SHEPHERD, William Fletcher (1875- c. 1951) was active in London, Ont. and later in Toronto as a staff architect with the Ontario government. Born in Strathroy, Ont. on 5 September 1875, he attended public school in London and later studied at the University of Toronto from 1897 to 1900. There, he was commended for “…a distinguished record at the recent examinations in the School of Practical Science, obtaining First Class Honours and a prize in the Dept. of Architecture” (St. Mary’s Argus, 11 May 1899, 3; C.A.B., xii, May 1899, 107). While residing in Toronto in 1900-04, he articled with the firm of Burke & Horwood, and with J. Francis Brown, and joined the Architectural Eighteen Club Atelier, completing his own private studies with that group.
Shepherd opened an office under his own name in London, Ont. in 1905 where he was successor to the practise of Herbert Matthews (Toronto Daily Star, 27 Sept. 1905, 9). He continued to practice there from 1905 to 1915, and again in early 1919, returning briefly to Toronto to work as a draftsman for Bernard H. Prack from September 1919 to January 1921. From 1921 to June 1925 he was again working from his own office in London, but in June 1925 he accepted an offer to join the Institutions Branch of the Ontario Government Dept. of Health in Toronto where he assisted with the design of hospitals and penal institutions in Ontario. He remained with that department until after 1940, and resigned from the O.A.A. in June 1951 (biog. in London: The Forest City, 1906, 8; inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects)
ST. MARYS, ONT., Knox Presbyterian Church, 1905-06; demol. c. 1960 (C.R., xvi, 3 May 1905, 1, t.c.; London Free Press, 8 May 1905, 7, t.c.; Historical Sketch of Knox Presbyterian Church, St. Marys, Ontario, 1956, 3, illus.)
LONDON, ONT., All Saints Anglican Church, Hamilton Road at Inkerman Street, 1906-07; still standing in 2023 (London - The Forest City, 1906, 8)
DUNNVILLE, Ont. Knox Presbyterian Church, Lock Street West near Church Street, 1906; still standing in 2023 (C.R., xvii, 15 Aug. 1906, 4, t.c.; 7 Nov. 1906, 4)
LONDON, ONT., Women’s Christian Temperance Union Building, Dundas Street near Wellington Street, 1907 (C.R., xviii, 31 July 1907, 2)
TORONTO, ONT., pair of houses for Robert Locke, Avenue Road near Cottingham Street, 1907 (Const., I, Nov. 1907, 72)
ST. MARYS, ONT., residence for J.W Pert, 1908 (C.R., xix, 25 March 1908, 21)
LONDON, ONT., three storey warehouse block for A. Jeffery, 1908 (C.R., xix, 25 March 1908, 20)
TORONTO, ONT., large two storey apartment block for an unnamed client, Bloor Street West at Shaw Street, 1908 (Const., i, June 1908, 66; C.R., xxii, 1 July 1908, 27)
(with J. Harvey Self) BEAVERTON, ONT., Town Hall & Market, Simcoe Street at Osborne Street, 1910; still standing in 2023 (C.R., xxiv, 13 April 1910, 31; Lindsay Post, 2 Dec. 1910, 12, descrip.)
ELORA, ONT., Carnegie Library, Geddes Street at Henderson Street, 1910; still standing in 2023 (M. Beckman, The Best Gift: A Record of Carnegie Libraries in Ontario, 1984, 142-3, illus., 184) but incorrectly attributed to “W. Fletcher Sheppard” [sic]
TORONTO, ONT., major addition to residence for Dr. Nelson Tait, Spadina Avenue near Harbord Street, 1910-11; demol. c. 1965 (Toronto b.p., dated 12 Nov. 1910)
TORONTO, ONT., large residence for Dr. J. Lloyd Burns, Broadview Avenue at Fairview Boulevard, 1912; demol. c. 1970 (Toronto b.p. 34107, 21 May 1912)
TORONTO, ONT., The Ashby Apartments, Roncesvalles Avenue near Garden Avenue, for Samuel Frame, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 35350, 24 June 1912)
PARIS, ONT., a public school with 4 classrooms, 1921 (Brantford Expositor, 5 March 1921, 15, t.c.)
COMPETITIONS
MEAFORD, ONT., Town Hall, 1907-08. Shepherd was one of seven Ontario architects who submitted a design in the competition for this civic building in November 1907 (inf. Fred Kennedy, Heritage Meaford). His proposal was later set aside in favour of the winning scheme by Ellis & Connery of Toronto.