Leighton, William

LEIGHTON, William (fl. 1837-39) was active in Woodstock, Ont. where he prepared a refined Palladian design for the Brock District Court House, Hunter Street, WOODSTOCK, ONT., 1837-39, demol. c. 1890. Commencing in 1837, he was noted as the architect “…who drew the plans which were adopted for its construction, and he was employed to superintend the work” (Thomas Shenston, The Oxford Gazetteer, 1852, 117-18; Oxford & Norfolk County Gazetteer & Directory, 1867, 105). The Court House was later completed in November 1839. The contractors for the work were H. Bishop and J. Harrison. A photograph of this early classical work taken c. 1878 can be found in M. McRae & A. Adamson, Cornerstones of Order, 1983, 53. Leighton was also noted as the builder (and may have been the architect) of a substantial brick house for George Elliott, WOODSTOCK, ONT., 1837. The house was situated “…immediately opposite Mr. C. McLeod’s new brick block” (Thomas Shenston, Oxford Gazetteer, 1852, 120).