BLACKMORE, William Evans (1841-1904), a native of West Buckland, Co. Somerset, England, born there on 20 October 1841 and he arrived in Canada in 1857, but nothing is known of his education and training. From 1869 until 1872 he was living and working in Detroit, Mich. as a carpenter and joiner, and may have gained his knowledge of the building trades there (City of Detroit Directory, 1871, p. 134; 1872, p. 145). He was active as a contractor in Winnipeg from 1875 to 1885 but left after accumulating many debts and he moved to Minneapolis where he obtained contracts to erect several commercial blocks. Within two years he had again encountered financial problems and quickly departed that city '...leaving behind debts amounting to over $5,000' (Morning Call [Winnipeg], 26 Aug. 1887, 4).
In September 1887 he moved to Vancouver and opened an office as 'architect & superintendent', and was among the first to practise the profession in the rapidly growing town. During the next fifteen years he obtained many important commissions for residential, commercial and institutional and ecclesiastical landmarks constructed after the Great Fire of June 1886. In October 1899 he was one of eleven competitors who submitted plans for the new Wesley Methodist Church in Vancouver (C.R., x, 4 Oct. 1899, 3). He received the First Premium for his unique design based on a cruciform plan surmounted by a broad clear-span tower with clerestory lighting (BCPA, Photo Coll. 29705, illus.). In early 1900 Blackmore formed a partnership with his son Edward E. Blackmore who continued their practice after the death of his father on 10 August 1904 (obit. Daily News-Advertiser [Vancouver], 11 Aug. 1904, 5; Province [Vancouver], 11 Aug. 1904, 12; biog. and list of works in Vancouver Daily World, 13 July 1894, Canadian Pacific Review Supplement, p. 1; Canada, 1901 Census, British Columbia - Vancouver D3P4 L48; D. Luxton, Building the West: The Early Architects of British Columbia, 2003, 135-7, 493)
WILLIAM E. BLACKMORE (Residential works in Vancouver unless noted)
GEORGIA STREET, near Burrard Street, mansion for C.D. Rand, 1888; demol. (Evening Herald [Vancouver], 7 June 1888, 1; Vancouver Daily World, 29 Sept. 1888, 3)
PENDER STREET, near Burrard Street, residence for John M. Whitehead, 1888 (Evening Herald [Vancouver], 26 June 1888, 1; Vancouver Daily World, 31 Dec. 1888, 4)
HOMER STREET, near Dunsmuir Street, residence for Albert Fader, 1888 (Vancouver Daily World, 29 Sept. 1888, 2)
GEORGIA STREET, near Bute Street, residence for Mr. Thompson, 1888 (Vancouver Daily World, 29 Sept. 1888, 3; and 31 Dec. 1888, 5)
GEORGIA STREET, at Seymour Street, pair of houses for Russell Stevenson, 1888 (Vancouver Daily World, 29 Sept. 1888, 3; and 31 Dec. 1888, 4)
HARO STREET, two houses for R.G. McConnell, 1888 (Vancouver Daily World, 9 Oct. 1888, 1)
ROBSON STREET, residence for Mr. Hermon, 1888 (Vancouver Daily World, 9 Oct. 1888, 1)
VANCOUVER OPERA HOUSE, 1888, using plans prepared by Bruce Price of New York. The initial set of plans were prepared Blackmore in early 1888, and were then compared with another set of drawings submitted by Bruce Price. These plans by Price were then modified and updated by **WIlliam Blackmore*, following the instructions by Sir William Van Horne in Montreal (Vancouver Daily World, 19 Oct. 1888, 1, detailed architectural descrip.)
