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Based on the available information, 122-128 Germain Street (located on the
corner of Germain and Princess Streets) was built in 1878, shortly after the
Great Fire of 1877. The ground floor was constructed as four small
retail/commercial spaces, and the upper two floors as a Club, which was
initially occupied by the Reform Temperance Club. In 1879 there were several
businesses listed at these addresses.
Fire destroyed the upper story of the building on January 25, 1951. The elaborate brickwork on the upper storey was then replaced with a simpler decorative scheme in contemporary brick. The building was then struck by fire again on December 15, 1985, burning the window sash and frames on the second floor south. The third level remained as a club hall until this time when the occupants, the Saint John Fusiliers Club, closed.
The building was built in 1878 for Daniel
J. McLaughlin using plans designed by David E. Dunham, a local Saint John
architect. Mr. McLaughlin owned the brick building previously on this site,
which was destroyed in the 1877 fire. The property remained in the McLaughlin
family until sometime after 1965. Mr. McLaughlin was active in many businesses.
He was a flour merchant, a ship owner, president of the St. John Gas company,
president of the Suspension Bridge Company (Reversing Falls bridge), a trustee
of Centenary Methodist Church, president of the Commercial Bank, and an
opponent of Confederation. He lived on Charlotte Street at Queen Square, where
Civic Hydro is now located.
The property occupants listed in the city directories convey a sense of the diversity of the manufacturing and service sector located there. These included shoe manufacturing, jewellery engraving, a restaurant, music store, music lessons, portrait painting and a grocery store.
The dwelling located at 254-256 Germain Street was built shortly after the
Great Fire of 1877; it replaced a small wood dwelling that was destroyed in the
fire. It appears that the building was originally constructed as a two family
dwelling. It stayed this way until the period between 1955 and 1960 when a
third tenant is listed in the city directories. No other historical information
has been found about this building aside from a
list of property owners and residents.
A Mrs. Robertson is first listed as living at this address in 1879. Her husband, Duncan Robertson, was a barrister and was also an agent for the Standard Life Assurance Company. He died between 1877 and 1879.
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