William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect

Architect

An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

.

Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry

Charles Barry

Sir Charles Barry FRS was an English architect, best known for his role in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster in London during the mid-19th century, but also responsible for numerous other buildings and gardens.- Background and training :Born on 23 May 1795 in Bridge Street, Westminster...

 and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas

John Thomas (sculptor)

John Thomas was a British sculptor and architect, who worked on Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Westminster.John Thomas was born in Chalford, Gloucestershire....

 (born 1813).

Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa

Leamington Spa

Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...

 in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt. In 1843, during a depression in the British building industry, he emigrated to Canada with his wife and 10 children to what is now Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, where his career flourished. He designed some of the finest Decorated Gothic Revival architecture

Gothic Revival architecture

The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...

 in Ontario.

He was also a city engineer in Toronto and across Canada. Two of his sons, William Tutin Thomas

William Tutin Thomas

William Tutin Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.He was the son of William Thomas. He worked for a few years with his father, and also with his brother, Cyrus...

 and Cyrus Pole Thomas, also became architects.

Thomas is sometimes inaccurately credited with the architectural design and the elaborate stone carvings on the Victoria Hall in Cobourg, Ontario

Cobourg, Ontario

Cobourg is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario 95 km east of Toronto. It is the largest town in Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is located along Highway 401 and the former Highway 2...

. In fact, Kivas Tully

Kivas Tully

Kivas Tully was an Irish-Canadian architect.Born in Garryvacum in County Laois, Ireland, Kivas Tully was the son of John P. Tully, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and Alicia Willington...

 designed the building and the fine sandstone carvings were the work of master stonecarver Charles Thomas Thomas

Charles Thomas Thomas

Charles Thomas Thomas was a prominent Anglo-Canadian stone carver and builder in the mid 19th Century...

 (1820–1867), subcontracted by Worthington Brothers, a prominent Toronto stonemasons'. The work was completed between 1857 and 1859.

Work

Building	Year Completed	Builder	Style	Source	Location	Image
St Paul's Cathedral, London, Ontario St Paul's Cathedral, London, Ontario St. Paul's Cathedral in London, Ontario, Canada is the seat of the Diocese of Huron of the Anglican Church of Canada. It was designed in the Gothic revival style by William Thomas and built between 1844 and 1846, replacing the previous church, which was built in 1834 and burned down in 1844. It is... ,	1844–6	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...  (Design)	Gothic revival style		London, Ontario London, Ontario London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
St. Michael's Cathedral Episcopal Palace	1845–1848	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...  (Design)			Town of Old York
Toronto House of Industry (Workhouse Workhouse In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment... ), - (Now used as the Laughlen Lodge for the Aged)	1848	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...	Tudor-Gothic style	11	110 Edward Street, Toronto, Ontario
St. Michael's Cathedral	1845-8	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...  (Design)	English Gothic English Gothic architecture English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...  revival	200 Church Street	Town of Old York
Guelph Civic Museum Guelph Civic Museum The Guelph Civic Museum is a museum of culture and natural history located in Guelph, Ontario. It was established to explore the culture and natural history of Guelph through exhibitions and public programs...	1847	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...  (Design)	English Gothic English Gothic architecture English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...  Tudor-Gothic (originally built as a hotel and commercial building)	6 Dublin Street	Guelph, Ontario Guelph, Ontario Guelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it... ,
Oakham House Oakham House Oakham House is an historic building in Toronto, Canada. Today it is the middle of and owned by Ryerson University. The upper level consists of a cafe used by students and faculty, while the lower level is home to a student pub. The building is also used by the university to hold events and...	1848	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...	Tudor-Gothic architecture Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....	8	322 Church Street - Ryerson University Ryerson University Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden... , Toronto, Ontario
St. Lawrence Hall St. Lawrence Hall St. Lawrence Hall is a meeting hall in Toronto, Canada next to the St. Lawrence Market. It was built, alongside the new city hall, in 1850 after an 1849 fire destroyed much of the market. The Renaissance Revival style building was designed by William Thomas. It was created to be Toronto's public...	1850	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...	Neo-classical Neo-Renaissance Neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...  Revival	2	157 King Street East, Toronto, Ontario
Brock's Monument Brock's Monument Brock's Monument is a 56-metre column atop Queenston Heights, in Queenston, Ontario, Canada, dedicated to Major General Sir Isaac Brock, one of Canada's heroes of the War of 1812...	1852-6	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...	Neo-Renaissance Neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...  Revival		Queenston, Ontario Queenston, Ontario Queenston is located 5 km north of Niagara Falls, Ontario in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The community is bordered by Highway 405 and the Niagara River; its location on the Niagara Escarpment led to the establishment of the now-defunct Queenston Quarry in the area...
Old City Hall (Guelph)	1856-7	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...	Neo-Renaissance Neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...  Revival		Guelph, Ontario Guelph, Ontario Guelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it...
Halifax Old County Court House,	1858-62	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...	Italian Neo-Renaissance Neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...  Revival		Halifax, Nova Scotia City of Halifax Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996... ,
Don Jail Don Jail The Toronto Jail is a provincial jail for remanded offenders in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the Riverdale neighbourhood on Gerrard Street East near its intersection with Broadview Avenue. It gets its nickname from the nearby Don River...	1865	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...	Italianate architecture Italianate architecture The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...	W	Gerrard Street East near Broadview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario
St. George's Anglican Church (Montreal) St. George's Anglican Church (Montreal) St. George's Anglican Church is a heritage church located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The church is officially located at 1101 Stanley Street on the corner of De la Gauchetière Street, although it also faces Peel Street and is opposite Place du Canada....	1870	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...	Gothic architecture Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....		Montreal, Quebec
Shaughnessy House now Canadian Centre for Architecture Canadian Centre for Architecture The Canadian Centre for Architecture is a museum of architecture and research centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Phyllis Lambert is the Founding Director and Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Mirko Zardini is the Director and Chief Curator....	1876	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...	Gothic architecture Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....	W	Montreal, Quebec
Church of St. John the Evangelist (Montreal)	1870s	William Thomas William Thomas (architect) William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect.Thomas was apprenticed under Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin as a carpenter-joiner. His younger brother was the sculptor John Thomas .Thomas began his own practice at Leamington Spa in 1831 but in 1837 went bankrupt...	Gothic architecture Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....	W	Montreal, Quebec

