WENYON, George Harry (1878-1946) appeared briefly in Vancouver, B.C. in 1913 where he designed a major addition, in the 'Neo-Grecian' style, for Woodward's Department Store (1913). An elaborate perspective drawing by Wenyon showing his proposal for this eight storey addition appeared in the British architectural journal called Building News [London], civ, 13 June 1913, 812-13, illus. & descrip.). A description of his proposal for Woodward's Store also appeared in the Vancouver Daily World, 1 Feb. 1913, 11.
Born in England, he was educated at King Edward High School in Birmingham, England and articled to Alfred Long of West Bromwich (in 1896-1900), then worked as an assistant in the offices of Hugh T.D. Hedley of Sunderland, for W. Slater of Wrexham, and for H.T. Sandy of Stafford. He opened his own office in Tipton, Staffordshire in 1904 and the following year received a significant boost to his career when he won the competition for the Carnegie Library, Tipton, Engl., completed in 1906. This elaborate Edwardian design, with its clock tower rising 60 feet above the street, was a sophisticated essay in public architecture, and likely influenced the decision to choose Wenyon from 23 entrants in the competition for the Free Library, Dudley, Staffordshire, in 1908.
It is unclear why Wenyon chose to emigrate to Canada in 1912; he was active in Vancouver for less than year, and returned to England in early 1914 where he formed a partnership in London with Sir Ambrose M. Poynter as Poynter & Wenyon (Kelly's Post Office Directory of London, 1915, 1314). After 1920 he continued to practise under his own name, and was elected as a Fellow of the R.I.B.A. in 1925. Wenyon died on 20 January 1946 (biog. F. Chatterton, Who's Who in Architecture, 1923, 265; Directory of British Architects 1834-1914, pub. 2002, Vol. ii, 959; D. Luxton, Building the West: Early Architects of British Columbia, 2003, 486, 523)
TIPTON, ENGL., Carnegie Library, Victoria Road, 1906 (Builder [London], xc, 9 June 1906, 650-1, descrip.; M. Raven, Guide to Staffordshire and the Black Country, 2004, 319)
DUDLEY, ENGL, Free Library, St.James Road, 1909 (Builder [London], xcvii, 25 Sept. 1909, 344, descrip.)
VANCOUVER, B.C., Charles Woodward Ltd. Department Store, West Hastings Street at Abbott Street, major addition, 1913; altered (Vancouver Daily World, 1 Feb. 1913, 11, descrip.; Province [Vancouver], 29 March 1913, 33, illus. & descrip.; Building News [London], civ, 13 June 1913, 812-13, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives)