Number 23 Gower Street is located on the South Side of the Street just over from Cavendish Square. It is a mansard roof house with two dormer windows in the mansard and a ground floor bay window. It is situated in a block of houses well kept, fine-looking houses. Next door are four houses which were built by Southcott. It was built shortly after the 1892 fire, like many houses in downtown St. John's, for Mr. George McCoubrey. He was a tinsmith and partner in the firm of McCoubrey and Clouston on Water Street, and had lived at this address prior to the fire. The house was sold in 1912 to R. Wright and was sold to Arthur Cole Peters around 1920. Mr. Peters and then his daughter lived in the house for more than 40 years into the sixties.

Douglas Hill and Sandy Newton purchased the house in 1996 with the intention of restoring it and were aware of many of the problems they would face. Over a 30 year period up to the early 1990's the house had many changes both to the interior and exterior, few of which were to the benefit of the dwelling.

The original windows were replaced and a bedroom was cut out of the dining room. As well the exterior was neglected until it required substantial work. The clapboard all had to be replaced and insulation was added at this time. A major problem in the house was that the transverse beam had broken, causing the floors throughout the house to settle. The house had to be jacked up and a new beam inserted. Fortunately there was only minor damage as a result, such as some cracking of plaster in the living room wall. The front hall had to be redone with the transom window being added because of changes over the years.

Fortunately a plaster arch in the front hall had not been removed. The back bedroom on the second floor had the single vinyl window replaced by two double hung wooden windows.

The stairs to the third floor had to be scraped, sanded and refinished with bannister rail and spindles replaced and repaired. Douglas Hill spent many hours scraping and picking at the moulding on the side of the stairs which had been heavily painted over the years. The third floor back bedroom had a small sliding window replaced and has a view of the harbour and the south side hills.