STIBBS, William John (1840-1916), a talented yet underrated architect active in Toronto for nearly thirty years. Born in Toronto on 17 September 1840, he likely trained with an architect there and opened an office in 1861 or 1862 when he began to advertise for tender bids from contractors in April 1862. He appears to have had considerable formal training in design and drawing; his signed drawings for the Robert S. Gurd mansion in Sarnia, Ont., 1874 (demol. 1964) have survived and reveal him to be a skilled draftsman who was thoroughly versed in the fashionable Second Empire style (dwgs. Tyrell Coll., Fisher Rare Book Library, Univ. of Toronto). His name can also be linked with dozens of vernacular row housing projects, many of which can still be seen on Bright Street in downtown Toronto, on Wellesley Street East in Cabbagetown, as well as others on Robinson Street, and on Wood Street.
His best-known commercial works include the Samson, Kennedy & Gemmell Block, 1869 (demol.) the Rankin Block, Scott Street at Colborne Street, 1869, (demol.), and for the design of the nearby Pacific Buildings, Scott Street at Front Street East, 1874, (demol.). These tall commercial blocks were crowned with elaborate mansard roofs lined with iron cresting metalwork, and were the epitome of the commercial palazzo that lined Bay Street, Front Street and King Street in Toronto in the nineteenth century. The last recorded work by Stibbs dates from 1894, yet his name as an architect continued to appear in city directories until 1915. Stibbs died in Toronto on 8 March 1916 (death notice Toronto Daily News, 9 March 1916; Globe [Toronto], 9 March 1916).
(works in Toronto unless noted)
COLLINGWOOD, ONT., Wesleyan Methodist Church (now called Trinity United Church), Maple Street, near Third Street, 1863-64; still standing in 2022 (Christian Guardian [Toronto], 7 Oct. 1863, 162)
BARRIE, ONT., Wesleyan Methodist Church (now United Church), Collier Street, near Poyntz Street, 1864-65; still standing in 2022 (Christian Guardian [Toronto], 12 April 1865, 58, descrip.)
WOOD STREET, three houses for Thomas Griffith, 1864 (Leader [Toronto], 2 Jan. 1865, 1)
MAGDALEN ASYLUM, or FEMALE HOUSE OF REFUGE, Yonge Street near Davenport Road, in the Village of Yorkville, a major addition to the existing building, 1864-65; demol. (Globe [Toronto], 4 Jan. 1865, 2, descrip.)
WOOD STREET, residence for Noah L. Piper, 1865 (Globe [Toronto], 8 Nov. 1865, 1)
BATHURST STREET, near Wellington Street West, store and residence for Andrew Kennelly, 1865 (Globe [Toronto], 8 Nov. 1865, 1)
SPADINA ROAD, near Austin Terrace, 'Ravenswood', a residence for George A. Arthurs '....adjoining the property of the late Augustus W. Baldwin', 1868 (Daily Telegraph [Toronto], 22 Aug. 1868, 1)
RANKIN BLOCK, four warehouses for John Rankin, Scott Street at Colborne Street, 1869; demol. (Globe [Toronto], 9 March 1869, 1, descrip.; 22 Nov. 1869, 4, descrip.; Leader [Toronto], 8 Nov. 1869, 3, descrip.)
SAMSON, KENNEDY & GEMMELL, Scott Street at Colborne Street, warehouse, 1869; addition of mansard roof, 1875; demol. (Leader [Toronto], 21 Aug. 1869, 2, descrip.; Globe [Toronto], 25 Nov. 1875, 3, t.c.; J. Timperlake, Illustrated Toronto-Past & Present, 1877, 282 ff., illus.)
ADELAIDE STREET EAST, near Yonge Street, two warehouses for Thomas Best, 1869; demol. (Globe [Toronto], 9 March 1869, 1)
ROBINSON STREET, row of six cottages for James Cropper, 1869 (Globe [Toronto], 14 Sept. 1869, 4, t.c.)
