PHILLIPS, John (c. 1789-1859) of Quebec City, P.Q., was active there as an architect, masonry contractor, builder and developer. His name appears as 'architect and builder' in several sources (A. Hawkins, Quebec Directory, 1844-45, 166) and his signature appears on contracts and on architectural drawings for many rudimentary and unadorned stone dwellings erected within the walls of the old town of Quebec City between 1816 and 1845. He is likely the same 'Mr. Phillips, the architect' who designed and constructed the Wolfe & Montcalm Monument in Quebec City in 1827-28 (Brockville Gazette, 26 Sept. 1828, 2), reputedly the only memorial in the world honouring both winner and loser in a military battle. He may be related to Thomas Phillips, a prominent developer and architect in Montreal who, in 1833-34, had to step in and take charge of the serious financial debts incurred by John Phillips during the cholera epidemic sweeping Upper and Lower Canada. John Phillips remained active in the building industry until 1845, and died in Quebec City in December 1859 (biog. and list of works in A.J.H. Richardson, Quebec City: Architects, Artisans and Builders, 1984, 462-5, 482-3, illus.; inf. Mrs. Catherine Crawford, Ste. Foy, Que.)
(works in Quebec City)
METHODIST CHAPEL, Ste. Anne Street, 1816 (H. Bergevin, Eglises Protestants, 1981, 75, illus.)
ST. ANDREW'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Ste. Anne Street, new facade and bell tower added to existing church, 1823; altered 1836 by Goodlatte R. Browne (L. Noppen et al, Quebec - trois siecles d'architecture, 1979, 116, illus.; H. Bergevin, Eglises Protestants, 1981, 74, illus.)
WOLFE & MONTCALM MONUMENT, Des Carrieres Street at Mont Carmel Street, 1827-28 (Star & Commercial Gazette [Quebec], 13 Sept. 1828, 1, descrip.)
ST. LOUIS STREET, residence for William Smith, 1830 (L. Noppen & M. Grignon, l'art de l'architecte - Three Centuries of Architectural Drawing in Quebe City, 1983, 198-9, illus. & descrip.)