BLAKEY, Richard Palin (1879-1963), brother of William G. Blakey, was born in Sunderland, Engl. on 18 June 1879, the son of George H. Blakey, a shipwright by trade. He was educated there and in 1895 entered the office of George T. Brown, FRIBA, a local architect, remaining there until 1900 when he moved to Oswestry to become chief assistant to F. Spaull, FRIBA. He settled in Leeds and joined F. Mitchell (in 1902-04), and then in Newcastle-on-Tyne where he was clerk-of-works for D. Balfour & Sons (in 1905-06). After emigrating to Canada in May 1907 he joined the Alberta Dept. of Public Works in June 1908, working under the supervision of A.M. Jeffers. In January 1911 he was appointed Provincial Architect and took direct responsibility for the design of all provincial government buildings until the dissolution of his department in 1925 (Lethbridge Herald, 3 Feb. 1925, 8). His early training in England is evident in several designs from this period including the Tudor Revival mansion for the Lieutenant Governor at Edmonton (1911-13) and in the refined Collegiate Gothic detailing of the Provincial Institute of Technology & Art at Calgary (1921-22).
In 1925 Blakey commenced a private practice with his brother (from 1925 to 1928), and was later in partnership with Robert M. Symonds (in 1929-34). He worked as a sole practitioner from 1935 to 1946 when he revived the partnership arrangement with his brother. Highly respected by his professional colleagues in Alberta, he was elected to two separate terms as President of the Alberta Assoc. of Architects in 1916-20 and again in 1935-38. He died in Edmonton on 4 May 1963 (death notice Edmonton Journal, 6 May 1963, 28; biog. J. Blue, Alberta Past & Present: Historical & Biographical, 1924, ii, 455-6, R. Hamilton, Prominent Men of Canada, 1931-32, 71; Directory of British Architects 1834-1914, 2001, i, 199). The Provincial Archives of Alberta in Edmonton holds an extensive microfilm record of drawings prepared by Richard P. Blakey and by the firms of Blakey & Blakey, by Blakey & Symonds, and by Blakey, Blakey & Ascher during the period from 1910 until 1960 (PAA, Acc. 67.100). Original copies of drawings are held at present by the firm of Bouey & Bouey, Architects, Edmonton.
R.P. BLAKEY - BUILDINGS FOR THE ALBERTA DEPT. OF PUBLIC WORKS (works in Edmonton unless noted)
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, a residence for the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta, 102nd Avenue at Groat Road, 1911-13; altered and restored 1975-76 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 13 Sept. 1913, 4, descrip.; Edmonton Capital, 13 Sept. 1913, 5, descrip.; list of works in J. Blue, Alberta Past & Present, 1925, ii, 455-6)
CALGARY, ALTA., Court House, 7th Avenue S.W., 1912-14, a revision of the design originally proposed by A.M. Jefffers (Alberta, Sessional Papers, 1913, Annual Report of the Dept. of Public Works, 35-6)
PROVINCIAL LAND TITLES BUILDING, Howard Avenue at May Street, 1912 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 27 June 1912, 9, descrip.)
PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT BUILDING, 97th Avenue at 107th Street, the Main Hall and staircase, a commission begun by A.M. Jeffers in 1909 and completed by Blakey in 1912 (list of works in R.I.B.A. Application Form, 18 Nov. 1920)
FORT SASKATCHEWAN, ALTA., Provincial Jail, 1913 (list of works in R.I.B.A. Application,18 Nov. 1920)
PONOKA, ALTA., Female Dormitory at the Provincial Asylum, 1914; and Nurse's Home, 1916; and Male Dormitory, 1919; and large new Laundry Building, 1920 (list of works in R.I.B.A. Application Form, 18 Nov. 1920; C.R., xxx, 22 March 1916, 44; Edmonton Bulletin, 29 Oct. 1920, 5, descrip.)
CAMROSE, ALTA., Normal School, 53rd Street near 46th Avenue, 1914-15 (Edmonton Bulletin, 11 Oct. 1915, 1 & 8, descrip.; list of works in R.I.B.A. Application, 18 Nov. 1920)
OLDS, ALTA., Agricultural School, 1915-16 (list of works in R.I.B.A. Application, 18 Nov. 1920)
VERMILLION, ALTA., Agricultural School, 1915-16 (list of works in R.I.B.A. Application, 18 Nov. 1920)
CLARESHOLM, ALTA., Agricultural School, 1915-16; dormitory for the school, 1918-19 (C.R., xxxii, 18 Dec. 1918, 40; list of works in R.I.B.A. Application, 18 Nov. 1920)
RED DEER, ALTA., conversion of the Alberta Ladies College into a Provincial Insane Asylum, 1916 (C.R., xxx, 19 July 1916, 46)
TABER, ALTA., Court House, 53rd Street, 1918 (M. Carter, Early Canadian Court Houses, 1983, 229, illus.)
MANVILLE, ALTA., Municipal Hospital, 1919 (Calgary Herald, 28 Aug. 1920, 20, illus.)
EDMONTON EXHIBITION GROUNDS, Women's Building, 1919 (Edmonton Bulletin, 24 May 1919, 6, descrip.; Edmonton b.p. 119, 1919; dwgs. at Edmonton City Archives)
ROYAL ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL, 100th Ave. at 111th Street, major addition, 1919 (C.R., xxxiii, 16 July 1919, 43)
MEDICINE HAT, ALTA., Court House, 1st Street S.E., 1919-20 (C.R., xxxiii, 2 April 1919, 48, t.c.; M. Carter, Early Canadian Court Houses, 1983, 166, 228, illus.)
