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The architecture of William Thomas Ritchie, T.

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Architecture Canada, 44, 500, pp. 41-45, 1967-05

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The Architectureof William Thomas by T. Ritchie

AT.IAtYTiE

Reprinted from Architecture Canada Vol. 44, No. 500, May | 967 p.4l

g{'zEt

Technical Paper No.246 of the Division of Building Research

Ottawa May 1967

Price 10 cents NRC9565

37306624-/2^,/,/a The Architectureof WilliamThomas

T. Ritchie

Mr Bitchie is a Research Officer with the lnorganic Materials Section of the Division of Building Research, of the National Research Council

comingto Canadaand of his personality, includingCobourg, Guelph and London.All littleappears to havebeen recorded. of thesetowns were relativelysmall in those daysand in the earlystages of theirdevelop- The placeof his birth has beengiven as ment. Ten yearsbefore Thomas came to Stroud,in Gloucestershire,England, and its population was lessthan 3,000 the datewas 1800.When he cameto persons;that of Hamiltonwas probably Canadaabout 1840 he was then therefore abouta thousand;and only a few years forty yearsof age,and probablyhad had passedsince Londonhad beenlaid out alreadyabout fifteen yearsof experiencein as a town. so it consistedof only a few the architecturalorofession. Colvin's housesand log cabins.At the end of the next "BiographicalDictionary of EnglishArchi- decade.however, when Thomas arrivedon tects" refersto WilliamThomas as having the scene,Toronto had been incolporated practicedin Birmingham,where he designed as a city and had a populationof closeto the church of St Matthew, ListerStreet, 15,000persons, Hamilton had about 5,000, Duddeston,built in 1839; and refersto his and Londonabout 3,000.This rapid brotherJohn Thomas(1813-62) who growth of UpperCanada continued in the assistedWilliam for a time. LaterJohn next two decadesat an even greaterrate becamewell known as a sculptorand than before.Conditions were such as to practicedalso as an architect.The dictionary requirea considerableprogram of building William Thomas makesreference to William Thomasof constructionand accordingly provided LeamingtonSpa, who designedLansdowne architectswith an importantrole in the WilliamThomas, an Englisharchitect, came Crescentand Circusand otherhouses and developmentof the new country. to this countryin 1840,when Canadawas villasthere, and who publishedin 1843 a a small,rapidly-developing country, but book "Designsfor Monumentsand The Work of William Thomas one in which,fortunately, prevailing Chimney-Pieces."These references to conditionsencouraged the full employmentof William Thomas identify him as the archi- The earliestbuilding that Thomasdesigned his greattalents as an architect.The period tect who cameto Canada,since the in Canadamay havebeen the Commercial from 1840 until 1860, the year of his death, "CanadianGazetteer", published by William Bank Buildingat 15 WellingtonStreet made up the last third of his lifetime. Smithin Torontoin 1846,mentions the West in Toronto.which was constructedin Duringit WilliamThomas designed some architectWilliam Thomas as havingbeen 1842 andstill stands. Originally built for the of the most importantbuildings erected in "late of LeamingtonSpa", and the obituary CommercialBank, it was taken over by Canada.Many stillstand today and provide of his son (W. T. Thomas,who died in anotherbanking company, and laterstill by evidenceof his considerableskill in the art Montrealin 1892) refersto WilliamThomas firmswho haveused it as an officebuilding of buildingdesign. For this valuablelegacy as the architectwho cameto Toronto from (Figure 1). his nameshould occupy an importantplace England,and whose brotherJohn had in the historyof architecturein Canada.ln "won wide distinctionas a sculptorand ln 1845 constructionwas startedon another ' addition, however,recognition should be architect,having been chosen by Sit Charles given to his developmentof the architec- Barry,the architectof the Housesof Patlia- tural talentsof his students,who, as a ment , . . to executethe statuaryabout that resultof his training,came themselvesto building". occupy importantplaces in the early history of the architecturalprofession of Canada. The reasonwhy Thomasgave up his practicein Englandfor a new life in Canada His Life Before Coming to Canada is not known. Perhapsinsufficient demand for hisservices in England,and therefore Little detailedinformation appears to have insufficientscope for the developmentof his beenpublished on the life and work of abilities,ptompted him, like manyother WilliamThomas. Of his careerin Canada architectsof that period of time, to come a reasonably-detailedaccount can be pre- to North America. paredfrom scatteredinformation which appearsin generalaccounts of buildingin Thomassettled in Toronto and most of his Canadain the middledecades of the 1gth work was carriedout thereand in Hamilton, 1 century.and many of the buildingshe althoughhe alsoreceived commissions to Commercial Bank Building, 15 Wellington designedare known. Of his lifebefore designbuildings in othercommunities Strcet West. Torcnto Edifice de la Banque Commerciale, 15 rue Welli n gton o uest, Torc nto 2 4 St Paul's Church, London Bay Street Presbyterian Church, Toronto Eglise St Paul, Londres photographedby O. Thompsonin 1868 3 (Pu blic,Archives of Canada) Oakham House, Toronto L'Eglise Presbytdriennede la rue Bay, Maison Oakham, Torcnto Toronto, photographi6e par O. Thompson en 1868 (Archives Publiques d'Ottawa) 5 St Lawrence Hall, Toronto (Toronto Public Libraries) St Lawrence Hall, Toronto (Bibliothique Publigue de Toronto)

