Harold Mitton’s leadership and why it would soon have to take a serious look at expansion.

The growth required more organization and office assistance so shortly after the arrival of Pastor Mitton, in early 1956, Mrs. Charles (Alberta) Aitken was hired as First Baptist’s first full-time office manager. For the next seven years, through the planning and construction of their new facility, Alberta Aitken was considered the pulse ofthe organization, capably providing the pastor and various working committees with long overdue, efficient secretarial services. In May, the Mittons welcomed a new chosen daughter, Ruth Christine, into their family. She was a timely blessing because early in their new pastorate, Harold and Marguerite Mitton faced a serious crisis when their son Ron’s appendix burst and was mis-diagnosed as stomach flu. Thanks to the prompt Alberta Aitken discovery and action by a Charlottetown surgeon, his life was saved, but not before he was subject to a very serious operation, while church members assembled in the chapel for prayer.

Harold Mitton was not in the Charlottetown Baptist pulpit a year, before he realized that as stately and unique as the church was, it was too small. Only 75% of the members were able to find an open pew on Sunday mornings. Although a major upgrade had recently been completed, the building was now almost 70 years old and would soon require a complete exterior facelift. There was a pressing need for a new facility, and the matter was being seriously discussed by trustees, deacons and the Board of Management. A quick decision was made to take a serious look at the costs involved in pursuing a major expansion. Throughout the summer of 1958, enthusiasm for renewal was running high, and the catalyst to make it happen was about to step forward. Captain Carl Burke was the energetic local founder of two airlines, Maritime Central Airways and Nordair. Together with his wife Florence, he was aware of the expansion discussions and offered to underwrite the cost of the property on the opposite corner to the church. This gesture of generous giving sealed the deal, and relocation plans moved into high gear.

The property in question was the old ”Turner house”, the former home of Charlottetown businessman, Percy Turner. It was situated on the north-west corner of Prince and Fitzroy Streets, and the property was large enough to accommodate

a major facility. The site was one corner of the original, full-block, ‘Holland Grove' estate owned by John

Frederick Holland. It had been broken into smallerlots in 1841,four years before the original Baptist Chapel was built opposite the northeast corner. The Turner property had a couple ofthings going for it. The location WaS excellent and was within

100 yards of where Baptists

Turner House on Prince Street (c. 1910) -(hurch Site . PublicArchivesofPEl '" Charlottetown had

110