Halifax Public Libraries

Government House was built for Sir John Wentworth (1737-1820) in 1800, and is Canada’s oldest Lieutenant Governor residence. Charles Hastings Doyle (1804-1883) has the distinction of being the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia three times: first from 1863-1864, then acting in 1865, and finally, again from 1867-1873. In the middle, was British Colonel William Fenwick Williams (1800-1883), known as the ‘Hero of Kars’. He was an adamant supporter of strengthening the military defense of Nova Scotia and thought a British North American union as a solution to the problem.

Another Lieutenant Governor of the time was Adams George Archibald (1814-1892), one of the Fathers of Confederation. Archibald became a lawyer and politician in the Liberal Party, eventually becoming the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia in 1873. Archibald was the leader of the Liberal Party (also known as the Reformers) in 1862, and attended both the Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences. His support of Charles Tupper was against the views of most of his political party.

Date: [1912?]

Reference: Halifax Public Libraries Postcard Collection Halifax Central Library HPL-PC-0065

For more information, please contact the Local History Room at the Halifax Central Library.