BURRARD STREET, at Everleigh Street, pair of houses for Mr. Wilkinson, 1889 (Vancouver Daily World, 9 May 1889, 4)
HARO STREET, near Bute Street, residence for George Frederick Baldwin, 1889 (Vancouver Daily World, 9 May 1889, 4)
BEACH AVENUE, overlooking English Bay, pair of houses for Lacey R. Johnston, 1889 (Vancouver Daily World, 9 May 1889, 4)
JERVIS STREET, at Comox Street, a 'villa residence' for W.H. Armstrong, 1889 (Vancouver Daily World, 15 June 1889, 1)
BARCLAY STREET, at Jervis Street, residence for John Burns, 1897-98 (Vancouver Daily World, 14 March 1898, 2, descrip.)
JERVIS STREET, near Georgia Street, residence for Archibald McIntyre, 1898 (Vancouver Daily World, 26 March 1898, 2)
GEORGIA STREET, between Cambie Street and Hamilton Street, seven cottages for Hallick McKinnon, 1898 (Vancouver Daily World, 26 March 1898, 2)
BARCLAY STREET, near Thurlow Street, residence for George I. Wilson, 1898 (Vancouver Daily World, 25 April 1898, 6, descrip.; C.R., ix, 11 May 1898, 6)
HARO STREET, near Jervis Street, residence for Harold E. Clarke, 1898 (Vancouver Daily World, 28 July 1898, 5, t.c.; C.R., ix, 10 Aug. 1898, 2, t.c.)
NANAIMO, B.C., "Eldovilla", a residence for William Sloan, Stewart Avenue at Mount Benson Street, on the New Castle townsite, 1898; demol. c. 1930 (Vancouver Daily World, 22 Aug. 1898, 6; and 23 Aug. 1898, 7, t.c.; Province [Vancouver], 11 Nov. 1898, 1, descrip.)
WILLIAM E. BLACKMORE (Commercial works in Vancouver unless noted)
GRANVILLE STREET, commercial block for J. Fry, 1888 (Evening Herald [Vancouver], 26 June 1888, 1)
PALACE LIVERY STABLES, Pender Street at Burrard Street, 1888 (Vancouver Daily World, 16 Nov. 1888, 1, t.c.; and 6 July 1889, 4, descrip.)
PENDER STREET, at Richards Street, stores and apartments for T. Prest, 1888 (Vancouver Daily World, 31 Dec. 1888, 4)
CAMPBELL BLOCK, Hastings Street 'next to the Lady Stephen Block', for D. Campbell, 1889 (Vancouver Daily World, 31 Dec. 1888, 5; and 3 Jan. 1889, 4, descrip.)
VERMILYEA BLOCK NO. 1, Granville Street at Nelson Street, , for J.C. Vermilyea, 1889 (Vancouver Daily World, 15 Feb. 1889, 1, descrip.; and 4 June 1889, 1, descrip.)
MANOR HOUSE HOTEL, Howe Street at Dunsmuir Street, a hotel for Joseph Couture, 1889 (Vancouver Daily World, 29 March 1889, 4, descrip.; and 9 May 1889, 4, descrip.)
THE COMMERCIAL BLOCK, also called The Rogers-Hunter Block, Columbia Street near Powell Street, 1893 (Vancouver Daily World, 25 April 1893, 8, descrip.; and 10 Aug. 1893, 3, descrip.)
VERMILYEA BLOCK NO. 2, Granville Street near Smithe Street, for J.C. Vermilyea, 1893; later renovated by Frank Macey in 1913 as The Palms Hotel; partiallly demol. c. 1990; facade still standing and restored (Vancouver Daily World, 30 Sept. 1893, 5, descrip.; Donald Luxton & Assoc., Palms Hotel Conservation Plan, December 2019)
DUNN BLOCK, Granville Street at Pender Street, for Thomas Dunn, 1893; addition of one floor above existing block, 1898 and building renamed The Fairfield Block for the Fairfield Exploration Co.; all demol. 1949 (Vancouver Daily World, 29 Jan. 1894, 3, descrip.; and 15 July 1898, 2, descrip.; Province [Vancouver], 6 Aug. 1898, 2; Vancouver of Today Architecturally, 1900, illus.; dwgs. at the Vancouver City Archives; inf. Andrew Coupland, Vancouver)
TOMLINSON & McTAGGART, retail store and offices above, 1895 (Vancouver Daily World, 18 May 1895, 2, t.c.)
