The S.O. Steele Building is a four-storey brick building located at 100 Water Street, St. John’s, NL. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Formal Recognition Type
City of St. John's Heritage Building, Structure, Land or Area
Heritage Value
The S.O. Steele Building was designated a Municipal Heritage Building by the City of St. John’s due to its aesthetic and historic value.
The S.O. Steele Building has aesthetic value because it is an excellent example of Second Empire style commercial architecture. Virtually unaltered since its erection in 1894, this building features the original picture windows, recessed entranceways and transom lights, all typical of this type of architecture. Since the original occupants both worked and lived in this building it was designed to serve this dual purpose, having the shop located on the ground level and residential space on the upper levels. The structure’s fourth storey concave mansard roof with hooded dormers is characteristic of the Second Empire style made popular by builders J. and J. T. Southcott in the years after the Great Fire of 1892. The exterior decoration on this building is typical of late 19th century commercial buildings, having a rather ornate store front and a number of less decorative upper levels. Though there is a belt course separating each of the upper levels and arched brickwork surrounding the third storey windows, these features are rather simplistic, resulting in the storefront receiving increased attention.
The S.O. Steele Building has historic value because of the persons associated with it. The building was constructed in 1894 to replace Hannah Martin’s crock shop, which had been destroyed in the Great Fire of 1892. Sarah Harris, the adopted daughter of James and Hannah Martin, inherited the building when Hannah died in 1899. Sarah married Samuel Owens Steele, who went on to establish S.O. Steele & Sons Ltd. at the location. Samuel Steele came to Newfoundland from England in the 1880s and had previously established a dry goods business in St. John’s in 1886. S.O. Steele & Sons Ltd. was a wholesale trade business, importing ceramics from Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the UK and later from Japan. Samuel and Sarah had ten children and, following their retirement to Devon, England in the early 1920s, the business was passed on to two of their sons, James Robert and Victor. After WWII, James Harris Steele, the second son of James Robert, joined the family business. In the latter half of the 20th century S.O. Steele & Sons Ltd. increased retail sales of china and other ceramic goods. James Robert Steele died in 1970 and Victor Steele retired in 1976, leaving James Harris Steele to operate the business.
Samuel and Sarah’s sons Owen and James Robert, were well-known for their involvement in the First World War. Owen, who was killed at the Somme on July 8, 1916 by a German shell, kept a detailed diary of his service during the war, providing an excellent account of the exploits of Newfoundlanders who fought in WWI. James survived the war, including the attack at Beaumont Hamel that killed or wounded 710 of his fellow Newfoundland soldiers. James’ son James Harris served in WWII as a specialist in the British Royal Artillery and was posted to the 59th (NFLD) Heavy Regiment. He volunteered for service in October of 1943, shortly after his 19th birthday. James Harris Steele donated the Steele family collection to the Archives and Special Collections division of Memorial University’s library, providing invaluable resources regarding Newfoundland and the First and Second World Wars.
Source: City of St. John’s, Meeting held 1989/07/21
Character Defining Elements
-number of storeys;
-chimney number, style and placement;
-mansard roof with bonneted dormers;
-size, style, trim and placement of dormers;
-wooden dormer window size, style, trim and placement;
-slate shingles and decorative elements on front-facing roof;
-eave brackets on front facade;
-asymmetrical front facade;
-brick exterior;
-all decorative brickwork;
-belt course on front and side facades;
-pilasters topped with decorative capitals on front and side facades;
-all other decorative features including mouldings and trim;
-original storefront layout including, picture windows, base panels, transoms above doorways, panelling around doorways, pilasters along storefront, and sign board;
-size, style, trim and placement of wooden windows;
-size, style, trim and placement of exterior wooden doors (wood panel or wood panel with glass);
-dimension, location and orientation of building.
Google map
City of St. John's Website