of hisToronto projects St Michael'sCathedral and Palaceat Bond and ChurchStreets. Thesebuildings were openedin 1848. The spire,however, was not built until afterhis death,and it was built to the design of MessrsGundry and Langley.

About the time of the start of construction of St Michael'sCathedral the buildingof a new churchwas undertakenin Londonto replacethe EpiscopalChurch (St Paul's) which had burneddown in 1844.William Smith,in his"Canadian Gazetteer" of 1846. mentionedThomas as the architectof the new churchin London(Figure 2). Smith alsomentioned Thomas in connectionwith the constructionin Torontoof "new stores at presenterecting in King street". lt would seem,therefore, that not long after his arrivalin Toronto,Thomas had estab- lisheda successfulpractice in architectural designand had receivedcommissions for the designof importantbuildings.

A directoryof Torontofor 1843 listedtwo architects,J. G. Howardand KivasTully, in additionto Thomas.Howard and Thomas had comefrom England,Tully from lreland. Smithin his "Gazetteer"of 1846 gavethe numberof architectsin Torontoas four (without their nan'res).He alsomentioned that therewere amongthe tradesand professionsin Toronto two surveyors,five artistsand pofiraitpainters, four engravers, two drawingmasters, one nail maker, sixteenbuilders and twenty-fivecabinet makers,which indicatesthe development taking placein Toronto.

In Smith'slater book on Canada,published in 1851. the businessdirectory for Toronto listedthe namesof nine architects,the partnersCumberland and Ridout,W. W. Fraser,J. G. Howard,Joseph Shenod, John Tully,Kivas Tully, Thomas Young, and WilliamThomas, whose address is givenas "OakhamHouse, Church St". In the same book the businessdirectory for Hamilton listedWilliam Thomas, "architect and surveyor,King St", and it alsolisted G. F. Thomas,a surveyoralso on King Street, who may have been a brother,son or other relativeof WilliamThomas. By the year 6 8 Victona Hall, St Paul's Presbyterian Church, Hamilton 7 (Torcnto P ublic L ibra ries) City Hail, Guelph Eglise Presbyt'rienne St Paul, Hamilton HOtel de Ville, Guelph (Bibliothique Publique de Toronto)

1851, therefore,the practiceof Thomas requiredthe maintenanceof two offices. Two of his sons,W. T. and C. P. Thomas, trainedwith him and probablypracticed with him. An articledstudent William G. Storm,son of a Torontobuilder, had joined the office in 1844,when eighteenyears of age.

