NICHOLSON, John P. (1846-1931) lived and worked in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island as a contractor and builder from 1881 onward. He later joined the Public Works Department of the provincial government where he served as Superintendent of Public Works. Unlike other provinces who appointed a Chief Architect of their own division of public works, Nicholson held a similar position and served as the de facto Chief Architect for P.E.I., overseeing the design and construction of public buildings as well as engineering works.
In late 1891, with the change of political administration, he lost his post and the following year he formed a partnership with Alfred Quirk, a draftsman, and they provided specifications and estimates (and presumably the plans for) a variety of buildings. His first notable work was the design of the Court House & Public Hall in New London, P.E.I, built in 1892 and still standing as of 2019. This Victorian stick-style landmark was placed on the Canadian Register of Heritage Places by the provincial government of Prince Edward Island on 16 December 2010, but has been mistakenly attributed to the Charlottetown firm of Chappell & Phillips, Architects. Documents held at the Provincial Archives of Prince Edward Island confirm that these architects had been approached to provide plans, but the account books from their office, now held at the Provincial Archives, have no record of this building being erected under their name, and the commission was given to John Nicholson. He was recorded as “the architect” in a full account of the completed building published in the Daily Examiner [Charlottetown], 5 Nov. 1892, 2, descrip. (inf. Harry Holman, Charlottetown).
The professional title of Nicholson at this time was that of “Practical Engineer” (Daily Examiner [Charlottetown], 5 Jan. 1892, 4). By 1894, he was advertising himself as a land surveyor, supplying architectural drawings and specifications for various works (Daily Examiner [Charlottetown], 29 Aug. 1894, 2). In 1900 he received the appointment of City Surveyor to the City of Charlottetown, and his responsibilities included overseeing the design and construction of civic buildings. He served in this position for more than thirty years. Nicholson died in Charlottetown on 13 March 1931 (obituary Charlottetown Guardian, 14 March 1931, 1; obituary The Gazette [Montreal], 16 March 1931, 1; inf. Mr. Harry Holman, Charlottetown).
CLIFTON, P.E.I., (now called NEW LONDON, P.E.I.,) Court House and Public Hall, Route Six, 1892, still standing as of 2019 and currently known as New London Hall (Daily Examiner [Charlottetown], 5 Nov. 1892, 2, descrip.; PAPEI, Acc. 4686, Minute Book of the New London Hall Company)
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I., indoor skating rink for St. Dunstan’s College, 1897 (Charlottetown Herald, 5 Jan. 1898, 2, descrip.; Daily Examiner [Charlottetown], 13 Jan. 1898, 6, descrip.; inf. Harry Holman, Charlottetown)
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I., caretaker’s cottage and residence at Prince Street School, 1900 (Guardian [Charlottetown], 23 Feb. 1900, 2; Daily Patriot [Charlottetown], 1 March 1900, 3, t.c.)
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I., residence for J.J. Davies, Malpeque Road, 1900 (Daily Patriot [Charlottetown], 19 March 1900, 2, t.c.; Guardian [Charlottetown], 27 March 1900, 2)
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I., parsonage for the Prince Street Baptist Church, facing Fitzroy Street near Prince Street, 1904 (Guardian [Charlottetown], 26 Nov. 1904, 1, illus. & descrip.)
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I., an outdoor pavilion at Victoria Park, erected for the visit of the Duke & Duchess of Connaught, 1912 (Guardian [Charlottetown], 1 Aug. 1912, 7)