BRIGGS, George Carruthers (1886-1938) was born in Cockermouth, Engl. and trained under an architect in Workington (in 1898-1903). He emigrated to Canada in May 1903 and settled in Toronto where he was a draftsman for Byrens & Co. (in 1905-06), and for MacKenzie, Mann & Co., developers and promoters of the Canadian Northern Railway. In this position he was responsible for the design of all passenger stations and related structures for the Eastern Division of the railway from 1912 until 1918 when the line was nationalized to form the Canadian National Railways. In 1920 he was appointed superintending architect for the C.N.R. across Canada and can be credited with the design of one of their major resort hotels, Minaki Lodge, near Kenora, Ont. (1926-27). Briggs moved to Winnipeg in June 1921 to take up the post of Engineer of Buildings for the Western Division of the railway, succeeding John Schofield who was promoted to Chief Architect of the CNR. Briggs later died in Winnipeg on 16 March 1938 (obit. Winnipeg Tribune, 16 March 1938, 10; obituary Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, 17 March 1938, 5; biog. & port. Railway & Marine World [Montreal], xxiv, July 1921, 360).
George C. BRIGGS (works in Ontario & Quebec)
NORTH BAY, ONT., Canadian Northern Railway Station, 2nd Avenue, c. 1914 (inf. Anne de Fort-Menares, Toronto)
GUELPH, ONT., transformer station for the Toronto Suburban Railway Co., Bay Street, 1915 (Acton Free Press, 11 March 1915, 2)
MONTREAL, QUE., Canadian Northern Express Building, Mansfield Street, near Dorchester Street West, 1917 (Montreal Daily Star, 29 Sept. 1917, 27, descrip.)
TORONTO, ONT., major addition to factory for Universal Tool Steel Co., Dufferin Street at Springhurst Avenue, 1918 (Toronto b.p. 16950, 25 May 1918)
CAPREOL, ONT., Y.M.C.A., 1919-20 (Railway & Marine World [Montreal], xxiii, Feb. 1920, 73, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. NAC, RG30M, 78903/42)
HORNEPAYNE, ONT., C.N.R. Station, 1920; Locomotive Round House, 1921 (Railway & Marine World [Montreal], xxiv, Aug. 1921, 412-13, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. NAC, RG30M, 78903/42)
MINAKI, ONT., Minaki Lodge & Resort, for the C.N.R., 1925-26; burned 2003 (C.R., xxxix, 12 Aug. 1925, 49; Railway & Marine World [Montreal], xxx, July 1927, 399-400, illus. & descrip.)