The amenities offered in Chatham-Kent, proximity to family, and an opportunity to own an affordable historic-designated home were three reasons that prompted Natalie Fitzgerald and Devin Schaffner to leave Toronto, their home for ten years.
Impressed with the beautiful heritage home that friends from Toronto had just purchased in Chatham the previous year, Devin and Natalie enlisted the help of a local friend and realtor to find an outstanding architectural and historic property for them as well.
Schaffner and Fitzgerald fell in love with “Haddington Villa”, located at 90 Park Street and moved with their family to their new home in April of this year.
It is believed that Helen Witherspoon Charteris built the present home in 1877-1878 and named it “Haddington Villa” after the Witherspoon ancestral home in Haddington Scotland.
The architecture is considered to be an amalgamation of Italianate and Gothic Revival styles and features bay windows on three facades as well as a double door main entrance surmounted by an elliptical transom.
Haddington Villa is a well preserved example of a stylish upper middle class residence that has direct associations to several significant 19th century Chatham business and industrialist families; Charteris, Witherspoon, McLaren, Gray and Milner.
Mayor Canniff and the Municipal Heritage Committee are delighted to welcome a new family to Chatham-Kent and acknowledge the family’s role in the preservation and protection of Chatham-Kent’s past for the benefit of both current and future generations.
The new Chatham family will be presented with a welcome basket on Monday June 3 at 10 a.m. at the home of Devin Schaffner and Natalie Fitzgerald, 90 Park Street, Chatham.
