Description of Historic Place

The Etherington-Robertson House is located on a built-up knoll on the corner of Hammond Street and John Street in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. This two-and-a-half storey, wood construction, Queen Anne Revival style house was built in 1909. The house, carriage house and property are included in the municipal designation.

Heritage Value

The Etherington-Robertson House is valued for its Queen Anne Revival style and for its historical associations with the shipbuilding industry of Shelburne.

John Etherington had this house built in 1909 by Watt Dexter, Frank King and Robert Jones. Etherington was a descendant of an early Shelburne resident, John Etherington who arrived in Shelburne in 1775 after deserting his Royal Navy vessel while moored in Shelburne Harbour. His descendants became well known shipbuilders, including his grandson John Etherington who established a shipyard in Shelburne that specialized in yachts, having apprenticed with master yacht craftsmen in Marblehead, Massachusetts. In 1926 local historian and postmaster Lewis V. Robertson purchased the house.

The Etheringon-Robertson House is one of the finest examples of Queen Anne Revival architecture in the province and has been relatively unaltered since its construction. It sits on a built-up knoll with a graceful curving driveway that leads to the original carriage house (currently used as a garage). Large granite slabs define the knoll and bind it to the remainder of the lot. The interior reflects the original owner’s involvement in shipbuilding, as the front entry and foyer have quartered oak elements, the floors are white oak and the wood used in the living room is cypress. All of these woods would have been used by Etherington in yacht building.

Source: Town of Shelburne, Heritage Property files, no. 13, Shelburne, Nova Scotia.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Etherington-Robertson House relating to its Queen Anne Revival style include:

- two-and-a-half storey wood construction;
- variety in the façade of the house, expressed in the Tudor-influenced west gable dormer, two south-facing gabled dormers, two shed dormers in the roof line and a three bay asymmetrical front façade;
- variety of window treatments and types;
- gable roof;
- granite foundation;
- wood shingle cladding;
- verandah across west and south façades, the lower portion is stuccoed and shingled support posts;
- second storey string course.

Character-defining elements of the Etherington-Robertson House property include:

- knoll defined by granite slabs and prominent location overlooking central Shelburne;
- driveway leading to carriage house;
- original carriage house.

Character-defining elements of the interior of the Etherington-Robertson House include:

- quartered oak-panelled front entry and foyer;
- white oak floors;
- cypress-panelled living room.