"George Brown" House | Photograph: Courtesy Geoffrey MacLean 17 May 2009
The “George Brown House” was the centre of controversy when there were plans for its demolition it in 1985 to make way for a new office complex. This led to the “George Brown Uprising” as John Newel-Lewis described it and the establishing of Citizens for Conservation. Because of the public outcry, the house was saved and subsequently restored.
The building was designed by architect George Brown in 1888 for the Seigert family. George Brown’s daughter, Jessie Simpson, and her husband bought it from the Prado family in 1941. She lived there with her sister, Jane Brown, until her death in 1959. Jane continued living there until her death in 1980.
George Brown was Trinidad’s great nineteenth century architect. Brown studied at the Glasgow Anthenaeum where he qualified as a builder/architect in the late 1870’s. He joined the firm of Gregor Turnbull and Company of Glasgow and was sent to Trinidad in June 1883. His designs reflect his Scottish origins, incorporating cast iron work from foundries in Glasgow as well as the introduction of decorative fretwork from woodworking machines imported from Scotland.
In 1891, the “Great Fire of Port of Spain” devastated much of Marine Square (now Independence Square) and lower Frederick Street, Port of Spain’s central square and main commercial street. George Brown redesigned the area in a distinctive style of balconies with cast iron balustrading extending over the pavements, decorative fretwork to the gables and eaves of the buildings, and large central atriums with high clerestory windows which provided cooling cross-ventilation and light to the interior of the buildings.
George Brown returned to Scotland in 1920 where he retired to cultivate vegetables and flowers until his death in 1936.
GEORGE BROWN
12 September 1852 to 1936
Trinidad’s great nineteenth century architect, George Brown studied at the Glasgow Anthenaeum where he qualified as a builder/architect in the late 1870’s. He joined the firm of Gregor Turnbull and Company of Glasgow and was sent to Trinidad in June 1883. His designs reflect his Scottish origins, incorporating cast iron work from foundries in Glasgow as well as the introduction of decorative fretwork, a popular Victorian aesthetic, from woodworking machines.
The “George Brown House” or 6 Queens Park West, is perhaps the leading symbol of Trinidad and Tobago’s architectural and built heritage from the late nineteenth, early twentieth century. Built in 1887 by George Brown, it was designed for the Seigert family who sold it in 1941 to George Brown’s daughter, Jessie Simpson and her husband. The house was occupied by the Simpson family and Jessie’s sister Jane Brown until 1980.
Although he never lived in the house, it has very personal connections to George Brown.
Brown was responsible for many of the architectural design innovations with which we are all so familiar – the decorative wooden fretwork, finials and crestings and the cast iron columns, which can still be seen throughout Port of Spain. His designs are integral to Trinidad and Tobago’s architectural vernacular.
The “gingerbread” effect of this period of architecture is not only decorative and aesthetically proportioned, but highly functional. Steep pitched roofs provide fast disposal of rain water as well as insulation to the inner spaces. The large eaves provide shade and shelter, the decorative fretwork trim providing additional protection, but allowing light to filter through. Good cross ventilation to the interior is provided by open spaces at the top of interior walls and decorative fretwork around jalousie windows. Jalousies provide ventilation as well as privacy as required.
In 1891, the “Great Fire of Port of Spain” devastated much of Marine Square (now Independence Square) and lower Frederick Street, Port of Spain’s central square and main commercial street. George Brown redesigned the area in a distinctive style of balconies with cast iron balustrading extending over the pavements, decorative fretwork to the gables and eaves of the buildings, and large central atriums with high clerestory windows which provided cooling cross-ventilation and light to the interior of the buildings. The balconies over the pavement also provided shade and shelter for pedestrians.
The original Queen’s Park Hotel was one of the projects that George Brown designed.
George Brown returned to Scotland in 1920 where he retired to cultivate vegetables and flowers until his death in 1936.
Recently Hejdi Simpson contacted me through my Citizens for Conservation facebook page to offer George Brown artifacts in her possession and copies of his Diary notes on his way to Trinidad. Hejdi would be George Brown’s great granddaughter. Our dialogue was extremely productive. On behalf of Citizens for Conservation I received George Brown’s drawing instruments. These would have been used to create the details of so many of our important Heritage Buildings. More recently I received a copy of his Diary with notes on his voyage to Trinidad via Barbados from 1st June to 17th June 1883.
In 1985, the new owners of the George Brown House site, had scheduled it for demolition, planning to use the site for a high density office structure. The rumour circulated and there was an immediate reaction in the form of a demonstration, now more commonly referred to as the “George Brown Uprising”. The demonstration was extremely effective, the developers re-evaluating their plans, agreeing to keep, preserve, and restore the building.
The demonstration and it’s results supported those who defended the need to preserve Trinidad and Tobago’s Architectural heritage, which led to the formation of Citizens for Conservation of Trinidad and Tobago, and by extension the need for control by a National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago.
Among the buildings designed by George Brown were: Many buildings around the Queens Park Savannah, including the old Queens Park Hotel, Mille Fleurs, and Hayes Court. The Roman Catholic Archbishop’s House was built by George Brown, but with plans prepared in Ireland.
Other buildings he designed included St. Ann’s Church on Charlotte Street, the Royal Victoria Institute, Sacred Heart Church on Richmond Street, and most of the shops on lower Frederick Street including Stephens and Todd; Gelendinnings; Hoadley; Muir Marshall; and on Marine (Independence) Square, Barclays Bank building and the Union Club among others. He also designed the Catholic Church at Moruga and most of the Catholic Churches throughout Trinidad as well as several of the old plantation houses.