Of threebuildings designed by Thomasand constructedin 1848,one remains,his own houseand officewhich he called"Oakham House",at Churchand Gould Streetsin Toronto (Figure3). Of the two others,the PresbyterianChurch at Bay and Richmond Streetswas demolishedin 1886,and Knox'sChurch on Oueenat JamesStreet was takendown in 1906.The formeris shown in the "photographicviews of the principalbuildings in the city of Toronto", publishedin 1868by O. Thompson, "PhotographicPublisher" (Figure 4, lrom the PublicArchives of Canada).lt shows fine Gothicdetail, especially in the tower. Thompsondescribed the churchas beingof Kingstonstone and white brick,with Ohio stonefor facingsand carvedwork.

Oneof the mostimportant works of Thomas was St LawrenceHall, which was com- pletedin 1850. For manyyears thereafter it servedas Toronto's principal concert and lecturehall. World-famed artists of the time, includingJenny Lind,"the Swedish Nightingale",performed in St LawrenceHall, which stillstands, and is at presentbeing renovatedfor continuinguse as a concert hafl. ft is shown in Figure 5, an early photograph. A somewhatsimilar building, which also remainsin use,was designedby Thomas for the town of Cobourg(Figure 6). This buildingis the Town Hall,also called VictoriaHall, and it contains"a complete operahouse which was openedby a grand ballwith the Princeof Wales,later King Edward,in attendanceon September6, 1860".The designof VictoriaHall has been variouslyattributed to WilliamThomas and to KivasTully. There is no doubt that Thomas was associatedwith the building,since the localpaper in 1858 notedthat "the carvings I Zion Church. corner Adelaide and Bay Sf/eefs, Toronto, photographed by O. Thompson in 7868 (Public Archives of Canada) Eglise Zion, carrefour des rues Adelaide et Bay it Toronto, photographide par O. Thompson en 1868 10 Cooke's Church, Torcnto photographed by O. Thompson in | 868 (Public Archives of Canada) Eglise Cooke, Toronto, photographi6e par O. Thompson en 1868