G.L. WILSON STORE 'in the Rogers Block', Hastings Street near Cambie Street, 1895 (Vancouver Daily World, 17 Aug. 1895, 6, descript.)
THE COMMERCIAL HOTEL [later The El Cid Hotel], Cambie Street, for Crean & Thomas, 1895 (Vancouver Daily World, 25 Oct. 1895, 8, descrip.; H. Kalman, Exploring Vancouver, 1978, 36, illus. but lacking attribution)
GRIFFITH'S BLOCK, Cordova Street, for Joseph Griffith, 1896 (C.R., vi, 23 Jan. 1896, 2; Vancouver Daily World, 27 Jan. 1896, 5, t.c.)
McLEOD & COOTE, Westminster Street at Hastings Street East, dry goods store, 1897 (C.R., viii, 29 April 1897, 2)
STEVESTON, B.C., The Sockeye Hotel, for Harry Lee, 3rd Avenue at Moncton Street, 1897 (Vancouver Daily World, 14 July 1897, 4, descrip.)
WEST HASTINGS STREET, eight small stores for McLeod & Coote, 1898 (Vancouver Daily World, 26 March 1898, 2)
FAIRVIEW EXPLORATION CO., Granville Street at Pender Street, a large commercial block, 1898 (Province [Vancouver], 11 Aug. 1898, 3, descrip.)
NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C., two blocks of stores and offices on Columbia Avenue and on Front Street, 1898 (Vancouver Daily World,28 Sept. 1898, 5, t.c.)
SAVOY THEATRE, Cordova Street, 1898 (Vancouver Daily World, 17 Dec. 1898, 1, descrip.)
FLACK BLOCK, West Hastings Street at Cambie Street, for Thomas Flack, 1898-99 (C.R., x, 4 Oct. 1899, 2; Province [Vancouver], 12 Nov. 1898, 2, descrip.; and 15 Dec. 1898, 1, t.c.; Vancouver of Today Architecturally, 1900, illus.; H. Kalman, Exploring Vancouver, 1978, 37, illus.)
BURNS BLOCK, Cordova Street at Water Street, for John Burns, 1899 (C.R., ix, 18 Jan. 1899, 2, t.c.)
CORDOVA STREET, block for stores and offices for Evans, Coleman & Evans, 1899 (Vancouver Daily World, 6 April 1899, 5, t.c.)
FERGUSON BLOCK, Hastings Street at Richards Street, block of stores with offices for A.G. Ferguson, 1899 (Vancouver Daily World, 4 May 1899, 2)
THE MINING EXCHANGE, Hastings Street at Seymour Street, for H.G. Bissett, 1899 (Vancouver Daily World, 23 Sept. 1899, 8, descrip.)
WILLIAM E. BLACKMORE (Institutional and Ecclesiastical works in Vancouver unless noted)
FIRE HALL NO. 2, Seymour Street, 1888; demol. (Evening Herald [Vancouver], 7 June 1888, 1; Vancouver Daily World, 29 Sept. 1888, 2)
ST. ANDREW'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Georgia Street at Richards Street, 1888-90; demol. (Vancouver Daily World, 29 Sept. 1888, 3; and 22 May 1889, 4, descrip.; and 26 May 1890, 2-3, descrip. & illus.)
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, Richards Street at West Georgia Street, 1889; demol. (Vancouver Weekly World, 4 Oct. 1888, 1; Vancouver Daily World, 10 Jan. 1889, 4, t.c.; and 11 Jan. 1889, 2, descrip.; Daily News Advertiser [Vancouver], 2 March 1889, 2, t.c.)
HARRISON HOT SPRINGS, B.C., large bathing pavilion, 1889; major addition to the St. Alice Hotel, 1892 (Vancouver Daily World, 1 June 1889, 4; and 8 Feb. 1892, 2)
PHILHARMONIC HALL, West Georgia Street at Seymour Street, 1893 (Vancouver Daily World, 2 Aug. 1893, 1, descrip.)
