Howard, John George | Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada

HOWARD, John George (1803-1890)
(biography in preparation)

Sources:

see the extensive biography of John G. Howard published in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Vol. 11, 1881-1890, pub. 1982, pp. 426-28 [now online]
for an analysis of the ecclesiastical works by J.G. Howard, see " The Churches of John G. Howard: The State of Research and Open Questions", by Alana Duggan, in the Journal of The Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada, xliii, No. 1, July 2018, pp. 17-31, illus. & descrip. [now online]

John G. HOWARD (Institutional & Ecclesiastical Works in Toronto)

KING'S COLLEGE, Queen Street West at University Avenue, two lodges, entrance gates and fence, 1833; demol. (Howard Journal, 29 March 1833 to 3 Jan. 1834; Incidents, 18)
HOME DISTRICT JAIL, Palace Street East near Berkeley Street, 1837-40; demol. 1893 (Patriot [Toronto], 15 June 1838, 3, t.c.; Howard Journal, 6 Feb-2 May 1837; 9 Jan. 1839-28 May 1842; Globe [Toronto], 13 Dec. 1856, Pictorial Supplement, 2, descrip.; A. Sylvester, Sketches of Toronto, 1858, 36-7, descrip.; E. Arthur, Toronto No Mean City, 1964, 68, illus.)
UPPER CANADA COLLEGE, King Street West near John Street, addition to boarding house, 1840; demol. (Patriot [Toronto], 7 April 1840, 3, t.c.; G. Dickson & G. Adam, History of Upper Canada College 1829-1892, 1893, 229)
ST. ANDREW'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Church Street at Adelaide Street East, enlargement and new spire, 1840-41; demol. (Howard Journal, 6 Jan. 1840-1 May 1841; J.R. Robertson, Landmarks of Toronto, 1894, i, 278-9, illus.; E. Arthur, Toronto No Mean City, 1964, 65, illus.)
ST. PAUL'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, Bloor Street East near Church Street, 1841; demol. 1879 (J.R. Robertson, Landmarks of Toronto, 1894, 1, 499-500, illus. & descrip.; E. Arthur, Toronto No Mean City, 1964, 146-7, illus.)
NORTH YORK, ONT., St. John's Anglican Church, Don Ridge Drive, overlooking Yonge Street, York Mills, 1843-44; still standing in 2023 (Howard Journal, 3 Jan. 1843-9 June 1844; Incidents, 23; Montreal Gazette, 1 Aug. 1843, 2, descrip.; The Church [Toronto], 9 June 1843, 2; E. Arthur, Toronto No Mean City, 1964, 77, illus.)
ST. JAMES CEMETERY, Parliament Street opposite Wellesley Street East, survey and site planning, 1844 (Howard Journal, 5 May-13 Aug. 1844, Incidents, 21)
PROVINCIAL LUNATIC ASYLUM, Queen Street West opposite Ossington Avenue, 1845-58; demol. 1976 (Toronto Herald, 12 June 1845, 2, detailed descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 17 June 1845, 2, detailed descrip.; Howard Journal, entries from 3 Aug. 1844 to 29 Dec. 1849; Globe [Toronto], 31 Jan. 1850, 2, col. 4-5, descrip.; Globe [Toronto], 13 Dec. 1856, Pictorial Supplement, 2, illus. & descrip.; A. Sylvester, Sketches of Toronto, 1858, 23-9, illus. & descrip.; J.R. Robertson, Landmarks of Toronto, 1898, iii, 28-31, illus. & descrip.; E. Arthur, Toronto No Mean City, 1964, 82-3, illus.; W. Dendy, Lost Toronto, 1978, 128-31, illus.; dwgs. at OA, RG 15-13-2-40)
HIGH PARK, tomb for the architect, 1880 (Builder [London], xxxix, 16 Oct. 1880, 472, 483, illus. & descrip.)

