Gibbard, then and now

This character-filled brick structure sits on a side street in Napanee. These are not especially good photos, since the light was bad and I was compromised by the construction fencing. But they do catch the Gothic verticality and eclectic eccentric detail of this once fine school building.

Recently on Facebook there was a report from Heritage Places Television about the Old School House in Napanee, until recently a storehouse for the much-mourned Gibbard Furniture Company, established 1835, which produced  justifiably famous mahogany and cherry furniture.



This lofty structure is now in the hands of the Willy Dog Food Cart Manufacturing Company (ordinarily I would look askance). Heritage Places TV reports that the caring firm is working on  stabilizing the c.1872 'Upper Canada architecture' with plans to restore the structure.

Perhaps the old East Ward Public School on Camden Road will rise again. Unlike Gibbard Furniture of Napanee. Sadly.

Watch this space.