on the spandrelsof the chiefentrance are Thomasand Sons,Architects" was con- exceedinglyfine. They comprise. . . the structedin 1857 at the cornerof Oueenand rose,the thistleand the shamrockdisposed MutualStreets in Toronto.Called Cooke's on eitherside of an ancientlyre. These Church,it had twin spires(Figure I O,by carvings,together with a fine beardedface Thompsonin 1868; PublicArchives of which formsthe keystoneof the arch,are Canada). the work of Mr Thomas,contractor for the stone-cuttingand certainlydo him great Thereare undoubtedly houses and other credit" (J. A. S. Evans,Hamilton Spectator, buildingsin Toronto,Hamilton and else- March25, 1961). wheredesigned by Thomasbut not yet been identifiedas his work. The lastof his In 1852 a schoolon LouisaStreet in Toronto buildingsof which thele is a recordis the was builtto Thomas'design. In the next jail on GerrardStreet in Toronto,which he year he was appointedengineer of the city designedin 1858, but constructionof the of Toronto,an appointmentillustrating that buildingwas not completedbefore his engineeringand architecturewere then deathin 1860. consideredto be the sameprofession. In the followingyear a monumentto General Assessments of his Worl< Brock,designed by Thomas,was erectedat OueenstonHeights near Niagara Falls. The WilliamThomas must certainly rank as one loftytower of the monument,surmounted by of the leadingarchitects of the middle Brock'sstatue, overlooks the spot where decadesof the 19th centuryin Canada,not Brockwas fatallywounded when leading only in regardto the numberof buildings an attack on Americanforces in a battle of he designedbut alsoin the high qualityof the War ot 1812. theirdesigns. He was an architectof an agein which stylewas undoubtedlyone of the In 1856 anotherof the works of Thomas most importantaspects of building,and was broughtto completion,the GuelphCity stylemeant either Classic or Gothic. Hall (Figure 7). which continues in use Thomaswas a masterof both. He has been today. He had earlierdesigned a small describedas an architect"of greattaste Anglicanchurch for Guelphwhich was and skill",and as one who was "a pioneer nevercompleted, and torn down 20 years of Gothicarchitecture in Canada,and even after the start of its construction.Thomas on this Continent". alsodesigned the MarketBuilding, in Guelphafter completion of the City Hall. His work at once attractedfavorable attention in Canada.In 1846,even before the stores In 1856,St Paul'sPresbyterian Church in on King Streethe designedwere completed, Hamilton(originally St Andrew's)and still it was saidthat they "will be when finished in use (Figure8) and Zion church in Toronto the handsomestbuildings of the kind in were completedto his design.The latter Canada,and equalto anythingto be seen churchwas demolished.It appearedin in England".His churchin Londonreceived Thompson'sphotograph of 1868 (Figure9), praisefrom the samewriter: "London can and he describedit as beingin the Lombard now boastof possessingthe handsomest styleof architecture.Also erectedin 1856 Gothicchurch in CanadaWest", and was an officebuilding at Yongeand St LawrenceHall and Marketwere referred ColborneStreets in Torontowhich Thomas to as "a magnificentpile of buildings". originallydesigned as a dry goodsstore. lt laterbecame a bank buildingand finallyan Of his work in Toronto.it was saidon his officebuilding before it was demolished. deathin 1860 "To him we owe someof the finestbuildings of which our city can boast. Anotherchurch described by Thompsonas He was one of the firstto discoverthe use being"in the Lombardianstyle of archi- which might be madeof the white brick tecture"and from the designsof "William peculiarto Toronto." More recentassessments of his work have Conclusion Architecture",by J. A. S. Evans.Canadian alsobeen favorable. His hallsat Toronto GeographicalJournal, Yol.64, No. 2., and Cobourg have been describedas The architectureof WilliamThomas occuoies February1962. (ln the articleby J. A. S. "imposingbut reservedand dignified", an importantplace in Canada'sarchitectural Evansthe Coboutg Town Hall is attibuted while his work in generalwas "uniformly history.His was an age in which, evenin to KivasTully; S. G. Curry,above, attributes good, well proportionedand refined". the newly developingCanada, a high level it to Thomas.) St Paul'sChurch in Hamilton,"with its of tasteand comDetencein architecture "A HundredYears