Phoenix Square

Actually four different buildings have stood on the City Hall site. A Tank House was built in 1823 and burned in 1850. The City Council met in the Temperance Hall on the second floor of the Tank House, over the fire hall on the first floor. A Market House came next, with the Temperance Hall and the Council Chamber still on the second floor, the market occupying the first floor and, ironically, a liquor store being located in the basement. It burned in 1867 and was replaced with the first City Hall, which, in 1875, also burned.

Celebrities and guests famed for their evident skills came to the present City Hall when it had a very popular Opera House on the second floor; for example, Oscar Wilde, the Irish playwright, aesthete, and critic, Pauline Johnson (Tekahionwake), the Canadian Mohawk poet and performer, John Philip Sousa, the composer and marching band leader. Reputable opera companies and theatre troupes came to Fredericton. Sir John Macdonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister, and Lady Macdonald were entertained there in 1887. Prince Roland Bonaparte, grand-nephew of Napoleon, arrived in 1893. See also Jones, T. (2003). Final curtain: the story of two opera houses. In Jones, T. Fredericton flashback: Stories and photographs from the past (pp. 118-123). Halifax, NS: Nimbus Publishing.

During 2011, the City of Fredericton undertook construction work along the outside foundation walls of City Hall. This particular excavation process required that an archaeologist supervise the operations and identify any artifacts. For approximately four weeks, construction monitoring occurred around the foundation of Fredericton City Hall to ensure that cultural resources are not inadvertently disturbed or destroyed. Archaeological Prospectors’ crew recovered 459 historic period artifacts. The identified artifacts date from the early 1800’s to modern times. The artifacts were recovered from a trench ~ 2 metres out from the foundation and ~ 2 metres deep, around the majority of the perimeter of the building (see Figures 1-4).

Most of the artifacts recovered were fragments of historic pottery. Along with the historic pottery, fragments of green bottle glass (see Figure 5), clear plate glass (see Figure 6), kaolin pipe fragments (see Figures 7-9), slate roofing tile fragments (see Figure 10), iron nails, metal objects, butchered animal bone and coal. Several types of pottery were identified by either manufacturing process or by distinguishing finish type. Categories of pottery include stoneware, red earthenware, white refined earthenware (WRE) and porcelain. More specifically, examples of WRE include shell- edged pearl ware, transfer ware, painted and flow blue (see Figures 11, 12, 13 and 12 respectively) and sponge ware. The stoneware bottle in Figure 14 was a nice surprise in that it is a near complete example of this type of vessel (only missing a small chip on base). This bottle and the sherds represented in Figure 15 are examples of Derbyshire Stoneware which were most common in this area in the 1800’s. Uses include ink bottles, blacking bottles, preserve bottles and jugs.

Two variants of the shell-edged pearl ware are represented in the collection – blue and green, scalloped and unscalloped. This type of ceramic ranges in dates between ~ 1780 and 1860’s (Noel Hume 1976: 129-131). The examples included in Figure 11 are the unscalloped type, which were likely manufactured late in the range (~1840’s). The numerous examples of transfer ware fragments have an approximate range of manufacture beginning in the late 18th century and continuing to modern day. The most easily identified pattern of the transfer wares is likely that of the Willow pattern (Figure 12, #440) with the two kissing doves. This pattern first makes an appearance in 1792 by potter Thomas Minton (Noel Hume 1976: 130-131, 260-261). Also of interest (in the same figure) is the couple riding on the back of an elephant (artifact #441). In the same figure (#445) is an example of the ‘flow blue’ style of transfer ware common in the middle part of the 19th century. In Figure 13, several examples of painted ceramics are presented and were most common in the first half of the 19th century as well.

The green bottle glass fragments were plentiful. Several examples of free blown bottle base fragments and even a complete base were recovered (see Figure 5). These bottles were typically used for beverages. Dating these fragments can be difficult but would not look out of place in a context from the early 1800’s. Several pieces of clear plate glass (burned and intact) were also recovered. The burned versions are pictured in Figure 6. These artifacts (along with others) are further indication and proof that a fire occurred at this location in the past.

Several fragments of kaolin tobacco pipes were recovered over the course of the archaeological monitoring project (Figures 7-9). As is typical when kaolin pipes are consumed, one finds a larger volume of pipe stem fragments. The pipes had a small bowl at the end of a long stem (as much as ~30 cm). The pipe smoker would occasionally break off a small chunk of the stem as it became gummed up. A few portions of bowls were also recovered. The only identified makers mark was that by W. White of Glasgow, Scotland (although ‘Glasgow’ was stamped on a couple of the stems alone). W. White of Glasgow operated from 1805-1955 (Walker 1977). Also of interest, a few of the pipe stem fragments had thick tobacco/saliva staining on them. Along with the above mentioned typical artifacts associated with historic habitation sites, archaeological monitoring recovered several fragments of slate roofing tiles (Figure 10), cut animal bone, square nails and coal.

Throughout the course of monitoring, natural stratigraphy (layers of sediment) was occasionally encountered on the outside wall of the trench. The natural layers had typical river deposits with well-rolled gravel/pebbles and coarse sand. In several locations, intact cultural deposits were also identified (see Figures 2 & 3). These deposits were often recognised by a large concentration of charcoal/ash and increased number of artifacts (usually burned) indicating that a fire had occurred here in the past and that these layers had not been disturbed since. It is assumed that these layers represent the remains of the fire that destroyed the building here in January, 1875.

Hume, I. N. (1976). A guide to artifacts of Colonial America. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Walker, I. (1977). Clay tobacco-pipes, with particular reference to the Bristol industry. Ottawa: Parks Canada.