FRAZER, William (fl. 1847-1880) of Toronto, Ont. was recorded as an architect in that city in 1850-51 (Rowsell’s City of Toronto Directory, 1850-51, 48), and he may be the same “William Frazer” noted in the Toronto Assessment Roll of 1847 as a tenant in the house of Joseph Sheard, and could have been working as his pupil. By 1853 Frazer was living in Buffalo, N.Y. where he became the successor to the practise of Edward B. Smith, a prominent architect in Buffalo who died there in early 1853. An article published in the Bufffalo Daily Republic on 27 July 1853, p. 3 noted that Frazer “was formerly in the employ of Mr. Smith” and that “….Mr. Frazer studied his profession under the celebrated English architect Mr. Thomas of Toronto, and cannot fail of giving full satisfaction…” This was a reference to William Thomas (1799-1860), and Frazer may have been training under him in 1851-52 or before this date, since Thomas had arrived in Toronto in 1844. .
By 1856, Frazer had moved to London, Ont. where he was in partnership with J. Frowd Beaven (Railton’s Directory for the City of London, 1856-57, 83). He may be the same as, or related to, the London, Ont. architect W.H. Fraser, active there in 1864-65 (London Free Press, 21 Nov. 1864, 2, advert.; Evening Advertiser [London], 18 Jan. 1865, 1, advert.).