. ▁John ' s ▁har bour . ▁ ▁However , ▁Admir al ▁Richard ▁Edwards ▁decided ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁more ▁apt ▁for ▁the ▁Governor ▁to ▁live ▁ash ore , ▁and ▁th ence for th ▁the ▁governor ▁res ided ▁at ▁Fort ▁Town sh end , ▁where ▁the ▁first ▁Government ▁House ▁was ▁constructed . ▁ ▁Comple ted ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 1 , ▁it ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁summer ▁house ▁for ▁the ▁govern ors , ▁but ▁remained ▁in ▁constant ▁use ▁until ▁the ▁present ▁structure ▁was ▁finished ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 1 . ▁Never ▁intended ▁for ▁winter ▁use , ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁compla ined ▁of ▁the ▁cold , ▁and ▁Francis ▁Pick more ▁even ▁died ▁there ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁building ▁plans ▁for ▁Government ▁House ▁were ▁drawn ▁up ▁in ▁England . ▁The ▁Ord in ance ▁had ▁told ▁the ▁Tre as ury ▁that ▁work men ' s ▁w ages ▁were ▁too ▁high ▁in ▁New found land , ▁and ▁subsequently , ▁work men ▁in ▁Scotland ▁were ▁engaged ▁and ▁arrived ▁in ▁St . ▁John ' s ▁to ▁begin ▁construction ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 8 2 7 . ▁The ▁original ▁plan ▁as ▁conce ived ▁by ▁Governor ▁C och rane ▁was ▁for ▁a ▁P all ad ian ▁style ▁two - store y ▁house , ▁plus ▁bas ement . ▁ ▁When ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 1 , ▁Government ▁House ▁cost ▁£ 3 8 , 1 7 5 , ▁which ▁was ▁five ▁times ▁the ▁original ▁estimate ; ▁equal ▁to ▁£ ▁today . ▁The