Kilburn, Joseph Richard

KILBURN, Joseph Richard (1856-1890), son of Daniel Kilburn of Hamilton, Ont., was born there on 22 August 1856 and moved to Stratford, Ont. about 1869. He studied architecture under Alexander Hepburn and opened his own office in Stratford as an architect and valuator in 1877. That same year he was among thirty-four competitors from the United States and Canada who submitted an entry in the competition for the Stratford High School (Stratford Beacon, 5 Oct. 1877, 2). His scheme was one of the three finalists, but it was set aside in favour of the winning design by McCaw & Lennox. He served as local supervisor to Thomas Fuller in the construction of the Stratford Post Office (London Free Press, 20 Aug. 1881, 4). He died suddenly on 7 December 1890 from pneumonia and left an estate of $7500. A lengthy obituary published at the time of his death noted that 'many of the public buildings, schools, churches, business blocks and private residences in Stratford, Mitchell and throughout the county were erected on plans executed by him' (Stratford Evening Herald, 8 Dec. 1890, 1). His successor was Harry J. Powell. The Stratford-Perth Archives holds Kilburn's inscribed copy of A.J. Bicknell's Detail, Cottage & Constructive Architecture (1873), a popular pattern book which may have been influential in the development of several residential designs prepared by Kilburn.

STRATFORD, ONT., Primitive Methodist Church, Waterloo Street, 1880 (Stratford Beacon, 30 Jan. 1880, 2; 5 Nov. 1880, 2, descrip.)
STRATFORD, ONT., residence for Miss Crerar, St. George Street at Caledonia Street, 1887 (Stratford Beacon, 3 June 1887, 1)
STRATFORD, ONT., Ontario Street Baptist Church, 1888-89 (Stratford Beacon, 9 March 1888, 1, descrip.; Stratford Times, 13 March 1889, 1, descrip.)
AVONBANK, ONT., Presbyterian Church, 1890 (Centennial Year of the Avonbank Church 1848-1948, 13, illus.).