Boxer, Frederick Nafel

BOXER, Frederick Nafel, or Nepheau (1822-1910) holds the distinction of being the first Canadian architect to publish an architectural pattern book in this country. Printed in Montreal in 1876 and entitled 'The Architects and Artisans Permanent Price Book', the work consisted of two volumes, one a small handbook of 'Practical Hints on Building' and the second a folio volume of forty-four plates illustrating the architectural orders and typical construction details. On close inspection, however, it appears that many of the plates did not originate with Boxer, but were extracted from English and American pattern books published earlier in the nineteenth century. Born in Sussex, Engl., son of Capt. William Boxer, R.N. and a nephew of Admiral Sir Edward Boxer, he came to Canada in 1842 or 1843. He trained as an engineer and surveyor and was attached to the Royal Engineers at Quebec City, helping to survey the Canadian-American border between Rouse's Point and the coast of Maine. In 1859 he published a map of Montreal and the following year released Hunter's Handbook of the Victoria Bridge (1860), commemorating the completion of this engineering feat in Montreal. From 1860 he is listed variously as architect, civil engineer, insurance agent, 'importer of building materials', and later as editor of the Canadian Mechanics Magazine & Patent Office Record, but only a few architectural works can be linked to his name during this period. The largest and most important was the three storey Italianate warehouse for the Montreal Brass Works (1862), a landmark still standing in 1987. No reference to his activity can be found after 1880. Boxer died in Montreal on 17 March 1910 (obit. Gazette [Montreal], 18 March 1910, 6; Montreal Daily Star, 18 March 1910, 4)

QUEBEC CITY, QUE., house for an unnamed client, Grande Allee at de Salaberry Avenue, 1851 (D. Blanchet, Decouvrir la Grande Allee, 1984, 26)
MONTREAL, QUE., brickworks for John H. Walker, Courville Street, 1861 (ANQM, J. Smith, notary, 9 Sept. 1861, No. 8167)
MONTREAL, QUE., residence for W. Easton, Mansfield Street, 1861-62 (ANQM, W.F. Lighthall, notary, 15 Nov. 1861, No. 2031)
MONTREAL, QUE., Montreal Brass Works, for Robet Mitchell, St. Antoine Street West at St. Pierre Street, 1862 (Montreal, Architecture Industrielle, 1982, 22-3, illus.)
MONTREAL, QUE., conversion of the former Victoria College into four dwellings, Courville Street at St. Dominique Street, 1863 (ANQM, J. Smith, notary, 26 Jan. 1863, No. 9918)
MONTREAL, QUE., residence for R.T. Godfrey, Bleury Street, 1863 (ANQM, J. Smith, notary, No. 11147)