In the early 1970s, Montréal-based photographer Brian Merrett undertook a photographic survey of the Shaughnessy House that lead to an appeal for its preservation.

The Shaughnessy House was built by architect William T. Thomas in 1874-1875 on the former site of the Sulpicians’ farm. Constructed in limestone, it consisted of a pair of semi-detached residences with a symmetrical façade divided vertically at the building’s centre point. The house’s residents have included Duncan McIntyre, William van Horne, and Thomas Shaughnessy, all of whom had ties to the senior management of the Canadian Pacific Railway. During the 20th century, the area around the property slowly fell victim to the side effects of unplanned urban growth. By 1973, when it was put up for sale, the house was a women’s hostel owned by the Sisters of Service. It stood isolated by the many demolitions that had occurred around it.

As Merrett recalled, “they were busy disfiguring the area around Saint-Marc Street, where I lived, with the widening of Dorchester [now René-Lévesque] Boulevard and the construction of the Ville-Marie Expressway and its ramps. […] While my neighbourhood was disappearing, my quest for a parking spot led me to the Shaughnessy House one day; it was one of the few remaining residential buildings. I started photographing the house, which was very imposing because of its size, position, and ornamentation. Later, my project became a movement to prevent it from being demolished.”

This sensitivity to urban architecture and heritage is apparent in Merrett’s work. In his small-format images, shot over two days in May 1973, the artist reveals the naturally lit private world of a great house about to be vacated by its final residents. His clear, direct approach captures the soul of the spacious interiors, juxtaposes vestiges of the past with latter-day elements, and evokes the passage of time. Paying particular attention to the decorative patterns on a marble fireplace or opting for a wide view of a large sitting room, the photographer explores the building’s spatial and architectural qualities, revealing the unique character of the two houses: the western one with its original decor, and the eastern one, updated by a succession of owners.

A century after its construction, the building was saved from demolition by Phyllis Lambert, architect and advocate for urban heritage preservation. She purchased it in 1974 and later included the building in her plans for the CCA. Also in 1974, the federal and provincial governments recognized the Shaughnessy House as a historic site.

The CCA Collection holds a set of 40 gelatin silver prints by Brian Merrett, as well as works by Clara Gutsche and Laura Volkerding that record the restoration of the Shaughnessy House, taken as part of a photographic assignment commissioned by the CCA in 1987.