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Charlottetown - The Big City
To view the postcards, click the thumbnails.
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How friendly - the first view visitors get of Charlottetown is two cannons
pointing towards them as they disembark! The writer after sympathizing with
their correspondent over the illness of their mother, and the "disaster to
the berries", cheers them up by telling them that the "weather is beautiful".
Published by Maritime Souvenir Cards of Moncton, N.B. and mailed in July,
1905.
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A postcard mailed in 1931 shows Sydmount Avenue looking more like a country
lane than a residential street. (Published by Warwick Bro's & Rutter,
Toronto, as part of the "Garden of the Gulf" series.)
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A friend of mine was recently puzzled by her mother's reference to "Sunnyside" - here it is, the southern exposure of the main block on Grafton Street. The facade to what is now the Confederation Court Mall hasn't changed much, although there are far fewer horse-drawn carriages parked outside nowadays. (Published by The Valentines & Sons United Publishing Co., Toronto, unused and undated.) |
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This handsome Patriotic postcard shows the Charlottetown hospital. For some reason, postcards of hospitals were quite popular in their day -"Wish you were here". (Published by Warwick Bro's & Rutter, Toronto, unused and undated.) |
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This view from the corner of Queen and Grafton doesn't seem to have changed all that much. (Published by Valentine-Black Co., Ltd., Toronto, unused and undated.) |
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Compared to some larger cities, the streets of Charlottetown were built
wide enough to accommodate the automobile traffic that would later appear.
However, Queen Street does seem unnecessarily broad for the few carriages
that appear here. This postcard, mailed in August, 1909, was published by
J.D. Taylor, Charlottetown, but printed in Germany.
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It's a bitter shame that this beautiful public garden in the heart of
Charlottetown no longer exists; it must have been a showpiece in its day.
Instead, the grim concrete facade of the Confederation Centre can now be
seen in this location. (Published by the Pugh Mfg. Co., Toronto - unmailed,
but with a message from "a loving sister-in-law".)
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The combination of Queen's Square Gardens and Victoria Row was so charming
as to be the subject of numerous postcards. Fortunately, Victoria Row
has been well preserved, even though the garden is now lost forever. The
message on the back notes "You have been here and know how pretty it is".
(Published by Taylor's Book Store, Charlottetown, mailed August 1907.)
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This hotel, with its unusual architecture, no longer exists. Perhaps
just as well - the correspondent notes on the back, "Very pretentious, isn't
it?". (Published by the Pugh Mfg. Co., Toronto, mailed September, 1911.)
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An interesting postcard looking toward the harbour, with handwritten
notes identifying some of the local homeowners. The writer wishes to let
his correspondent know that he is "still able to take nourishment". Mailed
in September, 1906; published by Hastard and Moore, Importers, Charlottetown.
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Although many of the houses along Brighton Road still exist, the pond
has been mostly filled in. According to family history, this area was
once terrorized by the infamous "Brighton Gang" of small boys. (Mailed July,
1910, published by the Pugh Mfg. Co., Toronto)
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St. Peter's Cathedral is one of the main Anglican churches on the Island.
This card shows it before the steeple that now adorns it was added. Paintings
by the noted artist Robert Harris can be found in the attached chapel. (Unused
and undated; publisher not given.)
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This card shows a gathering of patriotic Islanders at an Empire
Day (now known as Canada Day) celebration. (Unused and undated.)
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Islanders have always loved spectacle and celebration - apparently even
the Charlottetown Fire Department once had its special day. (Published by
Warwick Bro's & Rutter, Toronto, unused and undated.)
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