FORRESTER, Alexander (1868-1949), active in Nanaimo, B.C. as an architect from 1908 to 1926. Born in Kingskettle, Co. Fifeshire, Scotland on 28 September 1868, he emigrated to Canada from Utah in 1890 and settled in Vancouver where city directories record him as a carpenter. After 1905 he began to style himself as an “architect”, with an office at Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. He was still active there as late as 1930. Forrester later died in Nanaimo on 25 April 1949 (obituary Nanaimo Free Press, 26 April 1949, 1)
(works in Nanaimo unless noted)
TOWNSITE [in Nanaimo], office building for the Ladysmith Lumber Co., 1908 (Nanaimo Free Press, 7 Jan. 1908, 4, t.c)
NANAIMO GENERAL HOSPITAL, addition of the new Nurses' Home, 1908 (Nanaimo Free Press, 16 March 1908, 1, descrip.; 18 April 1908, 2, t.c.)
ST. ANDREW'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Fitzwilliam Street at Wesley Street, extensive interior alterations and restoration, 1910 (Nanaimo Free Press, 1 April 1910, 2, descrip.)
ODDFELLOWS HALL, for Black Diamond I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 5, 1910-11 (Vancouver Daily World, 8 Aug. 1910, 6, t.c.; Nanaimo Free Press, 26 April 1911, 1, descrip.)
unnamed street, a three storey commercial block for James Young, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 26 July 1911, 64)
unnamed street, stores and offices for Victor Janey, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 26 July 1911, 64)
ATHLETIC CLUB BUILDING, major addition, with swimming pool, Turkish baths, gymnasium, and reading rooms, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 26 July 1911, 59)
VICTORIA CRESCENT, a four storey commercial block with store and offices for an unnamed client, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 26 July 1911, 58)
ADDISON BLOCK, Wallace Street at Fitzwilliam Street, a brick commercial building for J.N. Addison, 1912-13 (Saturday Sunset [Vancouver], 14 Sept. 1912, 6, descrip.; Nanaimo Free Press, 25 Oct. 1912, 3, t.c.; and 7 Nov. 1912, 1). This project was apparently not built, and was the subject of a lawsuit in 1914 (Nanaimo Free Press, 29 April 1913, 1; and 14 May 1913, 3, t.c.; and 30 May 1914, 1, details of B.C. Court judgement)
NEEDHAM STREET, residence for Henry Shepherd, 1913 (Nanaimo Free Press, 14 Feb. 1913, 4, t.c.)
CHASE RIVER, SOUTH NANAIMO, a church and Sunday School, 1913 (Nanaimo Free Press, 5 March 1913, 3, t.c.)
GLOBE HOTEL, Front Street, major addition for A. Henderson, 1913 (Nanaimo Free Press, 9 Aug. 1913, 1, descrip.)
BALMORAL HOTEL, Haliburton Street near Dickson Street, major addition of three storeys, 1913 (Nanaimo Free Press, 13 Sept. 1913, 3, t.c.)
VICTORIA CRESCENT, at Cavan Street, a brick commercial block for J.B. Nicholson, 1914 (Nanaimo Free Press, 27 March 1914, 1, descrip.; 11 April 1914, 4; 16 April 1914, 3, t.c.)
DEPARTURE BAY, B.C., extensive alterations to The Bay Hotel, 1914 (Nanaimo Free Press, 27 March 1914, 1)
ANGELL’S TRADING CO., Fitzwilliam Street, 1926 (D. Luxton & V. Vidners, Nanaimo Heritage Gateways, 1986, illus.)
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Franklyn Street at Robson Street, 1930 (Nanaimo Free Press, 17 July 1930, 1, descrip.; 20 Feb. 1931, 1, descrip.)