EAST END PUBLIC SCHOOL (now called Lord Strathcona School), Keefer Street at Campbell Avenue, addition, 1898, (Vancouver Daily World, 8 Nov. 1897, 3; Vancouver of Today Architecturally, 1900, illus.; D. Franklin, Early School Architecture in British Columbia, 1980, 116-17, 132, illus.)
WILLIAM BLACKMORE & SON (works in Vancouver unless noted)
HARRISON HOT SPRINGS, B.C., major addition to the St. Alice Hotel, 1900-01 (Province [Vancouver], 29 Oct. 1900, 10; C.R., xi, 7 Nov. 1900, 1, t.c.; Vancouver Daily World, 1 May 1901, 6, descrip.)
BARCLAY STREET, at Jervis Street, residence for John Burns, c. 1900 (Vancouver of Today Architecturally, 1900, illus.)
GEORGIA STREET, residence for Lt. Gov. Charles H. McIntosh, c. 1900 (Vancouver of Today Architecturally, 1900, illus.)
WESLEY METHODIST CHURCH, Georgia Street at Burrard Street, a commission won in an architectural competition, designed 1899; built 1900-01 (Province [Vancouver], 10 Nov. 1899, 8; and 20 Jan. 1900, 6, t.c.; Vancouver Daily World, 2 Jan. 1901, 6, illus. & descrip.; Province [Vancouver], 17 Dec. 1900, 2, descrip.; and 2 Jan. 1901, 9, descrip.; C.A.B., xv, May 1902, page x, illus.)
VANCOUVER BASEBALL CLUB, an outdoor grand stand, 1901 (C.R., xii, 3 April 1901, 2)
CEDAR COTTAGE, two residences for Richard Robinson, 1901 (C.R., xii, 2 Oct. 1901, 3, t.c.)
A. MacDONALD & CO., Powell Street, warehouse, 1901 (C.R., xii, 20 Nov. 1901, 2)
HOWE STREET, at Pender Street, a hotel for Frank Foubert, 1902 (Vancouver Daily World, 19 April 1902, 1; C.R., xiii, 14 May 1902, 2, t.c.)
SACRED HEART ACADEMY, Dunsmuir Street at Homer Street, additions, 1903 (C.R., xiv, 13 May 1903, 3)
BRITISH COLUMBIA ELECTRIC RAILWAY CO., electrical distribution station or reduction station, Main Street, 1903; demol. (C.R., xiv, 5 Aug. 1903, 2, t.c.)
DAVIE STREET, at Broughton Street, residence for Thomas Foster, 1903 (C.R., xiv, 26 Aug. 1903, 3)
EAST HASTINGS STREET, residence for W.A. Brown, 1904 (H. Kalman, Exploring Vancouver, 1978, 59, illus.)
HOLLAND BLOCK, Hastings Street, between the Court House and Granville Street, a block of three stores for W.S. Holland, 1905 (Vancouver Daily World, 17 Feb. 1905, 1, descrip.)
COMPETITIONS
VANCOUVER, B.C., the East End School, and the West End School, 1900. Blackmore was one of ten local architects who submitted designs for two new school buildings in Vancouver (Province [Vancouver], 21 July 1900, 6). His drawings were set aside in favour of winning designs from E.A. Whitehead, and by Parr & Fee.
VANCOUVER, B.C., Hotel Vancouver, 1900. The firm of William Blackmore & Son were one of six architectural firms from British Columbia who were invited by the C.P.R. head office in Montreal to submit designs for a new hotel (Province [Vancouver], 15 Oct. 1900, 7). It is unclear who won this competition.
VANCOUVER HIGH SCHOOL, 1903. The office of Blackmore & Son was one of seven firms invited to submit plans for the new High School in the Fairview neighbourhood (Vancouver Daily World, 9 Sept. 1903, 2). The School Board later declared W.T. Whiteway as the winner.