HOWLAND, William Ford (1874-1948), born at Lambton Mills in West Toronto on 8 June 1874, ws educated in Toronto but did not obtain a formal education in architecture. Much of his knowledge and training was gained in the office of Burke & Horwood where he articled from 1891 to 1896. He moved to New York City and spent six years with Renwick, Aspinwall & Owen (in 1896-1902), and two years with Cady, Berg & See (in 1902-04). After returning to Toronto he frequently collaborated with his former employers Burke & Horwood whose influence can best be seen in the neo-Byzantine design for St. Anne's Anglican Church (1907). Howland signed the presentation drawings for the scheme in 1907 but likely prepared the design with the advice of Edmund Burke, a talented and prolific ecclesiastical designer in his own right. In late 1907 he formed a partnership in Toronto with Charles Langley; their practise flourished and they collaborated for more than thirty years (see list of works under Langley & Howland). Howland also took an interest in historical preservation, and while in partnership with Langley he developed proposals for restoring the military structures at Fort York and creating new entrances to the site (Telegram [Toronto], 13 Jan. 1909, 18, illus. & descrip., but lacking attribution; City of Toronto Archives, RG12A, Box 22, File 3, letter from Howland dated 26 June 1929). The office of Langley & Howland was closed at the outbreak of WWII and after 1945 Howland worked in the office of Mathers & Haldenby until his death on 22 June 1948 (obit. Telegram [Toronto], 23 June 1948, 3; Globe & Mail [Toronto], 24 June 1948, 8; R.A.I.C. Journal, xxv, Sept. 1948, 349; inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects)
W. Ford HOWLAND (works in Toronto)
TORONTO GUILD OF CIVIC ART, a master plan for the beautification of Toronto, 1905. Howland served as Secretary of the committee, assisted by members of the Ontario Assoc. of Architects, and members of the Architecture Eighteen Club, who prepared the plans (Toronto Daily Star, 10 July 1905, 1. This resulted in the publication of a folio of coloured plans in 1908 illustrating the proposals by the Guild.
ETOBICOKE, ONT., St. George's Anglican Church, Dundas Street West at Wimbleton Road, extensive alterations and new brick walls, 1894 (Canadian Churchman [Toronto], xxx, 1 Nov. 1894, 647-48, descrip.)
(with Burke & Horwood) H.S. HOWLAND & SON CO., Front Street West near York Street, warehouse, 1904; demol. c. 1955 (Toronto b.p. 664, 13 June 1904)
(with Burke & Horwood) SPENCER AVENUE, residence for Maj. John A. Carlaw, 1905 (dwgs. OA, Horwood Coll. 905)
GLEN ROAD, at Elm Avenue, residence for Peler Howland, 1905-06 (Toronto b.p. 2525, 17 Nov. 1905)
QUEEN STREET WEST, near Gwynne Avenue, store and apartments for R.T. Davey, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 1918, 24 Aug. 1905)
(with Burke & Horwood) ST. ANNE'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, Gladstone Avenue at Dundas Street West, 1907; interiors 1923 by William Rae, and by The Group of Seven artists (Toronto b.p. 8063, 14 June 1907; dwgs. OA, D. Collection 1091-1117; 1119-23; W. Dendy & W. Kilbourn, Toronto Observed, 1986, 187-9, illlus.)
(with Burke & Horwood) CLARENDON AVENUE, near Warren Road, residence for Stuart Strathy, 1907 (Toronto b.p. 7366, 6 May 1907)