PICKINGS, Harry Burton (1884-1934) was active in Halifax, N.S. in partnership with Clifford St. John Wilson. Pickings was a engineer by training, but his collaboration with a professional architect from 1927 ensured that their firm could offer both engineering and architectural services, and they were among the first to design large industrial structures utilizing reinforced concrete construction in the Halifax region. Pickings was born in Nova Scotia in April 1884, but no information has been found on his education or training. In 1918 he commissioned Andrew R. Cobb to design his new residence on Connaught Avenue. Beginning in 1919, he was partner in the office of Pickings & Roland, but later formed a partnership with Clifford S.J. Wilson, as Pickings & Wilson. Pickings died in Halifax on 22 September 1934. References to the career and work of H.B. Pickings appear in M. Rosinski, Architects of Nova Scotia, 1994, 282-83.
PICKINGS & WILSON, Engineers & Architects (works in Halifax unless noted)
MOIR'S CHOCOLATES CO., Argyle Street at George Street, a 9 storey addition to baking plant, 1927; with 3 storey addition, 1930 (C.R., xli, 6 April 1927, 53; Evening Mail [Halifax], 10 March 1930, 1)
MILLVIEW, N.S., Moir's Chocolates Co., a dam and electric power station at Quarrie Lake to provide power to Moir's Ltd., 1928 (Evening Mail [Halifax], 21 Jully 1928, 30)
ARGYLE MOTORS LTD., Argyle Street at Prince Street, a large 4 storey parking garage, 1928 (Evening Mail [Halifax], 25 May 1928, 20, descrip.; and 7 June 1928, 3, descrip.; C.R., xlii, 20 June 1928, 56)
THE ROY BUILDING, Barrington Street, major addition of two storeys above the existing block, 1928 (Evening Mail [Halifax], 28 July 1928, 5, descrip.)
(with Andrew R. Cobb) CANADIAN GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. LTD., Sackville Street at Hollis Street, large office building and warehouse, 1930 (Evening Mail [Halifax], 4 Jan. 1930, 4; C.R., xliv, 29 Jan. 1930, 64)
ALEXANDRA SCHOOL, Brunswick Street, major addition, 1932-33 (C.R., xlvi, 2 Nov. 1932, 1261; and xlvii, 1 Feb. 1933, 117)