CRADDOCK, George (1830-1912), a busy and successful architect in London, Ontario whose career spans more than forty years. Born in Henley-in-Arden in Warwickshire, England on 7 March 1830, he may have been educated there but by 1850 he had emigrated to North America and was recorded as living in New York City. By 1860, he had moved to Canada and settled in London, Ontario. In 1863 his name is listed there as a carpenter employed by James Hargreaves, Joiner & Builder (W.G. Moncrieff, City of London Directory, 1863-64, p. 24). Four years later, in 1868, he commenced practise as an architect under his own name, and sustained a successful practise and obtained many commissions for major commercial, institutional, ecclesiastical, residential and industrial projects in and around London. His early career received a major boost when he received the appointment of Superintending Architect to the Anglican Bishop, the Very Rev. Isaac Hellmuth, in October 1868, designing his residence on the grounds of the Ladies College, and preparing the plans for Hellmuth’s stables, farm house, fence, lodge and gates. He also laid out the grounds for Hellmuth College itself (London Free Press, 17 March 1870, 1).
While the lions share of architectural work in the London area was handed to his rivals William G. Robinson, and to the firm of Robinson & Tracy, and to Robinson, Tracy & Durand, Craddock still managed to obtain a wide range of work on his own, and his name may be linked with nearly 80 projects completed during the period from 1870 to 1907 (and undoubtedly there are more which have yet to be uncovered). Unlike his professional colleagues, however, he had an aversion to entering architectural competitions, either in London or elsewhere, relying instead on his record of built work to solicit other commissions from clients in western Ontario. As his reputation grew, Craddock invited his former office assistant Silas H. Weekes to form a partnership in June 1879, but the declining health of Weekes brought an early end to their collaboration, and my mid-1880 Craddock was again running his office under his own name, and he continued to do so until at least 1907. In 1888 he was operating a branch office in St. Thomas, Ont., in partnership with Charles Horton (Union Pub. Co., Directory of Elgin, Middlesex, Norfolk & Oxford Counties, 1888, 401), but their firm, Craddock & Horton, Architects, was active for only one year, and no references to their work in the St. Thomas area have been found.
Craddock was adept at using a variety of fashionable architectural styles from the Second Empire (best seen in his finely proportioned design of Spettigue Hall (1870), to the High Victorian style of the Medical School for Western University, 1888 (now known as the University of Western Ontario). His most impressive residential work was the sumptuous Romanesque Revival design of the mansion for Thomas B. Escott (1886). Craddock remained active until at least 1907, but no references to his work have been found after that date. He died in London, Ont. on 16 November 1912 at the age of 82 years (obituary London Free Press, 16 Nov. 1912, 1; death notice 16 Nov. 1912, 14; biog. in M. Bixby, Industries of Canada - London, Owen Sound, Collingwood, Etc., 1890, p. 74; biog. in London - The Forest City, 1906, 30; inf. Charles Addington, London).
G. CRADDOCK
Residential Works
BURWELL STREET, near King Street, for Thomas Green, 1874 (Daily Advertiser [London], 25 Nov. 1874, 2)
CRAIG STREET, New Brighton, for Alfred Westman, 1874 (Daily Advertiser [London], 25 Nov. 1874, 2)
DUKE STREET, at Salter Street, for Robert McLeod, 1874 (Daily Advertiser [London], 25 Nov. 1874, 2)
JAMES STREET, at Henry Street, London South, for John Pope, 1874 (Daily Advertiser [London], 25 Nov. 1874, 2)
KING STREET, near Colborne Street, for Edward Miller, 1874 (Daily Advertiser [London], 25 Nov. 1874, 2)
RICHMOND STREET, at Grosvenor Street, for Isaiah Danks, 1874 (Daily Advertiser [London], 25 Nov. 1874, 2)
TALBOT STREET, near Mill Street, pair of houses for Arthur Claypole, 1874 (Daily Advertiser, 25 Nov. 1874, 2)
TALBOT STREET, near Sydenham Street, for Henry Durnan, 1874 (Daily Advertiser [London], 25 Nov. 1874, 2)
WYOMING, ONT., for A. Laing, 1875 (Daily Advertiser [London], 16 March 1875, 1, t.c.)
DUFFERIN AVENUE, at William Street, for Miss Letitia Pickering, 1878 (Free Press [London], 22 April 1878, 4)
JOHN STREET, for George Kerr, 1878 (Free Press [London], 22 April 1878, 4)
DUNDAS STREET, at Burwell Street, pair of houses for J.E. Webb, 1878 (Free Press [London], 22 April 1878, 4)
OXFORD STREET, Petersville, for Joseph Nixon, 1878 (Free Press [London], 22 April 1878, 4)
QUEEN'S AVENUE, for George T. Hiscox, 1879 (Daily Advertiser [London], 9 April 1879, 4, t.c.)
Institutional & Ecclesiastical Works
PROOF LINE ROAD, Bishop's Residence for the Anglican Dean, Issac Hellmuth, 1870 (London Free Press, 17 March 1870, 1, descrip.)