John G. HOWARD (Commercial & Industrial Works in Toronto)

CHEWETT BUILDINGS, King Street West at York Street, 1833-34 ; demol.(Howard Journal, 15 Feb. 1833-21 Oct. 1834; Incidents, 18). A group of three of these shops and flats at the eastern-most portion of the block, was offered for sale in 1835 in an Auction Notice signed by "Mr. Howard, Architect", as published in the Chronicle & Gazette [Kingston], 3 Oct. 1835, page 1, advert., with description of the buildings.
CANADA COMPANY OFFICE, for Commissioner William Allan, Frederick Street near Front Street East, 1834; demol. (Howard Journal, 19 Jan.-25 Oct. 1834, Incidents, 19; J. Wright, Architecture of the Picturesque in Canada, 1984, 101, illus.)
WATERLOO BUILDINGS, King Street West near York Street, a row of six shops and a hotel for John Ritchey, 1834; central block burned 1856; others demol. (Howard Journal, 15 April to 8 May 1834; Brown's City & Home District Directory, 1846-47, illus. advert. but lacking attribution)
HUMBER RIVER, a mill for William Gamble, at Milton Mills, c. 1837; demol. (Howard Journal, 19 April-3 May 1837)
VICTORIA ROW, King Street East near Church Street, commercial block for James McDonell, 1842 (Howard Journal, 10 Nov. 1841-31 Dec. 1842; Incidents, 20; W. Dendy, Lost Toronto, 1978, 72-3, illus.)
BANK OF UPPER CANADA, Adelaide Street East at George Street, portico and interior alterations, 1843-44, 1846 (Howard Journal, 23 Jan. 1843-2 Feb. 1844; 18 May 1846; W. Dendy & W. Kilbourn, Toronto Observed, 1986, 25-7, illus.)
BANK OF BRITISH NORTH AMERICA, Yonge Street at Wellington Street East, 1845-49; demol 1871 (Globe [Toronto], 11 March 1845, 3, t.c.; Howard Journal, 18 Aug.- 17 Dec. 1844; 24 Feb. 1845-11 Dec. 1846; 12 Jan. 1847-19 June 1848; 11 June -27 Oct. 1849; Incidents, 23; O. Thompson, Toronto in the Camera, 1868, 8, illus.; Canadian Illustrated News, iii, 11 Feb. 1871, 83, 92, illus.; E. Arthur, Toronto No Mean City, 1964, 79, illus.)
A.V. BROWN & CO., Yonge Street near Wellington Street West, two warehouses, 1847; one now demol., while the other has been greatly altered (Globe [Toronto], 6 Jan. 1847, 3, t.c.)
CHURCH STREET, at Colborne Street, commercial block and hotel for Joshua G. Beard, 1847-49; demol. (Howard Journal, 2 Dec 1846-18 Dec. 1848)
ONTARIO BREWERY, Front Street West opposite York Street, 1847-49; demol. (Howard Journal, 16 Aug. 1847-30 Nov. 1849; Incidents, 24)

John G. HOWARD (Residential Works in Toronto)

