Clow (Family), Murray Harbour North (P.E.I.)

The Clow family has been a notable presence in Murray Harbour North since the early in the nineteenth century. The large Clow house featured in these photographs was built in 1865 by James Clow, son of Scottish immigrant Benjamin Clow. James was a prosperous shipbuilder, lobster packer and merchant. His son Benjamin took over this business in 1890 and it was he who hired master carpenters from Sturgeon to embellish the house, circa 1909, adding corner bays with conical roofing and a balcony with balustrade and gingerbread decoration. Originally the house was a plain box as depicted in these photographs. In 1905 the large building resembling a barn or warehouse was moved across the road and converted into the "big shop"or Clow store. The business went bankrupt in 1928 but Benjamin's son George carried on a small business in the old original Clow shop until 1930 when he moved into the "big shop" after the settlement of the bankruptcy. At various periods his brother James was associated with him in this operation of a general retail business, Clow Bros., until 1956 when the shop was destroyed by fire. In the winter of 1957, the two Clow brothers started business again in the warehouse directly across the road from the "big shop". This business was sold to Mr. Lowell Johnston in 1971.