SPETTIGUE HALL, Dundas Street at Clarence Street, 1870 (Daily Advertiser [London], 10 Oct. 1870, 3, descrip.)
DELAWARE, ONT., School House for Section 3, 1874 (Daily Advertiser [London], 3 Feb. 1874, 2, t.c.)
PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH, Hamilton Road at Adelaide Street, 1875 (Daily Advertiser [London], 10 Aug. 1875, 1; 22 Nov. 1875, 1, descrip.)
FOREST, ONT., Primitive Methodist Church, King Street, 1877 (History of Forest United Church, 1977, 29, illus.)
BIRR, ONT., parsonage for the Methodist Church, 1878 (Free Press [London], 22 April 1878, 4)
PETERSVILLE, Collins Hall, a commercial block and Public Hall for Daniel Collins, 1878 (Daily Advertiser [London], 24 June 1878, 4, descrip.)
Commercial & Industrial Works
ROYAL HOTEL, Richmond Street, addition, 1872 (Daily Advertiser [London], 11 April 1872, 2, t.c.)
NITSCHKE PIANO FACTORY, Dundas Street at Wellington Street, 1872 (Daily Advertiser [London], 1 May 1872, 3, descrip.)
THOMAS ASTON CO., Dundas Street near Wellington Street, store, 1873 (Daily Advertiser [London], 22 May 1873, 2, t.c.)
DUNDAS STREET, at Maitland Street, store and residence for John Santo, 1874 (Daily Advertiser [London], 23 Nov. 1874, 2)
JAMES F. DUNDAS CO., Dundas Street near Wellington Street, 1875 (Daily Advertiser [London], 6 March 1875, 1, t.c.)
CRADDOCK & WEEKES
ST. MARYS, ONT., three villas for William Garner, Elgin Street East at Peel Street, 1879-80 (Free Press [London], 27 June 1879, 4; 17 May 1880, 1)
DUFFERIN AVENUE, at Wellington Street, residence for Sir George C. Gibbons, 1879-80 (Daily Advertiser [London], 1 Dec. 1879, 4; Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1)
ELMWOOD AVENUE, at Edward Street, residence for Robert D. Jarvis, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1)
LONDON TOWNSHIP, 4th Concession, residence for John Geary, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1)
KING STREET, near William Street, residence for M. Frederick Rowland, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1)
CLARENCE STREET, residence for William J. Spettigue, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1)
YORK STREET, residence for John Tanton, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1)
ST. MARYS, ONT., residence for John J. Crabbe, Queen Street East, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1)
ST. MARYS, ONT., Oddfellows Hall, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1; Daily Advertiser [London], 8 Oct. 1880, 2, descrip. but incorrectly credited to 'H.L. Meeker' [sic] of London, Ont.)
BIBLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, Horton Street at Wellington Street, 1880 (Free Press [London], 17 May 1880, 1)
G. CRADDOCK
Residential Works
DUFFERIN AVENUE, opposite Victoria Park, for William McDonough, 1880 (Daily Advertiser [London], 14 Oct. 1880, 4, t.c.; Free Press [London], 3 Aug. 1882, 1)
ELIZABETH STREET, for Thomas Hayes, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 3)
ADELAIDE STREET, near Rosedale Street, for Lemuel Cole, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 3)
LONDON TOWNSHIP, country residence for John Geary, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4, descrip.)
STRATHROY, ONT., for D.M. Thompson, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 4)
BURWELL STREET, for Frank Barnard, 1881 (Free Press [London], 12 July 1881, 2, t.c.)
ELMWOOD AVENUE, near Edward Street, for Henry A. Johnson, 1881 (London Advertiser, 30 Aug. 1881, 4, t.c.)
KING STREET, at Maitland Street, for Hubert Ashplant, 1881 (London Advertiser, 3 Oct. 1881, 4, t.c.)
COLBORNE STREET, at Dundas Street, four houses for John B. Murphy, 1883 (London Advertiser, 19 April 1883, 2)
KING STREET, near Adelaide Street, pair of houses for William H. Crittle, 1883 (Free Press [London], 10 May 1883, 1)
PRINCESS AVENUE, near William Street, for Reuben Brummitt, 1883 (Free Press [London], 10 May 1883, 1)
MAITLAND STREET, two houses for Thomas Tanton, 1883 (Free Press [London], 10 May 1883, 1)
ELMWOOD AVENUE, for James Williams, 1883 (Free Press [London], 10 May 1883, 1)
DUNDAS STREET, near Colborne Street, pair of houses for William J. Johnston, 1884 (London Advertiser, 19 Feb. 1884, 2, t.c.)
RICHMOND STREET, near Albert Street, for John Slater, 1884 (London Advertiser, 14 March 1884, 3, t.c.)
PRINCESS AVENUE, near Waterloo Street, for Edward Lee, 1884 (London Advertiser, 24 March 1884, 2, t.c.)
DUNDAS STREET, near Adelaide Street, for Thomas B. Escott, 1886 (London - The Forest City, 1906, 30, illus.)
