SOUTHCOTT, John Thomas (1853-1939), of St. John’s, Newfoundland, was the son of John Southcott, a prominent builder, contractor and architect in that city. Born on 20 August 1853, he served an apprenticeship under his father, as well as training under his uncle James T. Southcott, where he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. In 1870 or 1871 he moved to Exeter, England and studied architecture under William R. Best, a prominent architect there who had previously lived and worked in St. John’s after the Great Fire of 1846. When he completed his training under Best in Exeter, Southcott was then employed in architectural offices in London and in Sheffield, England, and he later returned to Newfoundland in 1876.
At the age of 24 years, he opened his own office in St. John’s, Nfld. in December 1876, with a public advertisement stating that he “…begs to inform the Public of St. John’s and the Out Ports that he is in a position to prepare plans and Specifications for buildings” (Times & General Commercial Gazette [St. John’s], 16 Dec. 1876, advert.). Southcott was appointed as Superintendent of Public Works for the Colony of Newfoundland in 1898, serving as the Chief Architect for the colony and overseeing the design and construction of government buildings in Newfoundland. However, for unexplained reasons, his term lasted only two years, and he was replaced in 1900.
Southcott later moved to Vancouver, B.C. in 1909 and continued to work in that city as an architect, but only a few references to his projects there have been found, and all of them appear to have been built for members of the Southcott family who were then residing in Vancouver. He retired from the profession in 1933, and later died in West Vancouver, B.C. on 5 March 1939 (obit. Daily Province [Vancouver], 6 March 1939, 9; obit. Vancouver Sun, 6 March 1939, 5; biog. and port. in Henry Y. Mott, Newfoundland Men, 1894, 117; biog. and works by Shane O‘Dea, ‘The Works of Mr. Southcott“ in Heritage Canada [Ottawa], v, Oct. 1979, 27-29, illus.; biog. MacMillan Encyclopedia of Architects [New York], iv, 1982, 113)
J.T. SOUTHCOTT (works in St. John’s unless noted)
PARK PLACE HOUSES, c. 1880 (list of works in MacMillan Encyclopedia of Architects [New York], iv, 1982, 113)
HEART’S CONTENT, NFLD., Senior staff houses for the Anglo-American Telegraph Cable Co., 1882 (list of works in MacMillan Encyclopedia of Architects [New York], iv, 1982, 113)
VICTORIA HALL, 1883 (Evening Telegram [St. John’s], 16 May 1883, 1, t.c.)
ROTHWELL HOUSES, for the Rothwell sisters, c. 1886 (list of works in MacMillan Encyclopedia of Architects [New York], iv, 1982, 113)
PATRICK'S STREET, a new Priest's residence [or rectory], 1890 (Evening Herald [St. John's], 31 Oct. 1890, 1, t.c.)
MISSION ROOM, a new chancel for the assembly hall, 1893 (Royal Gazette [St. John’s], 10 May 1893)
J.T. SOUTHCOTT (works for the Nfld. Dept. of Public Works)
TWILLINGATE, NFLD., Post Office and Telegraph Building, 1898 (dwgs. at the Provincial Dept. of Public Works Office, Pocket 10, Folder 2)
ST. JOHN’S, NFLD., Government House, alterations to the front entrance of the building, 1900 (dwgs. at the Provincial Dept. of Public Works Office, Pocket 5, Folder 3)
J.T. SOUTHCOTT (works in Vancouver)
EAST 13th AVENUE, residence for M.S. Southcott, and occupied by John T. Southcott, architect, 1909 (City of Vancouver b.p. issued 26 Jan. 1909)
EAST 13th AVENUE, residence for Charles N. Southcott, 1909-10 (City of Vancouver b.p. issued 27 Dec. 1909)
EAST 27th AVENUE, residence for A. Southcott, 1914 (City of Vancouver b.p. 6678, 16 May 1914)
POINT GREY, residence for John J. Southcott, Drummond Drive, 1914 (City of Vancouver b.p. 1576, 10 Sept. 1914)