Gillis House, Inns on Great George

The historic value of the Gillis House lies in its association with local merchant P.P. Gillis, its architecture and its contribution to the streetscape.

P.P. Gillis was a colorful, local merchant who owned a variety of businesses, including a stable business and a pharmacy, which had a bootlegger located in the back. Apparently the bootlegger was quite popular with local businessmen during prohibition. Gillis had this double tenement built in 1892. Chappell and Phillips were the architects and the Lowe Bros. firm was the contractor. Each side of the tenement rented for $200. per year and in fact, Gillis, himself had lived in the tenement. An 1890 newspaper notice indicated that Gillis had hoped to build four “first class” buildings along Great George Street, however, the current building appears to be all that came of the plan. P.P. Gillis died in August of 1912 and the executors of his estate indicated their intention of selling the building at auction. The building was described as being “finished in first class style…heated with hot water, supplied with baths (and) a complete system of sewerage”. A coach house, stable and land were included in the sale.

Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2 Record # 1407.