PHOTOGRAPH

CulturePrince Edward Island

Date1973

Dimensions12 x 9 cm (4 3/4 x 3 9/16 in.)

Object numberXHF.2024.1.12.5

DescriptionA black and white photograph showing Queen Elizabeth II shaking the hand of Wanda Wyatt at the official opening of Beaconsfield Historic House in 1973. To the left of her is first Catherine Hennessey and Father Francis Bolger in a pale suit and polka dot tie. The queen is wearing a sleeveless dress with a large plaid pattern, a hat, white gloves, and a small black handbag on her left wrist. On the reverse is a black stamp which reads “Prince Edward Island HERITAGE FOUNDATION” with “3 July 1973” handwritten in the bottom right corner.
Narrative

In 1971, a historic home in Charlottetown that served as a resident for student nurses was gifted to the PEI Heritage Foundation by the federal government. Two years later, during PEI’s centennial celebrations in 1973, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip arrived at Beaconsfield Historic House for its official opening.

This black and white photograph candidly depicts Queen Elizabeth II being greeted at the front steps of the historic house at the official opening on the morning of July 2. Catherine Hennessey, iconic heritage advocate and the Heritage Foundation’s first executive director, and Father Francis Bolger, a well-known Island historian who sat on the board of the PEI Heritage Foundation both stand looking on.

The Foundation put a lot of work into getting Beaconsfield ready for the visit. In a blog post from 2003, Hennessey recalled the “frightening” feeling of wondering how it would all come together. It did come together though, and the distinguished guests were “greeted as if it had been no work at all.” Today, Beaconsfield is one of the top places for tourists in Charlottetown to stop by and it hosts a vast array of concerts, lectures, and other special events in its Carriage House.