Page11
When the Provincial Asylum opened there was a plan to provide
some crops, meat and milk products from a farm on the hillside near the main
building. When the Reversing Falls Bridge opened in 1853 it left only four
acres of usable land, greatly reducing the feasibility of this. When it was
realized that the Asylum needed additional space, $25,000 was used to purchase
a farm to provide the patients with work experience and to erect buildings for
additional living space. The site chosen was a property about a mile southeast
of the asylum, on Sand Cove Road, which became known as "The Annex."
Five years after "The Annex" opened, Dr. Steeves (the Director)
reported: "The new complex now consists of 250 acres of land; a group
of three buildings (with conservatory attached) for the accommodations of 150
patients... In the five years that have elapsed since the project was
inaugurated, it can safely be said that very much has been accomplished. The
buildings and grounds around them speak for themselves-order and neatness are
visible from every point of view. The ornamental and fruit trees are arranged
to show to advantage in the 'tout ensemble.'
Nearly one hundred acres of land have been cleared, stumped and are now
under plough, one-half of which has been well fertilized and is undergoing this
process and will process and will in the course of a year or two do likewise.
There is some very good agricultural land in this Lancaster district, but
our experience with it is that it requires something more than "tickling
with a hoe" to make it teem with fertility. Only an intelligent
agriculturalist with experience can rightly estimate the amount expected in
labour and fertilizers to accomplish what our farm has these few years.
An orchard of three hundred and fifty fruit trees, mostly apple, has been
planted, much labour and care, both at time of planting and since, have been
laid out upon it, and it is our intention to add to it from year to year till
we have planted a large acreage. We have started with the belief that trees,
especially fruit trees, require regular and continuous feeding and protection,
as do stock: food and mulch have, therefore, been carried to them, not so often
but as regularly as the calves and swine. A windbreak of trees protecting the
west, north and east was closely planted at the same time the orchard
was."
In 1891, the report continued, "A new boiler house, 16' X 26', was
erected during the past autumn on the northern side of the west wing of the
Annex group of buildings, and a tubular boiler was placed therein. Steam
heating apparatus has been put in the west wing, a number of radiators also in
the centre building to take the place of the more rudimentary apparatus at
first in use in parts of the Annex group. A large steam pump has been placed in
the west wing for lifting water to the elevated cistern, and for use in case of
fire.
There was also erected on the south farm a large hay barn for use at that
point, that being necessary on account of the distance and demand for
additional storage room. A silo for the preservation of Ensilage was built in
the last year, and the product of its saving is now being used for the stock
with satisfactory results. The crop cultivated for this purpose was southern
corn, and a mixture of oats and vetches. The former is by far the more
productive, yielding from 15 to 20 tons per acre... The sort of Silo adopted,
and its situation in relation to the barn and the stock, we think are well
ordered and well worthy of examination by those intending to build and not
having had experience."
Twenty five years after the Annex had been opened,
the report for 1910 showed they were producing $12,395 worth of goods and it
was costing them $9,095 to do so, giving a credit of $3,300. At that time the
livestock consisted of: 9 working horse, 32 milch (sic) cows, 2 Ayrshire bulls,
5 Heifers, -2 years old, 9 Heifers, -1 year old, 4 calves, 12 Brood-sows, 30
pigs, 1 boar, 72 young pigs, and 130 fowl.
Besides great quantities of root crops, the farm was able to provide some tasty
items for the patients. From year to year a typical list might include: 137
quarts of blueberries, 112 quarts chow chow, 60 quarts crab apples, 102 quarts
of cranberries, 67 quarts gooseberries, 60 quarts pears, 248 quarts sundry
pickles, 108 quarts plums, 52 quarts pineapples, 110 quarts pumpkin, 37 quarts
raspberries, 116 quarts rhubarb, and 225 quarts strawberries.
In 1924 the Annex was wired for electricity and pipes were laid to connect
to the Spruce Lake Water supply. In 1931 it was noted in the annual report that
sewerage was found in the streams running through the Annex property. They had
to be fenced off so the cows would not drink from the polluted source.
In 1945 the hospital bought a 100 acre farm adjacent to the Annex, along with a
86' x 36' barn, and 20 head of milk cows. The price was $20,000. This was the
first of a number of of purchases to add to the hospital property, not just at
the farm but at the main centre where additional properties were bought along
Lancaster Avenue to provide doctors and nurses residences.
The years following World War II were a time of repair and refurbishing the
properties at the Hospital and at the Annex. In 1955 there is the first hint
that the Provincial Hospital, is reaching the end of its life, and being
considered for a move. The Annex property is suggested as the ideal location.
Three years later it became obvious that a move is not going to be made quickly
by the government of the day.
Any consideration of the Annex becoming the central focus for the care of the
mentally ill must have been dropped in this period for the reports following
1958-59 make no reference to work at the farm, though they continued to give
value for that work. During this period reservations are first expressed by Dr.
Gregory on the continued interest of patients toward work on the farm, and he
wonders aloud if social programs that have been introduced over the years are
making patients less inclined to do the hard work that is part of the farm
scene.
Eventually , a decision was made to phase out the operation, and the last
chapter of the Annex story appeared on September 9, 1970 in the Telegraph
Journal when it was announced:
"FOR SALE- Auction Sale. Provincial Hospital Annex, Holstein Herd, 40
registered cows, 13 registered bred heifers, 20 registered open heifers and
calves, 6 grade heifers. Farm machinery, three furrow plow, two furrow plow,
potato planter, ensilage cutter, and attachments, 2 winter sleds horse drawn, 2
walking plows, dump rake, sling cow lift, other farm equipment and farm tools,
milkers, bulk tank, pails, and other dairy equipment. At the Provincial
Hospital farm, Sand Cove Road, Lancaster, N. B., on September 17, 1970.
Machinery at 10 a.m., Livestock at 1 p.m. Terms cash. The Sussex and Studholm
Agricultural Society, P. O. Box 220, Sussex, Phone 433 - 1880, agent Ora
Buchanan, auctioneer."
After being used temporarily as an interim facility for care of patients and as a training centre, the facility was turned over to the City of Saint John, and in 1976 it was demolished. This area is now known as Meadowland, a development of townhouses and single family homes.
10 More
All pages © Heritage Resources and New
Brunswick Community College - Saint John.