(Because of the length of this topic I have divided it into two parts. In this, the first, I will discuss Romanticism and the Regency and two Charlottetown houses, Holland Grove and the Carmichael House. There will be special emphasis on John Plaw. In the second part I will briefly discuss the kinds of furniture that went into these houses and conclude with an examination of Fairholm House.)   It is a little tricky to write about the Regency style on the Island because those years, from 1811-1820, were not particularly productive and elegant times on the Island as those early British Colonists strived to establish themselves and make a…

Great George Street, from Sydney to Dorchester Perhaps the most photographed streetscape in Charlottetown is this row of houses, all joined together, from Sydney Street to Dorchester Street. They are located at the very heart of the city, opposite the Roman Catholic property that contains Saint Dunstan’s Basilica. You get an excellent vantage view from the steps of the church. What is the reason for this phenomenon? It is a very ancient solution to making the most out of valuable and highly desirable urban frontage. In British Colonial parlance these are called ROW HOUSES. Posh versions of this for the upper classes in Britain were called TERRACES and designed by…