Restoration
The Historic Fulford Place Mansion, Brockville, ON.
Senator George Fulford made millions of dollars from "Pink Pills for Pale People"- patent
medicine he manufactured in Brockville and sold around the world. He built Fulford
Place, a 20,000-square-foot Edwardian mansion between 1899 and 1901. The original
grounds were designed by Frederick Olmsted of the Olmsted landscaping firm, which
also designed Central Park in New York City. Tapestries, paintings, statuary and
ceramics collected on the Fulfords' world travels are on display throughout the period
rooms. An original Tiffany dragonfly lamp still graces the study. The grand style of the
Beaux Art house was ideally suited to the Fulfords, as they entertained Canadian Prime Ministers, British princes and the neighbouring well-to-do whose grand "cottages" lined
the St. Lawrence.
The mansion and contents were donated to the Ontario Heritage Foundation in 1987.
It is open to the public for tours.
This window on the landing of the grand staircase was completely restored by our firm
in 2002. The large central panel (Right), size 4' x 7', had been removed and stored for
more than 25 years because of it's fragile state. A thermal pane window
had been fit
into the opening. When we first opened the crate to view the panel, we found that
the leading had largely disintegrated. One of our biggest challenges was to recreate
the pattern to use as a working drawing.
There was no original exterior glazing to protect this window. As part of our project,
we were asked to supply and install "period" framing for the opening. We designed
frames in 2.5" clear pine with brass vents to prevent heat build up and a screw system
for easy removal for cleaning. The fabrication of the wooden frames was contracted
to Asbex Ltd. of Ottawa. Painting, scaffolding and installation by Northern Art Glass.