Description of Historic Place

Honourable William Annand House is a two-and-a-half storey double house (town house) of brick construction with stucco façade. It is a valuable addition to a streetscape of substantial residences located in south end of Hollis Street in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Today, it is one of the best restored structures in the area. The heritage designation applies to the building and the land it occupies.

Heritage Value

Honourable William Annand House is valued for its association to the development of the south end of Hollis Street and its many influential and notable occupants. The north portion of the house was a lodging house known as Ritcey House for the Henrici family of Lunenburg and Riverport for about twenty years. The two halves of the property were re-assembled under the ownership of Max Pascal in 1962.

The building was built by Henry Peters between 1870 and 1871 and remained in his ownership until 1895. Peters and his brother Simon came to Halifax with George Blaiklock from Quebec to build the Wellington Barracks. Peters stayed on to build St. Matthew Church, the Union Bank, Trinity Garrison Church, and other notable Halifax buildings.

The Honourable William Annand was a tenant in the north half of the house from 1870 to 1875, until he went to London as Agent General for Canada. He returned to the house in 1885 and lived there until his death in 1887. Annand was highly influential in the political life of Nova Scotia. He was also editor of the “Novascotian;” founder of the “Morning Chronicle;” Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA); and was Provincial Treasurer. In addition, he held the position of President for the Executive Council (Premier) from1867 to 1875, and opposed Confederation. Another notable tenant of the north half of the house between 1875 and 1882 was Henry Pryor, who was a member of the Queen’s Council, Justice of the Peace, Stipendiary Magistrate, and a former Mayor of Halifax and MLA.

C.G. Oland was a manager of the well-known Keith Brewery rented the house briefly, then it was sold to Charlotte Annand, the wife of Immigration agent Fredrick William who was the younger brother of the Honourable William Annand. The Frederick Annand family lived here until 1908, but the house remained in Mrs. Annand's estate until 1940. During this period the south half of the house was the office of Stevens Transport and the store of South End Pharmacy, and later the Hollis Pharmacy under the ownership of George W. Hubley in 1962.

Architecturally, Honourable William Annand House is valued as an example of Late Victorian Plain and for its uncommon brick construction. The majority of homes built during this period in Halifax were wood. The north and south halves of the double house of stuccoed brick is two-and-one-half storeys on a high basement with mansard roof and segmental roof dormers. The entrances were accessible by stone steps at either end, each section being of three bays of tall windows with keyed segmental arches and lug sills in sandstone. The building is in transitional style, with elements of Italianate and Second Empire influence, restrained by Georgian discipline. The south section has a street level store front that was added in the mid twentith century resulting in the removal of the door and closing of the main floor windows.

Source: Heritage Property File: 1226 Hollis Street, Honourable William Annand House, found at HRM Planning and Development Services, Heritage Property Program, 6960 Mumford Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Honourable William Annand House include:

- Second Empire style mansard roof;
- Italianate bracketed features;
- dormers;
- symmetrical upper storey windows;
- defined north and south residential sections;
- north half entrance with entablature, arched transom, glazed wood door;
- round headed windows on first storey;
- raised basement with windows.