of Architecturein curvilineartracery and gracefulspire . . . is prevailed,and his was alsoan age in which Toronto", by E. R. Arthur; Journal of the one of the bestmonuments of the Gothic the mostimportant aspect of buildingdesign Royal Architectural lnstitute of Canada, Vol. Revivalin Canada". was style,of which the Classicand the Xl. No. 4, April 1934. Gothicpredominated. Many of his buildings "Toronto: No Mean City", by E. R. Arthur. His Influence on Canadian Architecture which remainare of interestsince they Universityof Toronto Press,Toronto,1964. reflectso well the bestqualities of that age "The OId Scottish Architectureof ", As a successfularchitect Thomas attracted of architecture,and they illustratenot only by A. B. Cutts. Canadian Geographical articledstudents to his office, one of whom the good tasteand skillwith which he Journal, Vol. )dXlX, No.5, November1949. was WilliamG. Storm,who laterbecame a carriedout his work but alsohis masterv "CanadianGothic", by R. H. Hubbard. leadingarchitect in Toronto.The partnership of the art. ArchitecturalReview,Yol. CXVI, No. 692, of Stormand F. W. Cumberlandproduced August1954. many importantbuildings. Storm's skill in It is fortunatethat in comingto Canadahe "HistoricArchitecture in Hamilton",by architecturaldesign was undoubtedly found conditionswhich encouragedthe Arthur Wallace.Journal Royal Architectural formedand developedunder the guidance employmentof his considerablearchitectural lnstitute of Canada,Vol.40, No.4, April of WilliamThomas. skill,and which madehis life in Canada 1963. such a ploductiveone. His influenceon the "Toronto: Romanceof a GreatCity", by Two of his sons,William ( ?) T. and Cyrus( ?) next generationof Canadianarchitects was KatherineHale. Cassell and Company, P. Thomas(and perhapsanother son) were undoubtedlyimportant, at leasttwo of his Limited,Toronto, 1956. alsotrained in his office,and they apparently studentsbecoming in theirown rights "The Developmentof Architecturein the workedwith him untilhis death. Many of the leadingarchitects of the day. lt would, Provinceof Ouebecsince Confederation". buildingsattributed to Thomaswere probably therefore,not be inappropriateto designate by Philip J. Turner. Construction.Vol. XX, designed,at leastin part,by his sons.lt is WilliamThomas as one of the foundersof No.6.June 1927. recordedthat they movedto Montrealin the Canadianarchitectural profession. "The Ancestral Roof, DomesticArchitecture 1864 and worked in partnershipfor a short of UpperCanada", by M. Macraeand time,then C. P. Thomasmoved to Chicago. Bibliography A. Adamson.Clarke, lrwin and Company, W. T. Thomascontinued his practicein Limited,Toronto, 1963. Montrealand becamea leadingarchitect In the preparationof this sketchof the life "The LateW T. Thomas" (Obituary). there. risingat onceto the first rankamong of WilliamThomas information was obtained CanadianArchitect and Builder.July 1892. his confreres".He died in 1892. Likehis from the following sources: "The LateW. G. Storm,R.C.A." (Obituary). 'A father,he was responsiblefor a numberof BiographicalDictionary of English CanadianArchitect and Builder, August 1892. tastefullydesigned buildings. many of which Architects,1660-1 840", by H. M. Colvin. reflecthis father's skill. In opencompetitions John Murray,London, 1954. hisdesigns for St George'sChurch in Montreal "Smith'sCanadian Gazetteer; comprising and TrinityChurch in SaintJohn were statisticaland generalinformation respecting accepted.Several large houses in Montreal, all partsof the UpperProvince or Canada includingthose of ThomasWorkman, Lord West", by Wm. H Smith,Toronto, 1846. Mount Stephenand DuncanMclntyre were "Canada,Past, Present and Future" designedby Thomasin a "scholarlytreat- (VolumesI and ll), by W. H. Smith. ment of classicdetails", which appreciation Toronto,1 851. was alsoapplied to a four-storeyoffice "Toronto's EarlyArchitects", by T. A. Reed. buildingof his designerected in 1870 at Journal Royal Architectural Institute of St Helenand Notre DameStreets. St Canada,Vol. 27, No. 2, February1 950 Martin'sChurch (1874), the Caverhitlblock "Architecture:Looking Back", by S. G. on St PeterStreet (both in Montreal),and Cuny. Construction,Vol. XX, No. 6, the PrescottTown Hall areother buildings June 1927. designedby W. T. Thomas. Article bv J. A. S. Evansin the Hamilton Spectatot,March 25, 1961. "The ClassicalTradition in Ontario R6sum6

