MACKLIN, Herbert Gerald (1869-1956) was active in Toronto where he was one of the founding partners in the architectural office called The Designing & Drafting Company from 1907 until after 1920. Born in Ontario in Hamilton, Ont. on 10 December 1869, he was educated at Wellesley School in Toronto in 1881-86, but he does not appear to have received any formal university education in architecture. Instead, he served an apprenticeship in the office of George W. Gouinlock (in 1888-90), then left Canada to work in the United States (1891-92). He returned to Toronto in early 1893 and rejoined Gouinlock and assisted him with preparing drawings for the Temple Building, Toronto, in 1893-94 (built 1895-97).
By 1899 he appears to have been operating his own office as an architect and draftsman at 17 Jordan Street in Toronto. In 1903-04 he was listed as an independent draftsman with an office at 17 ½ Adelaide St. East. During this period, one of the pupils in his drafting office was Dixie C. Cotton. In 1906 Macklin invited Cotton to form a new company in Toronto called The Designing & Drafting Company (see list of works under Dixie C. Cotton). Their firm prospered, and between 1907 and 1912 they designed more than twenty private houses in the Forest Hill and Rosedale neighbourhoods of Toronto. In addition, Macklin completed several residential commissions under his own name during this period, and claimed credit for these works in his Membership Application later submitted to the Ontario Association of Architects in September 1931.
When D.C. Cotton moved his practise to Port Credit, Ont. in 1919, Macklin remained in Toronto and continued to operate under the banner of The Designing & Drafting Co. (City of Toronto Directory, 1923, 1174), but only one reference to his work during this period has been found, that for a substantial residence for A.R. Lumley on Baby Point Crescent in the Lambton Park area of West Toronto. Macklin became a registered member of the Ontario Association of Architects in 1931, but he resigned from the Association in April 1938. He later died at Grimsby, Ont. on 1 November 1956 (death notice Globe & Mail [Toronto], 3 November 1956, 36; inf. Michael Harrison, Toronto; inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects).
(works in Toronto unless noted)
HIGH PARK BOULEVARD, at Roncesvalles Avenue, residence for Robert W. Prittie, c. 1910 (inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects, membership application from H. G. Macklin, Nov. 1931)
unnamed street, residence for Hon. Archibald Campbell, c. 1910 (inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects, membership application from Herbert G. Macklin, Nov. 1931)
unnamed street, residence for H.T. Mara, c. 1910 (inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects, membership application from Herberrt G. Macklin, Nov. 1931)
DOWLING AVENUE, near King Street West, residence for E.D. Morris, 1910 (inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects, membership application from Herbert G. Macklin, Nov. 1931)
EVELYN CRESCENT, at Evelyn Avenue, residence for John Alexander, 1910 (inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects, membership application from Herbert G. Macklin, Nov. 1931)
OAKVILLE, ONT., residence for Walter D. Gregory, 1912 (inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects, membership application from Herbert G. Macklin, Nov. 1931)
BABY POINT CRESCENT, near Humbercrest Boulevard, residence for Alfred R. Lundy, 1928 ((inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects, membership application from Herbert G. Macklin, Nov. 1931)