27 Marlborough Street

27 Marlborough Street

27 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, 27 Marlborough was the home of Frederic Lord Richardson and his wife Mary Augusta (Bartlett) Richardson.  Mary Richardson's father and step-mother, Homer and Louisa (Fowler) Bartlett, lived next door at 25 Marlborough.

Frederick Richardson was treasurer of the Hill Manufacturing Company, operators of a textile mill in Lewiston, Maine.  His father-in-law was president of the company.

After the death of Louisa (Fowler) Bartlett in May of 1873, Homer Bartlett moved to 27 Marlborough to live with the Richardsons.  He died in March of 1874.

Mary Richardson is shown as the owner of 27 Marlborough on the 1874 Hopkins map.  She died in January of 1880, but continued to be shown as the owner of the house on the 1883 and 1888 Bromley maps.

Frederic Richardson died in January of 1898.

After his death, 27 Marlborough became the home of his son, Homer Bartlett Richardson, who succeeded his father as treasurer of the Hill Manufacturing Company.  Homer B. Richardson, et al, are shown as the owners on the 1908 and 1917 Bromley maps.

Homer Richardson married in 1902 to Mary King (Upham) Clark, and he and his wife continued to live at 27 Marlborough.

Homer Richardson probably died in 1920 or 1921.  Mary Richardson continued to live at 27 Marlborough in 1922.  Miss Frances Clark, Mrs. Richardson's daughter by her previous marriage, was listed with her in the 1922 Blue Book.

By 1923, 27 Marlborough was King's Chapel House, which continued to be located there in 1937, and probably later.  Henry Wheeler, et al, Trustees are shown as the owners on the 1928 Bromley map, and Alexander Wheeler, et al, Trustees are shown as the owners on the 1938 Bromley map.

By 1965, 27 Marlborough was owned by the Boston Council of the Boy Scouts of America and used by them for offices.

In February of 1966, Walter and Virginia Fehrmann purchased 27 Marlborough from the Boy Scouts and converted it into nine apartments.  The Fehrmanns already owned 25 Marlborough, next door, which had been converted into nine apartments in 1951.

As of 2007, both 25 Marlborough and 27 Marlborough continued to be apartment houses.