23 Marlborough Street

23 Marlborough Street

23 Marlborough Street was built ca. 1866 for merchant, cotton manufacturer, and real estate developer Charles W. Freeland, probably for speculative sale, one of four contiguous houses (21-23-25-27 Marlborough).  The four houses form two pairs of mirror opposite buildings (21-23 Marlborough and 25-27 Marlborough); each pair has a single entrance porch which creates a symmetrical entryway.

By 1870, 23 Marlborough was the home of Preston Adams Ames and his wife, Ann Fessenden (Barnes) Ames.

P. Adams Ames was a shipping merchant, banker, and broker.

They continued to live there in 1872, and probably until about 1874 (he is shown as the owner on the 1874 Hopkins map), but had moved by 1875 to the Hotel Vendome.

By 1875, 23 Marlborough was the home of Rev. John Charles Phillips and his wife, Harriet (Welch) Phillips.  They had lived at 74 Marlborough in 1872.

Rev. Phillips was formerly the pastor of the First Congregational Church in Methuen.  His father, John Phillips, was the first mayor of the City of Boston.

Rev Phillips died in November of 1878; Harriet Phillips continued to live at 23 Marlborough until her death in March of 1891.

By 1892, 23 Marlborough was the home of John and Harriet Phillips's son-in-law and daughter, Dr. Francis Henry Williams and Anna Dunn (Phillips) William.  They had been married in September of 1891.  Anna (Phillips) Dunn probably had lived at 23 Marlborough with her mother prior to their marriage.

Francis H. Williams was a physician and a pioneer in the use of x-rays and radiation for both diagnostic and therapy purposes.

The Williams continued to live at 23 Marlborough in 1895.

The house was not listed in the 1897 Blue Book.

By 1898, it was the home of Eugene Charles, a dressmaker from France, and his wife, Marie.  In addition to making it their home, they operated a boarding house with several lodgers.  Eugene and Marie Charles continued to live there in 1900.

By 1901, 23 Marlborough was the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. I. Metcalf, who also continued to accept lodgers.  They continued to live there in 1902.

By 1903, it appears likely that the house had been purchased by the Winsor family (probably by Robert and Eleanor Winsor), who owned 21 Marlborough.  Mrs. M. E. Stearns is shown in the Blue Books as a resident of both houses, operating them as lodging houses.  She continued to live there in 1905.  In the 1905 City Directory, eleven roomers and boarders were listed at 21 Marlborough, and eleven more (plus Mrs. Stearns) at 23 Marlborough.

23 Marlborough was not listed in the Blue Books after 1906, having been combined with 21 Marlborough.  The two houses probably continued to be operated as a lodging house through about 1911.  Eleanor (Magee) Winsor, the wife of Robert Winsor, is shown as the owner of 21-23 Marlborough on the 1908 and 1917 Bromley maps.

By 1913, Robert and Eleanor Winsor had made 21-23 Marlborough their Boston home.  Also listed there in the 1913 Blue Book, in the "too late for entry section," were Congressman Augustus P. Gardner, his wife Constance (Lodge) Gardner, and their daughter, Constance Gardner.  The Gardners were no longer listed there in the 1915 Blue Book.

The Winsors continued to live at 21-23 Marlborough in 1917, and probably somewhat later.  They primary residence, however, remained Chestnut Farm in Weston.

In about 1919, 21-23 Marlborough was purchased by Dr. Thomas Morris Murray, a physician, and his wife, Eleanor Vinton (Clark) Murray. They previously had lived at 77 Mount Vernon Street.  Eleanor V. Murray is shown as the owner on the 1928 Bromley map.

The Murrays also maintained a summer home in Pomfret Centre, Connecticut.

In October of 1919, Dr. Murray filed for permission to remodel the house, including adding a story to the existing rear ell.  In November, he modified the plans to also add a new 23 foot by 8 foot rear addition, to the right of the existing ell.  Both changes were approved by the Board of Appeal on November 23, 1919.

They continued to live at 21-23 Marlborough until his death in December of 1934.

By July of 1936, 21-23 Marlborough had been acquired by the Katharine Gibbs School, which remodeled the buildings into classrooms and a dormitory. 

The 1938 Bromley Atlas shows James Gibbs, et al, trustees, as the owners of this building.

In May of 1954, the school converted the buildings entirely into classrooms, eliminating the dormitory use.

In the mid-1950s, the school transferred ownership of the property to the Katharine Gibbs Realty Trust.

In 1968, the Katharine Gibbs School was purchased by Macmillan Inc.  The property was retained by the Katharine Gibbs Realty Trust.

In May of 1989, Macmillan Inc. announced plans to sell the Katharine Gibbs School.  The School subsequently was purchased by Phillips Colleges.  Probably in anticipation of (or as a part of) the sale, in June of 1989, the Katharine Gibbs Realty Trust transferred 21-23 Marlborough to Macmillon Inc.  At the same time, it also transferred its ownership of several other properties, including 4-5 Arlington Street and 86 Beacon Street.