Reilly, James | Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada

REILLY, James (1835-1909), one of the first professional architects to live and work in Saskatchewan. He opened an office in Regina in 1883 (Regina Leader, 14 June 1883, 1, advert.) and by May 1884 he had opened a new office in Calgary, Alberta as "Architect, Contractor & Builder" (Calgary Weekly Herald, 28 May 1884, 1, advert.). In 1885 he seems to have broadened his business activity to include ownership of a sash and door factory on Albert Street in Regina (City of Regina Directory, 1885, unpag.). That same year, the firm of Reilly & Reilly built (and may have designed) the new Knox Presbyterian Church in Regina (Regina Leader, 30 July 1885, 4), completed in 1885, but later destroyed by fire in 1905. Reilly was born in Sherrington, Que. on 28 March 1835 and arrived in the North West Territories before 1880. He appears to have left Saskatchewan after 1890. The 1901 Census for Canada records “James Reilly, architect” in Calgary, Alberta where he developed a keen interest in local politics. He served as Mayor of Calgary in 1891, and again in 1899, and retired after 1900. Reilly died in Victoria, B.C. on 8 July 1909 (obituary Calgary Daily Herald, 9 July 1909, 1; 14 July 1909, 1; obit. Victoria Daily Times, 9 July 1909, 5; inf. Frank Korvemaker, Regina).