UPPER CANADA COLLEGE, King Street West at Simcoe Street, addition to the Boarding House, 1869; residences for the Principal and the College Masters, 1870; demol. (Globe [Toronto], 7 Oct. 1869, 3, t.c.; 4 July 1870, 3, t.c.; dwgs. at OA, Horwood Coll. 631, 632)
JARVIS STREET, at Adelaide Street East, s.e. corner, a row of six retail stores, each 3 stories high, 1870; restored c. 2005; all still standing in 2022 (Globe [Toronto], 6 Aug. 1870, 3, t.c.)
PARSONS BROTHERS LTD., Front Street East near Yonge Street, warehouse, 1870; demol. (Globe [Toronto], 10 May 1870, 1, descrip.; Daily Telegraph [Toronto], 8 Sept. 1870, 4, descrip.; Leader [Toronto], 8 Sept. 1870, 3, descrip.)
NORTH YORK, ONT., York Wesleyan Methodist Church (now called Downsview United Church), Keele Street at Tilbury Street, north of Wilson Avenue, 1870-71; still standing in 2022 (Christian Guardian [Toronto], 15 Feb. 1871, 27, descrip.)
BRIGHT STREET, north of King Street East, row of six houses for Richard B. Butland, 1872; still standing in 2022 (Mail [Toronto], 27 Nov. 1872, 4)
PEMBROKE STREET, near Shuter Street, pair of houses for William Edwards, 1872 (Mail [Toronto], 27 Nov. 1872, 4)
WELLESLEY CRESCENT, at Homewood Avenue, mansion for Daniel McLean, 1872; demol. (Mail [Toronto], 27 Nov. 1872, 4, descrip.)
JARVIS STREET, north of Dundas Street East, pair of houses for Joseph Davids, 1872 (Mail [Toronto], 27 Nov. 1872, 4)
DUNDAS STREET EAST, at Pembroke Street, residence for George D. Morse, 1872 (Mail [Toronto], 27 Nov. 1872, 4, descrip.)
ALEXANDER STREET, near Church Street, two houses for Edward S. Piper, 1872; demol. (Mail [Toronto], 2 Dec. 1872, 3)
CHURCH STREET, north of Gerrard Street East, two pairs of houses for Wallace Millichamp, 1872 (Mail [Toronto], 2 Dec. 1872, 3)
CHURCH STREET, at Wood Street, row of four houses for William St. Croix, 1872 (Mail [Toronto], 2 Dec. 1872, 3)
CHURCH STREET, north of Wellesley Street East, residence for John Snarr, 1872 (Mail [Toronto], 2 Dec. 1872, 3)
CHURCH STREET, at Gerrard Street East, residence for James Beaty Jr., 1872; demol. (Mail [Toronto], 2 Dec. 1872, 3)
ADELAIDE STREET WEST, near Yonge Street, office and residence for William J. Stibbs, architect, 1872; with large warehouse addition, 1894 (Mail [Toronto], 6 Dec. 1872, 4; Toronto b.p. 1746, 10 Sept. 1894)
BRIGHT STREET, north of King Street East, five roughcast cottages for an unnamed client, 1873; still standing in 2022 (Globe [Toronto], 13 May 1873, 4, t.c.)
BRIGHT STREET, north of King Street East, four roughcast houses for Richard B. Butland, 1874; still standing in 2022 (Globe [Toronto], 18 April 1874, 3, t.c.)
PACIFIC BUILDINGS, Front Street East at Scott Street, 1874; demol. (Globe [Toronto], 20 April 1874, 3, t.c.; J. Timperlake, Illustrated Toronto-Past & Present, 1877, 240 ff., illus.)
JOHN STREET, at Nelson Street, two houses for an unnamed client, 1874 (Globe [Toronto], 29 May 1874, 3, t.c.)
SARNIA, ONT., Fairholme, a mansion for Robert S. Gurd, London Road at Christina Street, 1874; demol. 1964 (dwgs. at Univ. of Toronto, Fisher Library, William Tyrell Coll.)
WELLESLEY STREET EAST, near Sumach Street, two roughcast cottages for Richard B. Butland, 1875 (Globe [Toronto], 1 May 1875, 4, t.c.)