Colonies into a country. The delegates all came to Charlottetown on the day the Circus was in town and no one except for William Henry Pope came to greet them at the landing by rowing out to the S.S. Victoria which brought them (36) from the mainland. The hotels were full and many had to be billeted in private homes for the duration of the Conference which would draw out the roles and responsibilities of the Provinces and of the Federal Government, since they were all Provincial delegates, it was them who decided what powers the central government would have, how the House of Commons would be composed and how many members each Province would get in the Senate, PEI has 4 Senators.

In 1867 Sir John A. Macdonald went to London to meet with Queen Victoria and returned with the Act creating the Dominion of Canada on 1 July 1867.

This morning we walked up Great George street to Province House which was the theatre of all those events in 1864 to see on the plaza of the Memorial Hall to the Fathers of Confederation a noon hour show by the Young Company of the Confederation Centre called The Voices of Canada/Les Voix du Canada. We sang the National Anthem and frankly it was a beautiful, fun, light and inclusive show, speaking to us all Canadians. The performers are talented group with good voices and talent to spare.

The show touched on history, Canadian heroes, the Acadians, the Natives, famous and controversial figures like Louis Riel and the underground railroad from the USA which brought Africans to Canada and freedom. It also touched on themes of diversity and immigration, which got a loud cheer from the crowd.

A lot of people are wearing our National Colours red and white today.

Later we are going to a dinner party in a garden, said to be the most beautiful house garden in the city. The funny thing is that this is a moving feast, at first only 6 people were attending at a mutual friends house, then it got moved to our home and the number was now 9 people. Now it has moved again and is a potluck with 19 people attending.

For dessert we are having strawberries from Nova Scotia, they are so sweet and heavily perfumed, not like those awful imported strawberries we get in the grocery store.

Happy to be here now living permanently in PEI the birthplace of Confederation.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!  Bonne Fête du CANADA!

 

 

On a sunny Friday

Tags

1864, Brandy, Canada., Charlottetown, history, PEI, Rum

 

On Dorchester Street is an attractive wood framed double tenement located on the corner of Dorchester Street and Union Street in a very old section of Charlottetown. It is unclear who built the home, or the date it was built, but the property was granted in 1779. The building has been a home for much of its existence but evidence suggests that it was also a tavern at one time.

It had the usual stipulation, that a house be erected on the property within three years, but whether a home was in fact erected on the property, is not clear. When the land was sold for taxes in 1790, and again in 1793, to John Brecken, a prominent Loyalist merchant who was known to have built houses for rental purposes, the transaction yielded only shillings. The low price of the land and the buyer, suggests that no dwelling existed on the property. Twelve years later when the property was sold to James Robertson, there was a home on the property and it sold for eighty pounds.

Records show that in 1827, the home was seized from three men, John MacDonald, Donald MacEachern and John Hughes, for non-payment of import duties on wine, rum, brandy and other spirits. With a list like that, it becomes abundantly clear that the building was used as a tavern.

The sheriff sold the building to Robert Gray junior, the son of Robert Gray a prominent office holder and member of Charlottetown high society. Gray later sold it to James D. Haszard. Both appeared to have used the home as a rental property. The building remains a home to this day.

Now the history of Charlottetown is soaked in Liquor, most important political meetings were generously watered with rum, brandy and fortified wines. The Cross Keys Tavern stands on Queen Street it is the Terre Rouge Restaurants nowadays but this is where the Founding Fathers of Confederation met and had quite a few discussions on what was to become Canada. Sir John A. Macdonald who would become our first Prime Minister who was known as a formidable gin drinker, the more he drank, the more eloquent he became. Something many historians and fellow politicians of his time documented.

The Legislature of PEI also met in the Tavern and the proprietor was appointed by the Assembly as Clerk of the deliberations, taking notes with one hand and pouring drinks with the other.

The Cross Keys Tavern on Queen Street, today a restaurant and Olive oil shop.

The Owen Connolly building now a pub.

Blue Fin Tuna by Gérald Beaulieu 

The back of St-Dustan R.C. Cathedral

This is the oldest brick house in Charlottetown 1832. Absolutely beautiful inside with all the architectural features of the Georgian Era. It is one house with 2 doors, a huge place. The docks and marina of the Harbour are behind it.

Local 343 (telephone number of the house in 1920) on Water Street is a wonderful restaurant with terrace at the back over the harbor. Chef Emily Wells food is wonderful.

View from the park and marina up Great George Street. This is the wharf where the Father’s of Confederation arrived by boat from the mainland in 1864.

The Charlottetown Harbor every Summer the Cruise ships come and dock here.