FORDYCE, George (1879-1944), lived and worked in Calgary, Alberta where he was active in the following firms:
Lawson & Fordyce, Calgary, 1910-18
George Fordyce, Calgary, 1919-27
Fordyce & Stevenson, Calgary, 1928-44
He was born in Dyce, Scotland in 1879 and likely received his architectural education and training there. From 1901 onward he was recorded as an architect in the city of Aberdeen, and was noted as the designer of an "exceptionally large" private residence on Anderson Drive in the suburb of Mannofield & Pitfodel in 1902, but no other references to his work in Scotland have been found. He left Scotland in 1907 and emigrated to Canada, then settled in Calgary, and may have obtained practical experience in the architectural office of Frederick J. Lawson from 1907 to 1910. In 1910 it was Lawson who invited Fordyce to form a new architectural partnership which remained active until 1918 (see list of works under F.J. Lawson). In 1919 Fordyce opened his own office in Calgary, and practised under his own name until late 1927. He then formed a new partnership in early 1928 with another Scotsman, James M. Stevenson (1888-1964), and the firm of Fordyce & Stevenson can be credited with introducing the progressive modernist style to many of their works, including the distinctive D.B. Fowler Residence in Lethbridge (1937). Their partnership flourished, and they produced designs for over 30 buildings in Banff, Calgary, Lethbridge, Red Deer, and as far east as Saskatoon, Sask. Fordyce died in Calgary on 24 December 1944 (obituary The Albertan [Calgary] 26 Dec.1944, 7; obituary Calgary Herald, 26 Dec. 1944, 7). The Canadian Architectural Archives at the Univ. of Calgary holds an extensive collection of original architectural drawings by Fordyce, and by the firm of Fordyce & Stevenson, spanning the period from 1919 to 1944.
G. FORDYCE
ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND, 'The Chalet', a substantial private residence at No. 4 Anderson Drive, near Great Western Road, for Elsie Fordyce, 1902 (David Walker, J. Sharples & M. Woodworth, The Buildings of Scotland: Aberdeenshire South & Aberdeen, 2015, 285)
DIDSBURY, ALTA., theatre, 1919 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., residence for James H. Garden, 26th Avenue West, 1919 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
PENTICTON, B.C., Bank of Hamilton, 1919 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
DRUMHELLER, ALTA., theatre for the Nostrant Bros., 1919 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
ERSKINE, ALTA., Royal Bank, 1920 (Edmonton Bulletin, 5 Oct. 1920, 11)
BANFF, ALTA., fraternal lodge for Cascade Lodge No. 5, 1920-21 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., Children's Home for the Salvation Army, 17th Avenue, Harvetta Heights, 1920-21 (C.R., xxxv, 26 April 1921, 61; Calgary Herald, 25 April 1922, 8, descrip.; dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., Masonic Lodge, 2nd Street West, 1921 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA. Crescent Heights Methodist Church, 16th Avenue N.W. at 1st Street N.W., 1922 (Calgary Herald, 23 Sept. 1922, 14, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at C.A.A; inf. Joni Carroll, Calgary)
CALGARY, ALTA., Renfrew Building, 7th Avenue West, for Charles P. McQueen, 1923 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., St Stephen's Anglican Church Memorial Hall, 14th Avenue S.W., 1923 (Calgary Herald, 15 May 1923, 11, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at C.A.A.; inf. Joni Carroll, Calgary)
BANFF, ALTA., major additions and alterations to residence for J.W. Hugill, 1923 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
COLEMAN, ALTA., hotel for the Calgary Brewing & Malting Co., 1924 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., Hudson Motor Car Co., large showroom and garage, 1st Street East at 15th Avenue, 1925 (Calgary Herald, 2 May 1925, 4, descrip.)
OLDS, ALTA., theatre for W. Pond, 1925 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CARBON, ALTA., a brick public school building, 1925 (Calgary Herald, 24 July 1925, 4, t.c.; dwgs. at C.A.A.)
PINCHER CREEK, ALTA., United Church, Police Avenue at Kettles Street, 1925 (Calgary Herald, 9 Oct. 1925, 29, descrip.)
CALGARY, ALTA., Boy Scout's Club House, Rideau Road, between 5th and 6th Street, 1926 (Calgary Herald, 28 Oct. 1926, 13, illus. & descrip.)
CALGARY, ALTA., First Church of Christ Scientist, 5th Street West at 18th Avenue, 1926-27 (Calgary Herald, 4 Feb. 1927, 10, illus. & detailed architectural descrip.; dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CRAIGMYLE, ALTA., large addition to public school, 1927 (Calgary Herald, 22 March 1927, 4, t.c.)