• Lansdowne Crescent, Leamington Spa
  Leamington Spa
  Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
  
  , England, 1835–1838
• Wellington County Court House, Guelph
  Guelph
  Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
  
  , Wellington County, Ontario
  Wellington County, Ontario
  Wellington County is a county located in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The county seat is Guelph, a city which is politically independent, but Guelph's status as the seat means it houses the county's administrative offices...
  
  , 1841–1843. Castellated style of architecture, reminiscent of a medieval limestone fort.
• Niagara District Court House, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
  Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
  Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
  
  ,, 1847. Classical revival style. (Now used as a theatre.)
• Norfolk County Gaol, Simcoe, Ontario
  Simcoe, Ontario
  Simcoe is an unincorporated community and former town in Southwestern Ontario, Canada located near Lake Erie. It is the county seat and largest community of Norfolk County....
  
  , 1847–1848
• Church Street Row Housing, Toronto, 1848
• St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Hamilton, Ontario
  Hamilton, Ontario
  Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
  
  , 1854–1857. Gothic style
• Halton County Court House, Milton, Ontario
  Milton, Ontario
  Milton is a town in Southern Ontario, Canada, and part of the Halton Region in the Greater Toronto Area. Milton received a tremendous amount of awareness following the release of the results of the 2006 Census, which indicated that Milton is the fastest growing municipality in the Greater Golden...
  
  , 1855–1857. Baronial-Gothic style. Crenellated towers, cut-stone construction
• Halton County Gaol and Court House Complex, Milton, Ontario
  Milton, Ontario
  Milton is a town in Southern Ontario, Canada, and part of the Halton Region in the Greater Toronto Area. Milton received a tremendous amount of awareness following the release of the results of the 2006 Census, which indicated that Milton is the fastest growing municipality in the Greater Golden...
  
  , 1855–1857. Restored 1990
• Quebec City Customs Building, Quebec City
  Quebec City
  Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
  
  , Quebec
  Quebec
  Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
  
  , Canada
  Canada
  Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
  
  , 1856. Classical style
• St. Matthew's Anglican Church, Halifax, Nova Scotia
  City of Halifax
  Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
  
  , 1858. Gothic revival
• Granville Street Mall--Central Block, Halifax, Nova Scotia
  City of Halifax
  Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
  
  , 1859–1860. Facades of shops and new pedestrian area, with Romanesque and Italianate detail
• Granville Street Mall--North End, Halifax, Nova Scotia
  City of Halifax
  Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
  
  , c. 1860. Romanesque and Italianate detail.

External links

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online