WELLINGTON STREET WEST, at Bay Street, 'Holland House', a residence for John Henry Boulton, 1832; demol. (Toronto World, 16 Nov. 1885, 1; Eric Arthur, Toronto - No Mean City, 1964, 40, illus. & descrip; W. Dendy, Lost Toronto, 1993, 34-6, illus.; H. Kalman, History of Canadian Architecture, 1994, 276-7, illus. & descrip.; Jessica Mace, "Monuments to the Motherland - The Lost Gothic Houses of John George Howard" in the Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada, xli, No. 2, Autumn 2016, 25-29, illus. & descrip.)
FRONT STREET EAST, near Berkeley Street, residence for Christopher Widmer, 1833; demol. (Howard Journal, 25 Feb. 1833 to 10 Jan. 1834; Incidents, 18)
YORK STREET, at Front Street West, residence for Thomas M. Jones, 1833-34; demol. 1893 (Howard Journal, 6 Feb. 1833-21 Oct. 1834; Incidents, 18; J.R. Robertson, Landmarks of Toronto, 1894, i, 226-7, illus. & descrip.; J. Wright, Architecture of the Picturesque in Canada, 1984, 93, illus.)
SHERBOURNE STREET, at Queen Street East, cottage villa for Hon. William Allan, 1834; demol. (Patriot [Toronto], 18 Feb. 1834, 3, t.c.)
[attributed] YONGE STREET, near the present Castlefield Avenue, "Castlefield", a residence for James Hervey Price, c. 1835; demol. (Jessica Mace, "Monuments to the Motherland - The Lost Gothic Houses of John George Howard" in the Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada, xli, No. 2, Autumn 2016, 30-32, illus. & descrip.)
unnamed street, cottage for Joseph Ridout, 1836 (Jessica Mace, "Monuments to the Motherland - The Lost Gothic Houses of John George Howard" in the Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada, xli, No. 2, Autumn 2016, 28-9, illus. & descrip.; dwg. Metro Toronto Reference Library, Baldwin Room, Howard Papers, Sheet No. 45)
BATHURST STREET, near Front Street West, residence for John H. Dunn, 1836-37; demol. (Howard Journal, 9 Aug.-22 Nov. 1834; 5 Jan. 1836-4 May 1837; Incidents, 19)
KING STREET EAST, at Parliament Street, "Berkeley House", a residence for Charles Small, 1837; demol. 1925 (Jessica Mace, "Monuments to the Motherland - The Lost Gothic Houses of John George Howard" in the Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada, xli, No. 2, Autumn 2016, 29-30, illus. & descrip.)
LAWRENCE PARK, a country mansion for Samuel Huson, situated east of Yonge Street and south of Lawrence Avenue East, on lands later subdivided to form Lawrence Park, and facing Lawrence Crescent opposite Lympstone Avenue, 1837; demol. after 1910 (J.G. Howard, Incidents in the Life of John G. Howard, 1885, 19; B. Myrvold & L. Moon, Historical Walking Tour of Lawrence Park, 2007, 19, with site plan)
HIGH PARK, 'Colborne Lodge', residence for the architect, 1837; still standing in 2023 (Howard Journal, 17-20 May 1836; Incidents, 19; J.R. Robertson, Landmarks of Toronto, 1894, i, 204-11, illus. & descrip.; E. Arthur, Toronto No Mean City, 1964, 58, illus.; W. Dendy & W. Kilbourn, Toronto Observed, 1986, 32-3, illus.)
WOODLAWN AVENUE WEST, 'Woodlawn', a residence for William H. Blake, 1840-41 (Howard Journal, 13 Sept. 1840-6 Aug. 1841; Incidents, 20; J. Kinsella, Historical Walking Tour of Deer Park, 1996, 18-19, illus.)
FRONT STREET WEST, residence for John G. Spragge, 1844-46; demol. (Howard Journal, 13 Aug. 1840-10 Jan. 1841; 19 April-7 Oct. 1844; 7 Jan. - 14 Aug. 1845; Incidents, 23)
ONTARIO TERRACE, Front Street West near York Street, a row of four houses for Thomas Dick, 1844-45, later converted to Sword's Hotel in 1856; demol. (Howard Journal, 19 March 1843-27 Dec. 1844; 7 Jan.-16 June 1845; Incidents, 23; W. Dendy, Lost Toronto, 1993, 32, illus.)
YONGE STREET, north of Wellesley Street, 'Kearnsey House' a residence for William Proudfoot, 1845-48 (Howard Journal, 18 April 1844-7 March 1848; Incidents, 18; Eric Arthur, Toronto - No Mean City, 1964, 106-07, illus. & descrip., but lacking attribution; J. Wright, Architecture of the Picturesque in Canada, 1984, 93)
WELLINGTON STREET WEST, at York Street, residence for William Wakefield, 1849; demol. (Howard Journal, 1 May-30 Nov. 1849; Incidents, 24; W. Dendy, Lost Toronto, 1993, 15, illus.; inf. Shirley Morriss, Toronto)
DEER PARK, Avenue Road near Heath Street, 'Mashquoteh', a residence for William A. Baldwin, 1850; demol. (Howard Journal, 8 Dec. 1849-2 April 1850; J. Wright, Architecture of the Picturesque in Canada, 1984, 94, illus.)

John G. HOWARD (works elsewhere in Ontario and Quebec)