GEORGE STREET, at St. James Street, for John A. Miller, 1887 (London Advertiser, 1 Jan. 1887, 5, t.c.)
TALBOT STREET, near Kent Street, row of four houses for Dr. Vesey A. Brown, 1887 (London Advertiser, 27 Sept. 1887, 6)
DUNDAS STREET, near William Street, for William H. Wortman, 1890 (London Advertiser, 5 March 1891, 2, t.c.)
OXFORD STREET, at St. George Street, for Claude B. Armstrong, 1891 (London Advertiser, 28 April 1891, 2, t.c.)
MAPLE STREET, for George O. Olmsted, 1891 (American Contractor [Chicago], xii, 6 June 1891, 41, descrip.)
MAYFAIR, ONT., for George C. Elliott, 1891 (American Contractor [Chicago], xii, 6 June 1891, 41, descrip.)
QUEEN'S AVENUE, at William Street, for William F. Bullen, 1891 (Free Press [London], 21 Nov. 1891, 9)
MAPLE STREET, at Ridout Street, for Talbot Macbeth, 1894 (London Advertiser, 28 June 1894, 2, t.c.)
YORK STREET, near Waterloo Street, for James Porteous, 1896 (Free Press [London], 31 March 1897, 3)
YORK STREET, near Waterloo Street, for John Bell, 1897 (C.R., viii, 8 April 1897, 2)
WELLINGTON STREET, near Sydenham Street, for Rev. William J.T. Hill, 1900 (C.R., xi, 28 Nov. 1900, 2)
WILLIAM STREET, for Robert Angus, 1901 (C.R., xii, 20 Feb. 1901, 3)
Institutional & Ecclesiastical Works
VANNECK, ONT., Presbyterian Church, 1884 (London Advertiser [London], 23 Feb. 1884, 3, t.c.)
GLANWORTH, ONT., Christ Church (Anglican), 1887 (London Advertiser, 10 May 1887, 8)
HARRIETSVILLE, North Dorchester Twp., Public School, 1887 (London Advertiser, 27 Sept. 1887, 6)
LONDON TOWNSHIP, School House for Section 22, 1888 (London Advertiser, 28 April 1888, 6, t.c.)
LONDON MEDICAL COLLEGE, York Street at Waterloo Street, 1888 (Free Press [London], 23 June 1888, 5, illus. & descrip.; London Advertiser, 29 Sept. 1888, 5, descrip.)
WESTMINSTER TOWNSHIP, School House for Section 1, 1889 (London Advertiser, 22 June 1889, 2, t.c.)
FOREST, ONT., High School, 1890 (Free Press [London], 3 May 1890, 9)
MOUNT BRYDGES, ONT., Odd Fellow's Hall, 1891 (American Contractor [Chicago], xii, 6 June 1891, 41)
JEWISH SYNAGOGUE, Richmond Street near Simcoe Street, 1899 (London Advertiser, 8 Aug. 1899, 6, descrip.)
WOMEN'S REFUGE & CHILDREN'S HOME, St. James Street, additions, 1900 (Free Press [London], 26 May 1900, 5)
Commercial & Industrial Works
ALEX JOHNSTON & CO., Richmond Street, store, 1881 (London Advertiser, 8 Feb. 1881, 4, t.c.)
E. LEONARD & SONS, York Street, reconstruction of the factories 'recently destroyed by fire', 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 3)
RICHMOND STREET, store for Alex Johnston, 1881 (Free Press [London], 14 May 1881, 3)
LONDON MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO., Richmond Street, offices, 1889 (Free Press [London], 16 Nov. 1889, 12, descrip.)
OTTO E. BRENER CO., Horton Street, factory, 1891 (dwgs. at Univ. of Western Ontario, D.B. Weldon Library, Moore Coll.)
VALLENS CIGAR CO., Ridout Street, store for Otto R. Brener, 1891 (American Contractor [Chicago], xii, 6 June 1891, 41, descrip.)
G. OLMSTED CIGAR CO., Dundas Street near Talbot Street, store and factory, 1891 (American Contractor [Chicago], xii, 6 June 1891, 41, descrip.)
BRITANNIA HOUSE HOTEL, Wellington Street at York Street, additions, 1893, 1900 (London Advertiser, 15 Aug. 1893, 2, t.c.; C.R., xi, 6 June 1900, 3)
D.S. PERRIN & CO., Dundas Street, new warehouse, 1895 (Free Press [London], 6 April 1895, 7, descrip.)
TALBOT STREET, at Fullarton Street, office for Mayor James D. Wilson, 1899 (C.R., x, 8 Feb. 1899, 3)
KING STREET, near Clarence Street, store and residence for Joseph Fox, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 28 May 1902, 2, t.c.)
NORDHEIMER PIANO CO., Dundas Street, new facade for warehouse, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 10 Dec. 1902, 2)
TALBOT STREET, at Fullarton Street, stores for Llewellyn Meredith, 1907 (Free Press [London], 17 Aug. 1907, 12, t.c.)