The Earle House is located at 266 Lancaster Avenue in Saint John. The house has been declared a Cultural Heritage Site in Canada and is listed in the Canadian Register of Historic Places. Its Second Empire Gothic exterior is eye-catching.
The Earle House was built by Thomas William Robinson in the 1870’s; the Earle family began living there in 1900. After forays in the family Bibles and Persian carpet business, they developed several apartment buildings on the 11.5 acre estate as a more secure financial base.
The most catastrophic fire in the Saint John’s history came in 1877, resulting in the loss of some 1,600 homes and businesses. Many of the structures were rebuilt and are still standing today, contributing to the city’s Victorian character.
By the 1950’s, historic structures began to disappear in the name of progress, and a huge urban renewal development was carried out in the 1960’s.
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I know we lived in “the Earle Apartments” when I was 4 years old (1956) but can’t remember which one. My paternal grandmother worked at the DVA lodge just down the road. My maternal grandparents lived at 315 Union Street long since demolished to make way for the Prince Edward Square. They then moved to Duke Street.