TRACY, Thomas Henry (1848-1925), an architect, engineer and surveyor, active in London, Ont. and later in Vancouver, B.C.. His professional activity included:
Thomas Tracy, Resident Architect for the Ontario Dept. of Public Works, London 1869-72
Robinson & Tracy, London 1873-76
Robinson, Tracy & Fairbairne, London, 1877
Robinson, Tracy, Durand & Co., London, 1878
Thomas Tracy, London 1879
Tracy & Durand, London 1880-82
Thomas Tracy, City Engineer, London 1882-1891
Thomas Tracy, City Engineer, Vancouver 1891-1905
Tracy was born in London, Ont. on 25 June 1848 and articled in the office of William Robinson, a leading architect, City Engineer, and surveyor in that city. He was able to learn much about the professions of architecture and land surveying during his indenture from 1864 to 1869, and qualified as a Public Land Surveyor in April 1870. In 1869 he moved to Toronto to join the staff of the provincial Dept. of Public Works, then under the supervision of Kivas Tully, and assisted him with design and supervision of the Mercer Reformatory in Toronto (1871-74). Tully directed Tracy to return to London to represent the Department as Resident Architect overseeing the construction of the Provincial Lunatic Asylum there (built 1868-70).
In early 1872 Tracy left London and moved to Chicago, Ill. to help with the rebuilding of the city after the Great Fire of October 1871, and he worked in an office of a local architect there, then moved to Albany, N.Y. in November 1872 to join George P. Durand, his colleague from London, Ont., as both assisted Fuller & Laver with drawings for their winning design of the new State Capitol Building. In May 1873 he returned to London where he was invited by his mentor William Robinson to form a new partnership (see list of works under Robinson & Tracy). In 1877 they were joined by Richard P. Fairbairne, but he departed within a year, and the talented young architect George P. Durand took his place. When Robinson retired in late 1878, Tracy struck out on his own, opening an office under his own name and designing distinctive High Victorian works in London and several surrounding towns. One of his assistants was Durand, and in January 1880 a full partnership was announced between them. Their collaboration was immediately successful, and more than 50 commissions were executed by the firm in the short period of the next two years. By 1882, it was recorded that their office had construction work valued at $250,000.00 underway. Much of that success can be attributed to skill and talent of Durand, not Tracy, who injected a new energy and vitality into the work by the firm. In February 1882 Tracy applied for the position of the City Engineer of London, to include responsibility for designing new city school buildings, as well as fire halls and city hospitals. His application was accepted, and for the next decade much of his time was devoted to his civic responsibilities, and only one private commission by Tracy has been located from this period.
In 1891 Tracy resigned his position as City Engineer of London in order to accept a similar post as City Engineer of Vancouver (C.A.B., iv, May 1891, 56). His responsibilities there included the design of several public schools, as well as overseeing the construction of sewer and water supply systems throughout the city. However, he was dismissed from his post in February 1905 (London Free Press, 14 Feb. 1905, 10). He then worked privately as a consulting engineer, advising on the design and installation of waterworks systems in Revelstoke, Kamloops, Vernon, Nanaimo, Ladner and other B.C. towns. He later served as an alderman on City Council in 1921, and held the post of Chairman of the Civic Water Committee. Tracy died in Vancouver on 31 October 1925 and was buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver (obit. Vancouver Sun, 31 Oct. 1925, 1 & 3; obit. Contract Record [Toronto], xxxix, 25 Nov. 1925, 1136; Journal of the Engineering Institute of Canada [Montreal], viii, Dec. 1925, 490; biog. History of the County of Middlesex, 1889, 1029; Who’s Who in Western Canada, 1911, 364; H. Morgan, Canadian Men & Women of the Time, 1912, 1107; biog. and port. Contract Record [Toronto], xxvi, 17 Jan. 1912, 57; biog. & port. In Annual Reports of the Ontario Land Surveyors, 1926, ). The D.B. Weldon Library at the Univ. of Western Ontario holds an extensive collection of architectural drawings by Tracy, and by Robinson & Tracy, and Tracy & Durand. A detailed biography and portrait of Tracy can be found in N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London & Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 201-08)
T.H. TRACY (works in London unless noted)
LAMBETH, ONT., Masonic Temple, 1879 (Free Press [London], 27 Feb. 1879, 2, t.c.)
