Description of Historic Place

This three storey row brick structure is located at 333 Duckworth Street, St. John’s. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

333 Duckworth Street has been designated for its aesthetic and historical values.

333 Duckworth Street is aesthetically valuable because it is a rare example of brick Victorian row-buildings in the downtown area of St. John’s. Constructed in brick this house has stringcourses on the first and second levels. The main entrance is recessed from the road, as is typical for commercial buildings in the downtown area. This entrance has a transom window above the paneled door and a small shed roof overhangs the entranceway. This building also has two dormer windows which are found just above the eavesline, and they have peaked roofs. This building blends in well with its surrounding buildings.

333 Duckworth Street is historically valuable because of its associations with William Howe Greene. This building was the home of Greene who was one of the major architects in the rebuilding of St. John’s after the Great Fire of 1892. Greene was a prolific architect who designed several prominent buildings in the downtown area, but his most famous building is Cabot Tower, located on Signal Hill. Greene joined the Newfoundland Regiment at the onset of WWI and was discharged in 1919 with the rank of Major, and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his war services. He was a great patron of the City of St. John’s and the province as a whole and bequeathed art and money as a parting gift to the people of Great Britian.

Source: City of St. John's Archives property files - 333 Duckworth Street.

Character-Defining Elements

All elements of the Victorian Style of architecture, including:
-peaked dormer windows;
-mansard roof;
-recessed doorway;
-red brick construction;
-Size, shape, placement and decoration of windows;
-Original door with transom; and
-decorative stringcourses first and second floors.