L'Architecture de William Thomas par Sesraisons, d'avoir quitt6r I'Angleterre pour sinsen ooursde constructionsur la rue T. Ritchie du Conseil National des commencerune nouvellevie au Canada,ne King". ll sembleraitdonc que peu aprdsson Recherches,Ottawa, Page 41 sont pasconnues. Peut-6tre ses services arriv6eir Toronto,Thomas avait 6tabli une n'6taientpas assez demand6s et I'occasion bonneclientdle et avaitr69u d'importantes Un architecteanglais, William Thomas, est de d6velopperses capacitds 6tait insuffisante commandes, venu au Canadaen 1840 d une 6poqueoi commepour bien d'autresarchitectes- le pays se d6veloppaitrapidement et, 6migr6sde l'6poque. Un annuairede 1843 de Torontoa 6numer6 heureusement,les conditions encouragaient deuxautres architectes, J. G. Howardet Kivas le pleinemploi de sesgrands talents en Thomass'est 6tabli d Toronto;la plupartde Tully ainsique Thomas.Howard et Thomas architecture.De 1840 jusqu'ir1860, l'ann6e ses oeuvresse trouvent d Toronto et d venaientd'Angleterre et Tully d'lrelande. de sa mort,Thomas a cr66quelques uns des Hamilton,bien qu'il ait r69ud'autres com- Smithcite quatresarchitectes dans son plus importants6difices construits au Canada, mandesd Cobourg,d Guelphet e Londresen "Gazetteer"de 1846 sansdonner leurs dont beaucoupexistant toujours nous Ontario.A l'6poque,toutes ces villes6taient noms,deux arpenteurs,cinq artisteset montrentson habilit6en architecture.Sa relativementpetites et au d6but de leur portraitistes,quatres graveurs, deux maitres renomm6edevrait occuper une placeim- d6veloppement.Dix ans avantl'arriv6e de de dessin,un fabricantde clous,seize con- portantedans I'Histoirede I'architecture Thomasi Toronto,la populationnombrait srtucteurset vingt-cinq6b6nistes, ce qui canadienneet on devrareconnaitre aussi la moinsque 3000; Hsmiltoncomptait montrebien le train du d6veloppementde contributionindirecte qu'il a fait en formant probablement1000 6mes,Londres venait Toronto. lestalents de ses6tudiants-apprentis qui, d'6tre6tabli et consistaitde quelques en cons6quencede leurs6tudes faites avec maisonset des cabanesen bois.Mais en Un livreult6rieur de Smithsur le Canada, lui ont contribu6seux-m6mes d l'histoirede 1840,Toronto avait 6t6 incorpor6comme publi6en 1851,liste les noms de neufarchi- la professionau Canada. ville et comptaitpr6s de 15,000r6sidents, tectesa Toronto,dont WilliamThomas de Hamilton5000 et Londres3000. Le Haut- "Oakham House,Church St.", ainsique On ne sait pasgrande chose de la vie de Canadagrandissait mdme plus rapidement G. F. Thomas,6galement un arpenteurde WilliamThomas avant son arriv6eau Canada. durantles deux d6cadessuivantes et les King St. qui pourrait6tre soit un frdre,soit ll estn6 en 1800i Strouden Gloucestershire, conditions6taient telles qu'un programmede un fils ou autreparent de WilliamThomas. Angleterre,avait 40 ans au d6but de sa car- constructionconsid6rable 6tait n6cessaire. Son succdsexigait deux bureauxen 1851. ridrecanadienne, dont probablement15 En cons6quence,le r6lede l'architectedans Deuxde sesfils. W. T. et C.P.qui ont r69u ans d'exp6rienceprofessionelle. ll a exerc6 l'exploitationde ce nouveaupays devenait leurformation dans ses bureaux. probable- b Birminghamoi il faitI'Eglise St-Mathieu d'une importancemajeure. ment pratrquaientavec lui, ainsiqu'un d Duddestonen 1839,selon le Dictionnaire 6tudiant-apprenti,William G. Storm,fils Biographiquedes ArchitectesAnglais de Les Oeuvres de William Thomas d'un constructeurtorontois. Colvinqui mentionneaussi que son frdre, John Thomas,sculpteur et architecte, Le premier6difice que Thomasa conguau Destrois 6difices conqus par Thomas et I'a assist6.Plus tard, ce dictionnairefait men- Canadaest probablementI'Edifice de la construit ir Toronto en 1848, il en resteun, tion d'un WilliamThomas de Leamington BanqueCommerciale (Commercial Bank sa