DUFFERIN AVENUE, near Colborne Street, pair of houses for Wilber R. Vining, 1879 (Free Press [London], 4 April 1879, 2, t.c.)
GRIGG HOUSE HOTEL, for John McKinnon, Richmond Street at York Street, 1879 (Free Press [London], 24 April 1879, 2, t.c.; dwgs. at Univ. of Western Ontario, Moore Coll.; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London & Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 218-19, illus.)
FARMER'S ADVOCATE OFFICES, Richmond Street near King Street, addition for William Weld (Free Press [London], 12 Aug. 1879, 2, t.c.)
RICHMOND STREET, near York Street, two stores for Charles Cruickshank, 1879 (Free Press [London], 12 Aug. 1879, 2, t.c.)
WESTMINSTER TOWNSHIP, 5th Concession, Lot 9, residence for George Routledge, c. 1879 ( Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 239-41)
LONDON EAST, residence for John B. Murphy, Dundas Street, c. 1879 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 307-08)
WILLIAM STREET, residence for Donald Morrison, c. 1879 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 276-9)
AILSA CRAIG, ONT., residence for J.T. Owen, 1879 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 272-5)
KING STREET, near Burwell Street, pair of houses for W.R. Tiffin, c. 1879 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 250-57)
GLENCOE, ONT., residence for John Thompson, c. 1879 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 233-35)
BIRR, ONT., Trinity Anglican Church, 1879 (Daily Advertiser [London], 19 Jan. 1880, 4, descrip.; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London & Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 220-22, illus.)
WESTMINSTER TOWNSHIP, on the 3rd Concession, Presbyterian Church, Sunday School, and Manse, 1880-1881 (Daily Advertiser [London], 18 Dec. 1879, 4, t.c.; 18 Feb. 1881, 4, t.c.; Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
STRATHROY, ONT., Middlesex County House of Refuge, 1880 (Daily Advertiser [London], 29 Oct. 1880, 3; Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
TRACY & DURAND (Ecclesiastical Works)
WALTON, ONT., St. George's Anglican Church, 1880-81; demol. c. 1960 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4; dwgs. at UWO, Moore Coll.; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London & Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 259-61, illus.)
BOTHWELL, ONT., new tower, chancel and alterations for Roman Catholic Church, 1880 (Daily Advertiser [London], 26 Aug. 1880, 1; dwgs. at UWO, Moore Coll.)
PALMYRA, ONT., Baptist Church, 1881; dismantled in 1985 and building elements were moved to Cullen Gardens Park in Whitby, Ont. (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4; dwgs. at UWO, Moore Coll.; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London & Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 262-4, illus.; inf. Ian Mason, Sarnia)
THORNDALE, ONT., Presbyterian Church, 1880-81 (Free Press [London], 6 Dec. 1880, 4; 14 May 1881, 4)
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, Talbot Street, 1881 (Daily Advertiser [London], 10 Dec. 1881, 1, descrip.; dwgs. at UWO, Moore Coll.; W. Fox, History of Talbot Street Baptist Church 1845-1945, illus.; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London & Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 272-4, illus.; dwgs. at UWO, Moore Coll.)
ADELAIDE STREET BAPTIST CHURCH, King Street at Adelaide Street, 1881 (dwgs. at UWO, Moore Coll.)
ST. PETER'S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Clarence Street near Dufferin Avenue, 1881-82 (Daily Advertiser [London], 17 Sept. 1881; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London and Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 275-8, illus.)
STRATHROY, ONT., St. John The Evangelist Anglican Church, Head Street, 1881 (Daily Advertiser [London], 18 Oct. 1881, 4)
FLORENCE, ONT., Methodist Church, 1882 (dwgs. at UWO, Moore Coll.)
