Spier, James

SPIER, James (1823-1914), was the son of William Spier, an architect who lived and worked in Montreal, Que. from 1855 until after 1870. James was born in Montreal in August 1823 and trained in the building trades under his father. In 1844 he was invited to become a full partner in his father’s business, to be called “William Spier & Son, Carpenters & Joiners” (Montreal Transcript, 31 Aug. 1844, 2, col. 6, advert.). This company was dissolved in early 1855 (Montreal Transcript, 27 March 1855, 3) and their business was then re-branded the following year, as William Spier & Son, Architects, and it remained active until at least 1868 (Montreal City Directory, 1868-69, 321). No references to the work of James Spier have been found after this date, and it is unclear if he continued to practise as an architect after the death of his father in 1878. James Spier died in Montreal on 22 May 1914 at the age of 91 years, and was buried at Mount Royal Cemetery (death notice Gazette [Montreal], 23 May 1914, 3).