About Oliver's Restaurant
A Little History ... About Our Location
Did you know that St. John's is the oldest city in ALL of North America? Water Street being the first street in St. John's, is therefore the oldest street in North America!
The Suffrage Movement
The women's suffrage movement in Newfoundland got its beginnings in this very building (the Lyon's Building). Officially opened in 1910, the Ladies' Reading Room was crucial to the development of the women's suffrage movement in Newfoundland, allowing many Newfoundland women to come together as a political entity to establish equality amongst both women and men.
The Ladies Reading Room was founded in 1909 by a group of women in response to being banned from attending lectures at a male club. The location, coupled with the excellent view of the Harbour and the close proximity of the busy shopping area, made the Ladies' Reading Room very inviting indeed. The cost of admission during "business" hours was three dollars and the introduction of a new woman end to the group. Membership rapidly jumped to 125 women in the first weeks of opening.
The Ladies' Reading Room provided a social setting, a range of reading materials from England and the United States, and lectures and debates sponsored by the Current Events Club, which met every Saturday. Meeting in this setting provided the women with knowledge of debating and a greater feel for current politics, allowing them to participate in politics in the years to come. Through it all, the dignity and social air of the Ladies' Reading Room prevailed.
Founding Father
Joseph "Joey" R. Smallwood, Newfoundland's founding father of Confederation, began his campaign for Confederation within these very walls.
In the early days of preparation to campaign for the unification of Newfoundland with Canada, Joseph Smallwood encountered many problems with securing a campaign headquarters within St. John's. Known to speak against local merchants (who did not favour Confederation) Joseph Smallwood found himself in a bind until the owner of the Lyon's Building at 160 Water Street, allowed Joey to take up his campaign in the back room of his building. Newfoundland joined Confederation in 1949 and the rest, as they say....is history!