RAYMOND, ALTA., Agricultural School, 1920; and residence for the Principal of the School, 1921 (list of works in R.I.B.A. Application; Donald Luxton, Town of Raymond Historic Resources Inventory, 2017, 60-65, illus. & descrip.)
GLENDON, ALTA., Agricultural School, 1920 (list of works in R.I.B.A. Application)
YOUNGSTOWN, ALTA., Agricultural School, 1920 (list of works in R.I.B.A. Application)
CALGARY, ALTA., Provincial Institute of Technology & Art, 16th Avenue N.W., 1921-22 (C.R., xxxiv, 21 July 1920, 694-5, illus. & descrip.; and xxxv, 12 Jan. 1921, 50, t.c.; Const., xv, Nov. 1922, 336-40, illus. & descrip.; Edmonton Bulletin, 13 Jan. 1923, 1)
MEDICINE HAT, ALTA., Telephone Exchange, 5th Street at 5th Avenue, c. 1921 (list of works in J. Blue, Alberta Past & Present, 1924, ii, 455-6)
CALGARY, ALTA., power generating station, 1921 (C.R., xxxv, 6 July 1921, 50, t.c.)
PONOKA, ALTA., addition of a new Dairy Farm and barns to the Provincial Sanitarium, 1921-22 (Edmonton Bulletin, 3 Nov. 1921, 3, descrip.)
PONOKA, ALTA., major addition to the General Hospital, 1922 (Wetaskiwin Times, 18 May 1922, 3, descrip.)
BLAIRMORE, ALTA., Court House, Highway 3 East, 1923 (M. Carter, Early Canadian Court Houses, 1983, 166, 227, illus.)
BLAKEY & BLAKEY (works in Alberta)
DRUMHELLER, ALTA., High School, 1925 (dwgs. at PAA, Acc. 67.100)
STONY PLAIN, ALTA., High School, 51st Street, 1925 (dwgs. at PAA, Acc. 67.100)
CALGARY, ALTA., public school, Elbow Park, 1926 (dwgs. at PAA, Acc. 67.100)
R.P. BLAKEY (works in Alberta)
WAINWRIGHT, ALTA., Municipal Hospital, Sixth Avenue West, 1927 (Wainwright Star, 14 Sept. 1927, 1, descrip.)
DAYSLAND, ALTA., a new Public & High School., 1927-28 (Saskatoon Daily Star, 9 Jan. 1928, 9, illus. & descrip.)
DRUMHELLER, ALTA., a new High School, 1928 (Drumheller Mail, 31 May 1928, 1; and 21 June 1928, 6)
STETTLER, ALTA., municipal hospital, 1928; addition, 1947 (C.R., xlii, 1 Aug. 1928, 50; and lx, Sept. 1947, 173, t.c.)
BLAKEY & SYMONDS (works in Edmonton)
EDMONTON PAINT & GLASS CO., 105th Street near 100th Avenue, warehouse, 1929 (Edmonton B.P. 435, 1929; dwgs. at Edmonton City Archives)
WILLIAMS & YOUNG MACHINE CO., 103rd Street near 102nd Avenue, 1929 (Edmonton b.p. 1073, 1929; dwgs. at Edmonton City Archives)
EDMONTON CITY BAKERY, 102nd Street near 106th Avenue, 1929 (Edmonton b.p. 1081, 1929; dwgs. at Edmonton City Archives)
CHRIST CHURCH [Anglican], addition of a new altar and reredos, 1930 (Edmonton Bulletin, 18 Oct. 1930, 14, descrip.)
CANADA DRY BOTTLING PLANT, 103rd Street at 81st Avenue, 1930 (Edmonton Bulletin, 7 April 1930, 1; and 22 Dec. 1930, 9, illus. & descrip.; Edmonton b.p. 700, 1930; dwgs. at Edmonton City Archives)
R.P. BLAKEY (works in Edmonton)
GERMAN BAPTIST BIBLE SCHOOL, 109 Street at 78 Avenue, 1939 (Edmonton Journal, 17 May 1939, 13, descrip.; inf. Robert Hamilton, of Hamilton, Ont.)
125th STREET, near 102nd Avenue, residence for B.W. Pitfield, 1946 (Edmonton b.p. 83, 1946; dwgs. at Edmonton City Archives)
BLAKEY & BLAKEY (works in Edmonton)
T. HEINTZMAN & CO., Jasper Avenue, major alterations to retail store, 1947 (C.R., lx, July 1947, 110)
NORTHWESTERN UTILITIES LTD., 104th Street, garage and workshop, 1948 (C.R., lxi, Sept. 1948, 132)
MacCOSHAM STORAGE & DISTRIBUTING CO., 109th Street at 103rd Avenue, storage warehouse, 1948 (C.R., lxi, Oct. 1948, 180)
HAINSTOCK & SON, 81st Street near 105th Avenue, funeral home, 1949 (C.R., lxii, July 1949, 135)
D. ACKLAND & SONS, 108th Street at 103rd Avenue, office and warehouse, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, Nov. 1950, 122)
COMPETITIONS
REGINA, SASK., WW1 War Memorial Cenotaph, Victoria Park, 1926. R.P. Blakey was one of 51 architects and artists who submitted a design in this national competition (Morning Leader [Regina], 9 Feb. 1926, 1, full list of competitors). The winner was Robert G. Heughan of Montreal.