Dr. Storey's house .......

Dr. Storey's House

As a lover of architecture, even though I tend towards favouring the classic lines of the Georgian style, I have always had a fondness for this lovely Queen Anne masterpiece sitting majestically on St. Marie Street in my hometown of Collingwood Ontario.

The Queen Anne style of architecture in North America refers to the period between 1880 and 1915, but historically, sees it's origins in Britain during the reign of Queen Anne (reigned 1702 - 1714), and was an English Baroque architectural style favoured during that time and also revived as Queen Anne Revival during the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.  

It's namesake Queen Anne would hardly have been pleased by the appropriation of her name, for structures of this style were a virtual free-for-all mixing of many picturesque elements such as gables, towers and turrets all put together in an irregular form.  They also boasted many classical features, such as Palladian windows, classical orders, and other more stately trimmings, all stacked together in an architectural fantasy sometimes reminiscent of a wooden wedding cake.

It was originally envisioned to be an English return to the idealized medieval vernacular house style devised by British architect Richard Norman Shaw (1831 - 1912), and as such the style is sometimes referred to as "Shavian Manor."  It saw massive popularity in North America in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.  It featured a very hospitable sprawling look that was perfectly suited to the broad expanse of lawns in many an Ontario town.  When recognizing a Queen Anne home, look for deep porches, towers, complicated rooflines, and a multiplicity of building materials.  Fishtail shingles, spooled porches and a multitude of ornate stained glass windows are usually a good clue that your looking at a Queen Anne home.

As I stated previously, this beautiful example graces tree lined St. Marie Street in Collingwood, and for many years was the home of Dr. Robert Storey and his family.  It is a testament to it's builders, The Bryan Brothers, who were responsible for the construction of so many of our grand homes during that period. Although it has seen many changes throughout the years, it has fortunately been well cared for and maintained by those fortunate enough to have called it home.

St. Marie Street looking northwest, 1905