TRACY & DURAND (Institutional Works)
LONDON CLUB, Queen's Avenue near Wellington Street, 1881 (Daily Advertiser [London], 8 Nov. 1880, 4, descrip.; Free Press [London], 7 May 1881, 1, descrip.; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London & Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 268-71, illus.; dwgs. at UWO, Moore Coll.)
MASONIC TEMPLE & GRAND OPERA HOUSE, Richmond Street at King Street, 1880-81 (Free Press [London], 5 May 1880, 4, descrip.; 9 May 1881, 4, illus. & descrip.; London Advertiser, 2 Sept. 1881, 4, descrip.; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London & Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 265-7, illus.; dwgs. at UWO, Moore Coll.)
WESTMINSTER TOWNSHIP, Public School for Section 10, Fifth Concession, 1881 (Free Press [London], 21 Feb. 1881, 2, t.c.)
STRATHROY, ONT., High School, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
TALBOT STREET PUBLIC SCHOOL, 1881-82 (Free Press [London], 14 June 1881, 2, t.c.; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London and Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 275-8, illus.)
PROTESTANT ORPHAN'S HOME, new Infirmary, 1881 (Daily Advertiser [London], 31 Aug. 1881, 2, descrip.)
ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Bond Street at Park Avenue, 1882 (Daily Advertiser [London], 10 Feb. 1882, 4, descrip.; 9 Sept. 1882, 3, descrip.)
CENTRAL POLICE STATION, Carling Street, 1882 (Daily Advertiser [London], 1 July 1882, 2, descrip.)
TRACY & DURAND (Commercial & Industrial Works)
LABATT'S BREWERY, Simcoe Street at Talbot Street, offices, 1880; major addition, 1881 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1; 14 May 1881, 4; Daily Advertiser [London], 9 Aug. 1880, 4, descrip.)
DUNDAS STREET, additions and alterations to store for T. Herbert Marsh, 1880 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 58-60)
D.S. PERRIN & CO., Dundas Street through to Carling Street, addition to factory, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1; 14 May 1881, 4)
DUNDAS STREET, store for Thomas Beattie 'adjacent to Mr. Saunder's store', 1880 (Free Press [London], 24 Nov. 1880, 4, descrip.)
BOTHWELL, ONT., new hotel for Mr. Coughlin, 1880 (Free Press [London], 6 Dec. 1880, 4; 14 May 1881, 4)
ST. MARY'S, ONT., commercial block for W. Box, Queen Street, 1881 (Daily Advertiser [London], 22 March 1881, 4)
JAMES WRIGHT & CO., Dundas Street, addition to store, c. 1881 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 94-5)
REID BROTHERS, Dundas Street, new facades on two stores for Samuel Crawford, 1881 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 439-40)
GLOBE AGRICULTURAL WORKS, Dundas Street at Adelaide Street, addition, c. 1881 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 88-90)
STEVENS, TURNER & BURNS CO., Richmond Street at Bathurst Street, factory, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
SPRINGBANK PARK, Pumphouse, c. 1881 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 85-6)
PETROLIA, ONT., stores for H.B. Alley, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
TRACY & DURAND (Residential Works
STRATHROY, ONT., for E.W. Scratcherd, 1880 (Free Press [London], 15 May 1880, 2, t.c.; 14 May 1881, 4)
QUEEN'S AVENUE, between Maitland Street and William Street, terrace of houses for Issac Waterman, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1, descrip.)
TALBOT STREET, for Alexander Harvey, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1)
KING STREET, at Colborne Street, pair of houses for John Adams, 1880 (Free Press [London], 16 June 1880, 2, t.c.; 14 May 1881, 4)
WESTMINSTER, for Mrs. Robinson, Bruce Street at Henry Street, 1880 (Free Press [London], 22 July 1880, 2, t.c.; 14 May 1881, 4)
RIDOUT STREET, for William H. Birrell, 1880 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 336-45)
TALBOT STREET, near Horton Street, for John Holden, 1880 (Daily Advertiser [London], 1 Sept. 1880, 4, t.c.)