PORT HOPE, ONT., a House for a Clergyman, 1833 (Jessica Mace, "Monuments to the Motherland - The Lost Gothic Houses of John George Howard" in the Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada, xli, No. 2, Autumn 2016, 28-9, illus. & descrip.; dwgs at Baldwin Room, Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library)
HAMILTON, ONT., Gore Bank, James Street at York Street, 1838; demol. (L. Maitland, Neoclassical Architecture in Canada, 1984, 60, illus.; Mark Osbaldeston, Unbuilt Hamilton, 2016, 64-66, illus. & descrip.)
CHIPPAWA, ONT., Holy Trinity Church, Portage Street opposite Norton Street, 1841; still standing in 2023 (Howard Journal, 2-11 July 1840; Incidents, 20; M. MacRae & A. Adamson, Hallowed Walls, 1975, 93-6, illus.)
DUNDAS, ONT., St. James Anglican Church, Melville Street, near Market Street North, 1841; still standing in 2023 (Howard Journal, 10 July 1841-5 Jan. 1843; The Church [Toronto], 11 Sept. 1841, 38, descrip.)
SNAKE ISLAND, LAKE SIMCOE, Anglican Church, 1842 (M. MacRea & A. Adamson, Hallowed Walls, 1975, 94)
PERTH, ONT., Bathurst District Courthouse & Jail, Drummond Street East at Craig Street, 1842; still standing in 2023 (C.B. Robinson, History of Toronto and the County of York, 1885, ii, 75)
BROCKVILLE, ONT., Johnstown District Court House & Jail, Court House Square, 1842-44; still standing in 2023 (Howard Journal, 21 Sept. 1841-6 Dec. 1842; Incidents, 20; M. Carter, Early Canadian Court Houses, 1983, 112-3, illus.; H. Kalman, History of Canadian Architecture, 1994, 176, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at Baldwin Room, Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library)
HAMILTON, ONT., Commercial Bank, James Street, 1843-44; demol. (Howard Journal, 17 Aug. 1843 to 2 Nov. 1844; Incidents, 22)
TYENDINAGA TOWNSHIP, ONT., near Deseronto, Christ Church (Anglican), South Church Street near Bayshore Road, 1843; still standing in 2023 (The Church [Toronto], 21 July 1843, 6, descrip.; Howard Journal, 25 Jan.-6 July 1843; Incidents, 21; NAC, RG 10, Records Relating to Indian Affairs, Jarvis Correspondence, 1837-1845, cxxxii, 74494)
BROCKVILLE, ONT., Congregational Church, Pine Street at Victoria Avenue, 1843; still standing in 2023 and now called St. Paul's Anglican Church (The Harbinger [Montreal], 15 Dec. 1843, 182, descrip.)
HOLLAND LANDING, ONT., Christ Church (Anglican), Peter Street at Church Street, 1843-44; still standing in 2023 (Howard Journal, 8 July 1843-18 May 1844; M. MacRea & A. Adamson, Hallowed Walls, 1975, 94, 100-01, illus.)
ST. CATHARINES, ONT., tower and addition to St. George's Anglican Church, Church Street, 1844; still standing in 2023 (The Church [Toronto], 27 Sept. 1844, 48, descrip.; E. Julian et al, St. Catharines: Our Built Heritage, 2005, 12, illus)
LENNOXVILLE, QUE., Bishop's College, on the campus of Bishop's University, 1844-45 (Howard Journal, 18 Feb.-28 July 1842; Incidents, 21)
MONTREAL, QUE., residence for Albert Furniss, Trafalgar Avenue at Cote-des-Neiges Road, 1848; still standing in 2023 (Howard Journal, 10 Aug.-11 Dec. 1847, Incidents, 24; Montreal, Les Residences, 1987, 260-5, illus.)
CLINTON, ONT., St. Paul's Anglican Church, Ontario Street, 1856-57; burned 15 Jan. 1865 (Clinton News-Record, 1 June 1911, 2, historical records from the church Minute Book for St. Paul's Church, entry for 30 April 1856)

COMPETITIONS

KINGSTON, ONT., Queen's College [now Queen's University], main block, 1841. Howard was one of six architects who submitted designs for the new college building in Kingston, and he received First Premium of L 50.00 Sterling for his effort (J. Stewart & I. Wilson, Heritage Kingston, 1973, 121-22). Unfortunately, the college did not have the funds to construct it, and the winning design by Howard was never built (Jennifer McKendry, Architects Working in the Kingston Region 1820-1920, 2019, 68, illus.)
KINGSTON, ONT., City Hall & Market Building, 1842. Howard was one of 13 architects who submitted plans in this major competition, and he received Third Prize of L 20.00 for his effort (J. Douglas Stewart & Ian Wilson, Heritage Kingston, 1973, 136, list of competitors). The winner was George Browne of Kingston.
TORONTO, ONT., City Hall & Market Building, Front Street East at Jarvis Street, 1844. Among the eight sets of plans submitted by Toronto architects were two schemes by Howard (British Colonist [Toronto], 19 April 1844, 2). One of his proposals was given a Second Prize of £15, with Henry B. Lane being awarded the commission.