STREET ADDRESS: 39 Cliff Street
CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth
MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth
COUNTY: Yarmouth
YEAR BUILT: circa 1872
ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:
2 storey Second Empire style with 2 storey back ell which has an addition. The steep concavely sloped mansard roof has 3 partially inset, segmental arched dormers in the fornt and 2 on each side, 2 non-symmetrically placed inset chimneys, and inside an open porch with a large, decoratively bracketed hood. Windows have double hung sashes with 2/2 glazing and decorative molded crowns. The windows on the west side of the back ell are paired with larger lower sashes and 3/1 glazing. The house is of wood construction and clad with slate shingles.
HISTORICAL COMMENT:
Probably built between 1870 and 1872 for James Wentworth Bingay, a barrister and partner in the firm of T.V.B. Bingay & Sons. The Bingays were a very prominent and influential family in Yarmouth and included bankers, brokers, barristers and ship owners. Around the same time as this house was being built, Yarmouth was also enjoying some of the latest improvements to the town, in the form of its first Free Public Library and gas street lighting.
CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:
South side of Cliff Street, opposite a brick apartment block. Extensions at back are later additions.
PRESENT OWNER: Donald P. / Leona Comeau
ADDRESS: 39 Cliff Street, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia B5A 3H6
ORIGINAL OWNER: James Wentworth Bingay
OCCUPATION: Barrister
BUILDER: Unknown
ORIGINAL USE: Single family dwelling
PRESENT USE: Single family dwelling
| HISTORY OF BUILDING | ||||
| OWNER | FROM: | TO: | OCCUPATION | BOOK PG |
| James Wentworth Bingay | Apr. 24, 1869 | Feb. 3, 1910 | Barrister | AS 61 |
| Elizabeth M. Creighton, et al |
Feb. 3, 1910 | Feb. 26, 1910 | Heirs-at-law of J. Went Bingay | N/A |
| Maria R. Bingay | Feb. 26, 1910 | Sep. 21, 1910 | Widow | CX 607 |
| John S. Murphy | Sep. 21, 1910 | Mar. 07, 1922 | Hotel keeper | CY 102 |
| Charles K. Fuller | Mar. 07, 1922 | May 01, 1924 | Physician | DQ 189 |
| Lewis M. Morton | May 01, 1924 | Dec. 04, 1936 | Physician | DS 615 |
| Hallie J. Morton | Dec. 04, 1936 | Jun. 21, 1954 | Wife of Dr. Morton | EJ 763 |
| Lewis M. Morton | Jun. 21, 1954 | Jun. 01, 1955 | Physician / Widower | FI 109 |
| George / Irene Allen | Jun. 01, 1955 | May 08, 1979 | Grocer | FL 49 |
| Donald / Leona Comeau | May 08, 1979 | Present | International trade consultant | GP 184 |
COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:
This property seems to be well remembered as the home of Dr. Lewis Morton, who had come to Yarmouth from Tusket in early 1924, and went into practice with Dr. Charles Fuller and Dr. W. C. O'Brien in offices on Main Street. In 1955 Dr. Morton sold the home to George and Irene Allen, who were well known for the grocery store Mr. Allen had for many years at 102 Main Street.
SOURCES: Registry of Deeds / Probate (Yarmouth); 1878, 1879 B.E.V. maps of Yarmouth; N.S. Directories, 1871, 1907-08; Map of Yarmouth County, by A.F. Church, (1870); Yarmouth Directories, 1890, 1895, 1949; Yarmouth Genealogies, C. Doane.