LEPAGE, Thomas Jacob (1846 - c. 1885) of Quebec City, Que. and active there from c. 1870 to 1882. Lepage was born in Rimouski, Que. on 13 February 1846, but no information has been found on his early education or training, He appears to have commenced practise as an architect in Quebec City about 1870. His largest and most significant commission there was the original portion of the industrial complex now called “La Fabrique”, located in the St. Roch suburb of Quebec City. Begun in 1871, it was intended as a large shoe factory for Guillaume Bresse, but was later expanded and became the headquarters of the Dominion Corset Co. in 1897. At that time, the Quebec City architect Georges E. Tanguay designed extensive additions to the building along Charest Boulevard East and Dorchester Street, and these buildings were rebuilt by Tanguay after a major fire in 1911. The complex was occupied by the Dominion Corset Co., for nearly a century from 1897 to 1988. The building was then converted to residential lofts units after 1990, and in 2011 was recognized and designated as a National Historic Site by Parks Canada.
Lepage also held the post of local supervising architect for the federal Department of Public Works during the period of 1873-74, and his name is recorded as the site architect for federal properties at Grosse Isle and in Quebec City. His term as Government Architect there ended in October 1874 when he was replaced by Pierre Gauvreau (Globe [Toronto], 30 Oct. 1874, 1). In 1881 he was elected as an Associate Member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in Ottawa (E. McMann, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts - Exhibitions & Members 1880-1979, pub. 1981, 239).
(works in Quebec City unless noted)
“LA FABRIQUE”, Charest Boulevard East at Dorchester Street, a large shoe factory for Guillaume Bresse, in the Saint Roch suburb of Quebec City, 1871; with extensive additions later made to the building in 1897 by George Emile Tanguay (City of Quebec Archives, b.p. 3053, 14 May 1871; dwgs. by Lepage at ANQ, Fonds Raoul Chenevert, P 372, Dossier No. 214; inf. Judith Dufresne, Parks Canada, Ottawa; Government of Canada, Parks Canada, National Historic Site designation 19 July 2011, now online)
ST. JEAN STREET, a three storey residence for Edouard Giguere, 1872 (ANQ, Contract No. 14668 and 14669, 20 Jan. 1872)
HENDERSON STREET, opposite the St. Paul Market, a three storey brick residence for Jacques Belleau, 1872 (City of Quebec Archives, b.p. 3123, 30 Jan. 1872)
ST. PAUL STREET, a building for Mrs. Charles Terrien, 1873 (City of Quebec Archives, b.p. 3513, 14 July 1873)
DOMINION OBSERVATORY, a residence for the Director of the Observatory, 1873 (Canada, Sessional Papers, 1874, Report of the Minister of Public Works, No. 2, Appendix No. 19, 129; and Sessional Papers, 1875, No. 7, Appendix 19, 125)
GROSSE ISLE, QUE., new buildings at the Quarantine Station, including a block of boatmen’s houses, two stables, and a Roman Catholic chapel, 1873 (Canada, Sessional Papers, 1874, Report of the Minister of Public Works, No. 2, Appendix 18, 130; and Sessional Papers, 1875, No. 7, Appendix 19, 126). A copy of the written architectural specifications signed “Thomas J. LePage, architect” are held at the National Archives of Canada, Ottawa, RG11, Vol. 3919, p. 297-98.
SAINT JEAN SUBURB, a brick and stone shed, with stable and hayloft, for Cyrille Tessier, 1874 (City of Quebec Archives, b.p. 3552, 26 Sept. 1874)
DU ROI STREET, residence for Roch Pamphile Vallee, 1875 (City of Quebec Archives, b.p. 3367, 1 Feb. 1875)
ST. ROCH ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Caron Street at St. Joseph Street, a major addition of three bays to the existing nave of the church, and a brick block (perhaps a parish hall?) for the Congregation des homes de Saint Roch de Quebec (ANQ, Contract No. 12910, 30 July 1875; Luc Noppen et al, Quebec: Trois siecles d'architecture, 1979, 176, illus. but incorrectly attributed to "Francois Lepage")
RICHARDSON STREET, at Crown Street, a one storey wood frame house for Mrs. Joseph Alphonse Pare, 1876 (City of Quebec Archives, b.p. 2781, 10 April 1876)
DORCHESTER STREET, at St. Gabriel Street, a one storey brick residence and pavilion for Guillaume Bresse, 1876 (City of Quebec Archives, b.p. 4185, 27 May 1876)
MONTREAL, QUE., railway station for the Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa & Occidental Railway Co., 1876 (inf. Mr. Gino Gariepy, of Bergeron & Gagnon Inc., Heritage Consultants, Quebec City)
TROIS RIVIERES, QUE., railway station for the Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa & Occidental Railway Co., 1876 (inf. Mr. Gino Gariepy, of Bergeron & Gagnon Inc., Heritage Consultants, Quebec City)
QUEBEC CITY, QUE., railway station for the Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa & Occidental Railway Co., 1876 (inf. Mr. Gino Gariepy, of Bergeron & Gagnon Inc., Heritage Consultants, Quebec City)