CALGARY, ALTA., major addition to Calgary General Hospital, McDougall Road, 1927 (C.R., xli, 16 Nov. 1927, 44)
BANFF, ALTA., Memorial Hall & Club Rooms, 1927 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., War Memorial at Western Canada College, 1927 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., auto service station for British American Oil Co., 6th Avenue West at First Street West, 1927 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
FORDYCE & STEVENSON
CALGARY, ALTA., residence for Leslie Bell, 6th Street West, 1928 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
JASPER PARK, ALTA., Athabaska Hotel for the Calgary Brewing & Malting Co., 1928 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
OKOTOKS, ALTA., hotel for Calgary Brewing & Malting Co., 1928 (C.R., xlii, 9 May 1928, 56; dwgs. at C.A.A.)
SASKATOON, SASK., bakery for Canadian Bakeries Ltd., 2nd Avenue North, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 9 May 1928, 57)
CALGARY, ALTA., public swimming baths, Centre Street at 12th Avenue, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 6 June 1928, 56-7; dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., offices and warehouse for Metals Ltd., 11th Avenue West at 2nd Street, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 4 July 1928, 49)
CALGARY, ALTA., telephone exchange for Alberta Government Telephone, 6th Avenue West, 1929 (C.R., xliii, 31 July 1929, 65)
CALGARY, ALTA., warehouse for Imperial Tobacco of Canada, 11th Avenue East, 1929 (C.R., xliii, 30 Oct. 1929, 61)
CALGARY, ALTA., Scarboro United Church, Scarboro Avenue at Sudbury Avenue, 1928-29 (Calgary Herald, 14 Nov. 1929, 12, illus. & descrip.; inf. Robert Hamilton; dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., Insurance Exchange Building, 8th Avenue West, major alterations and new facade for the old 5 storey Quigley Block, 1931 (Calgary Herald, 31 Jan. 1931, 5, illus. & descrip.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
CALGARY, ALTA., Glencoe Club, 29th Avenue at 6th Street West, in Elbow Park, 1931 (Calgary Herald, 31 July 1931, 15, t.c.; 16 Nov. 1931, 6, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xlv, 2 Sept. 1931, 50; inf. Robert Hamilton)
CALGARY, ALTA., new tower, vestry and transepts for North Hill Presbyterian Church, 15th Avenue N.W., 1933 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
(with D.S. McIlroy and W.S. Bates) CALGARY, ALTA., military barracks for the Dept. of Public Works, 40th Avenue at 24th Street West, 1934 (C.R., xlviii, 12 Sept. 1934, 34)
LETHBRIDGE, ALTA., residence for Dr. Douglas B. Fowler, 5th Avenue South, 1937 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvi, May 1939, 102, illus.; dwgs. at C.A.A.)
LETHBRIDGE, ALTA., residence for Arthur A. Haig, 8th Avenue South, 1937 (Tim Morawetz, Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, 2017, 160-61, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., Jacques Funeral Home, 17th Avenue West near 2nd Street, 1937 (inf. City of Calgary, Heritage Advisory Board)
CALGARY, ALTA., airplane hangar for City of Calgary Airport, 1938 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
RED DEER, ALTA., Metropolitan Stores, Gaetz Avenue, for Snell & Dodds, "...immediately south of the Royal Bank building", 1938 (Red Deer Advocate, 6 July 1938, 1, descrip.)
RED DEER, ALTA., The Buffalo Hotel, for Calgary Brewing & Malting Co., 1939 (C.R., lii, 19 April 1939, 45; Red Deer Advocate, 22 Nov. 1939, 1 & 11, descrip.; dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., new facade for the Victoria Hotel, 8th Avenue East, 1939 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
DRUMHELLER, ALTA., Alexandra Hotel, 1940 (PAA, Alberta Liquor Board Files)
CALGARY, ALTA., outdoor swimming pool at Mewata Park, 1940 (dwgs. at C.A.A.)
CALGARY, ALTA., Athalone Apartments, 19th Avenue West, 1940 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, May 1940, 86, descrip.; Tim Morawetz, Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, 2017, 151, illus. & descrip.)
BANFF, ALTA., Ski Clubhouse for the Canadian Rockies Sports Club, on Mount Norquay, 1939-40 (Star-Phoenix [Saskatoon], 6 Jan. 1940, 10, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xviii, Jan. 1941, 13, illus.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
RED DEER, ALTA., The Auditorium Hotel, extensive renovations and improvements, with major addition, 1941-44 (Red Deer Advocate, 5 Nov. 1941, 1, descrip.; 19 April 1944, 1)
CALGARY, ALTA., major addition to Calgary General Hospital, McDougall Road at 8th Street, 1942 (C.R., lv, 5 Aug. 1942, 28, t.c.)
RED DEER, ALTA., Snell Block, Gaetz Avenue near Ross Street, commercial block for Harold J. Snell, 1945 (Red Deer Advocate, 30 May 1945, 12, illus. & descrip.)