propremaison et son bureau."Oakham Spa qui a dessin6le Cirqueet Crescentde Building)i 15 rueWellington ouest, House"aux ruesChurch et Gould(Fig. 3). Landsdowne,plusieurs maisons et villaset construiten 1842 et qui existetoujours ir Desdeux autres,l'Eglise Presbyt6rienne aux qui a publi6un livreen 1843 intitu16 l'usagedes bureaux(voir Fig. 1). En 1845, ruesBay et Richmonda 6t6 d6molieen "Dessinspour Monumentset Chemin66s". la constructionde la Cath6draleet du 1906(Fig. 4, ArchivesPubliques du Canada). La preuveque ce WilliamThomas est celui Palaisde St-Michel,6galement conqu par Lesd6lails gothiques, surtout de la tour, qui a 6migr6au Canadase trouvedans le Thomas,6tait en coursaux rues Bond et sont remarquablementfins. O Thompson, "CanadianGazetteer" de 1846 qui parlede Church.La fldchefut ajout6eaprds sa mort dansson livrede 1868,"Vues Photographi- I'architecteWilliam Thomas "r6cemment de d'aprdsles dessinsde Messrs.Gundrey et quesdes EdificesPrincipaux de Toronto", LeamingtonSpa". A la mort de son fils, Langley.Vers la m6me6poque, Thomas a d6critl'69lise faite en pierrede Kingstonet W. T. Thomasi Montr6alen 1892,les jour- entreprisla constructiond'une nouvelle briquesblanches avec revOtements et nauxfont ref6renceb son pdre,William 69lised Londres,remplacant l'69lise anglicaine sculpturesen pierred'Ohio. Thomas,venu d'Angleterre,le frdreduquel de St-Paul,d6truite par un incendieen 1844. s'6taitdistingu6 comme sculpteur et archi- Dansson "CanadianGazetteer" de 1846, Un des plus importantesoeuvres de Thomas tecte ayant6t6 choisipar Sir CharlesBarry WilliamSmith cite Thomascomme I'archi- est le St-LawrenceHall. Achev6 en 1850,il l'architectedu Parlementpour l'ex6cution tectede la nouvelle6glise d Londres a servipendant bien des ann6escomme la des statuesde cet 6difice, (Fis.2), ainsique des "nouveauxmaga- salleprincipale de concertset de conf6rences de Toronto. Des artistesde renom6e Appel6e"Cooke's Church", elle s'est dis- Son lnfluence sur l'Architecture internationaletelle que Jenny Lind,y ont tingu6epar sesfldches jumelles. (Fig. 10). Canadienne donn6sdes concerts.Cet 6dificeexiste tou- jours. ll est l'objet de r6novationscon- Sans doute il existed'autres maisons et Son succdscomme architectea attir6 de sid6rablescomme projet centenaireet 6dificesd Toronto,Hamilton et ailleurs leunes6tudiants i son bureauet I'un d'eux, redeviendra6ventuellement une sallede con- conguspar Thomas mais pas encoreiden- W. G. Storm,a continu6pour devenirun des certs.comme dans le pass6.(Fig. 5) Un tifi6scomme faits par lui. Le dernierde ses architectesles plus connus de Toronto. Les autre6difice semblable toujours existant et 6Cificesconnu est la prisonde la rue partenairesStorm et Cumberlandont cr66s congu parWilliam Thomas pour la ville de Gerrardi Toronto.Thomas I'a conguen plusieurs6difices impoftants qui montrent Cobourg(Fig. 6) est l'H6telde Ville, 1858 maisil n'a pasv6cu pour voir son l'influencedu stylede Thomas.Deux de quelquefoisappel6 Victoria Hall. ll comprend achdvement. sesfils, William ( ?) T. et Cyprus( ?) P. "une salled'Op6ra compldte, d6dicac6 par Thomas,peut-etre m6me un troisidme,qui le Princede Gallesle 6 sept.1860". Le Evalution de Son Oeuvre ont 6tudi6set travaill6savec lui, ont dessinde l'6dificeVictoria a 6t6 attribu6a probablementdessin6s quelques 6difices KivasTully aussibien qu'd Thomas,mais CertainementWilliam Thomas doit 6tre attribu6sd Thomas.lls se sont 6tablisplus il n'y a pasde doute que Thomasa 6t6 consid6r6comme un des plusgrands archi- tard ir Montr6al,et puis C. P. Thomasest associ6d l'6dificepuisque le journalr6gional tectesdu milieudu dix-neuvidmesidcle, all6i Chicago.Un concoursouvert d Mont- de 1858 a not6 que "les sculpturesde non seulementb causedu nombred'6di- r6alpour I'EgliseSt-George, et un autre tympande l'entr6eprincipale sont extrdme- ficesqu'il a