BOND STREET EAST, at Maitland Street, for J. and W. Morrison, 1880 (Daily Advertiser [London], 22 Sept. 1880, 4)
LONDON SOUTH, for Charles B. Hunt, Hamilton Road, 1880 (Free Press [London], 10 Nov. 1880, 4; dwgs. at UWO, Moore Coll.)
HORTON STREET, for William O'Brien, 1881 (Daily Advertiser [London], 28 Feb. 1881, 4, t.c.)
QUEEN'S AVENUE, at Adelaide Street, 'Oakwood', for Benjamin Cronyn Jr., 1881-82 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4; 3 Aug. 1882, 1; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London and Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 278-80)
WESTMINSTER, additions and alterations for John R. Minhinnick, Hamilton Road, 1881 (Free Press [London], 28 June 1881, 2)
RICHMOND STREET, for Isaiah Danks, c. 1881 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 8-10)
WESTMINSTER, for David Bauldrey, Stanley Street, c. 1881 (Robinson & Tracy Specification Book, 3-7)
LONDON EAST, for E.H. Logan, Dundas Street, 1881 (Free Press [London], 23 April 1881, 2, t.c.)
KING STREET, for William Willis, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
WELLINGTON STREET, for James Durand, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
CRAIG STREET, for James Burns, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
LONDON SOUTH, for George Russell, Richmond Street, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
LONDON SOUTH, for Fred W. Seccombe, Wortley Road, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 3)
THORNDALE, ONT., for J.D. Witchart, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
STRATHROY, ONT., for Dr. F. Fawcett, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
LONDON SOUTH, 'Waverly', for Charles Goodhue, 1882-83 (Daily Advertiser [London], 12 July 1882; N. Tausky & L. DiStefano, Victorian Architecture in London & Southwestern Ontario, 1986, 281-5, illus.)
THOMAS H. TRACY, City Engineer, London, Ont.
HAMILTON ROAD PUBLIC SCHOOL, 1883 (Daily Advertiser [London], 11 Aug. 1883, 4)
CITY HOSPITAL, cottages for contagious disease patients, 1886 (Free Press [London], 20 Nov. 1886, 8)
GOVERNOR SIMCOE SCHOOL, Simcoe Street near Clarence Street, 1887 (Free Press [London], 6 Sept. 1887, 3; 30 Aug. 1888, 5, descrip.)
FIRE HALL, King Street, new facade and extensive alterations, 1888 (Free Press [London], 12 March 1888, 3)
SPRINGBANK PARK, residence for the Assistant Engineer, 1889 (Free Press [London], 21 May 1889, 3)
FIRE HALL NO. 3, Bruce Street near Wortley Road, 1890 (Free Press [London], 4 Aug. 1890, 7; descrip.)
THOMAS H. TRACY, City Engineer, Vancouver, B.C.
VANCOUVER, B.C., major addition to the City Hospital, Cambie Street, 1891 (Vancouver Daily World, 21 Sept. 1891, 5, descrip.)
VANCOUVER, B.C., High School, 1893-94 (Vancouver Daily World, 14 April 1894, 3, illus., 6, descrip.)
VANCOUVER, B.C., Mount Pleasant Public School, 1893-94 (Vancouver Daily World, 13 Aug. 1894, 3, illus.)
VANCOUVER, B.C., West End Public School, 1893-94 (Vancouver Daily World, 13 Aug. 1894, 3, illus.)
VANCOUVER, B.C., residence for John T. Stephenson, David Street, 1906 (Vancouver Daily World, 29 Sept. 1906, 15, t.c.)
VANCOUVER, B.C., Children's Aid Society, home and residence block, Powell Street, Cedar Cove, 1906-07; demol. (Vancouver Daily World, 4 Sept. 1906, 9, t.c.; 23 March 1907, 40, illus., but lacking attribution; 20 Aug. 1907, 12, descrip., but lacking attribution; inf. Donald Luxton, Vancouver)
PORT MELLON, B.C., pulp and paper mill for the British Canadian Wood Pulp & Paper Co., overlooking Howe Sound, 1908 (Vancouver Daily World, 8 Aug. 1908, 16, t.c.)