dessin6mais aussi pour la bonne pour I'Eglisede la Trinit6A St-Jeanont 6t6 ment belles.Elles comprennent la rose.le qualit6de leursdessins. ll vivaitb une gagn6spar W. T. Thomaset refl6chissent chardon et le trdfle dispos6sir chaque c6t6 6poqueoi le style6tait un des plusimpor- l'habilit6de son pdre.Plusieurs maisons d'un lyreancien. Ces sculptures, avec tantsaspects d'un 6difice,ce style6tant soit importantes,telle que la r6sidencede Lord un beauvisage barbu formant la clef de la Classique,soit Gothique.Thomas 6tait Mount Stephen,des bureauxaux ruesSte- vo0te, sont les oeuvresde M. Thomas, maitredes deux,"de grandesdistinctions H6ldneet Notre-Dame,l'Eglise St-Martin, le l'entrepreneurde la magonnerie,et cer- et capacit6s.. . un pionnierde l'architecture bloc Caverhillsur la rue St-Pierre,et tainementlui rendenthonneur." (J. A. S. Gothiqueau Canadaet m6mede tout le I'H6telde Villede Prescottont 6t6 dessin6s Evans,Hamilton Spectator,le 25 mars, Continent". par ce fils de WilliamThomas. 1961 ). Ses oeuvresattiraient un int6r6tfavorable En conclusion,on peut constaterque En 1852 une 6colede la rue Louisair au Canada.En 1846.mdme avant l'achdve- I'architecturede WilliamThomas occupe une Toronto a 6t6 construited'aprds un dessin ment des magasinsde la rue King,on a dit placeimportante dans l'histoirede I'archi- de Thcmas.L'ann6e suivante, il a 6t6 nomm6 que "lorsquefinis, ces 6dificesseraient les tecturecanadienne. Son 6poquevoyait ing6nieurde la villede Toronto,une nomina- plus beauxau Canada,6gauxA tous ceux l'agrandissementdu paysd un momentoi tion illustrantque l'architectureet le g6nie qu'on peutvoir en Angleterre".Et de les niveauxde bon go0t et de comp6tence 6taientconsid6r6s comme la m6meoro- l'6glised Londres:"Londres peut se vanter 6taienttrds 6ldv6s,oi le style comptait pour fession.L'ann6e suivante le monumentau maintenantqu'elle possdde Ia plus belle beaucoup,le Classiqueet le Gothiquepr6- G6n6ralBrock dessin6 par Thomas a 6t6 69lisegothique de tout l'ouestdu Canada". dominant.Beaucoup de ses6difices qui 6rig6 b OueenstonHeights prds des Chutes St-LawrenceHall 6tait d6sign6 "un mag- existenttoujours sont d'un grandint6r6t de Niagara.L'H6tel de Villede Guelph, nifiqueamas d'6difices". parcequ'ils refl6chissent si bien les meil- (Fig.7), dessin6par Thomas, a 6t6 achdv6 leuresqualit6s de cet 6poqued'architecture en 1856 et peu aprds,les Hallesde Guelph A sa mort, un des hommagesrendus b et illustrentnon seulementle bon goot mais 69alement. WilliamThomas dit que "nous Iui devons aussiI'habilit6 de son oeuvre. quelquesuns des plus beaux6difices dont Deux69lises par Thomas ont 6t6 achev6es notreville peut se vanter.ll 6taitun des Heureusement,lorsqu'il est venu au Canada, la m€meann6e: I'Eglise St-Paul A Hamilton premiersd d6couvrirles possibilit6sde Thomasa trouv6des conditions encourageant et Zion e Toronto(Fig. 8). Zion a 6t6d6molie l'usagede la briqueblanche unique ir l'emploide sescapacit6s architecturales et maiselle paraissaitdans la photo de Thomp- Toronto." qui rendaientsa vie au Canadafructueuse. son de 1868 (Fig.9) oD il I'a d6critecomme Son influencesur lesg6n6rations futures fut exampledu style"Lombard". Egalement en Plusr6cemment, les 6valuations de ses importante.Donc, on peut bien d6signer 1856,Thomas a dessin6des bureauxaux oeuvresont 6t6 6galementfavorables. Les WilliamThomas un des fondateursde la ruesYonge et Colborne,maintenant dis- 6dificesde Torontoet de Cobourgont 6t6 professiond'architecture au Canada. parus.Une autre69lise du style"Lombard", d6critescomme "imposants mais r6serv6s et dessin6epar "WilliamThomas and Sons, pleinsde dignit6",pendant qu'en g6n6ral, Voir le texteanglais pour la bibliographie. Architects" (Thompson) a 6t6 construiteen son oeuvre6tait "uniform6ment bonne, de 1857 au coin des ruesOueen et Mutual. bellesproportions et raffin6e."