FORIN, John (1826-1901), a successful architect, builder and contractor who was active in Belleville, Ontario for nearly 50 years. Born in Ireland on 4 July 1827, he was brought to Quebec by his family in 1830 and settled in Tyendinaga Township, Ontario in 1835. He studied architecture in New York City in 1851-53, and returned to Canada in 1853 to reside in Belleville where he began his career as a builder. Encouraged by his success, he began to advertise himself as an architect as early as 1859 when he was noted as “the architect” of the Tyendinaga Community Hall in Melrose, Ontario. After 1864 his name consistently appears in local Hastings County directories as an “architect”, and his classically inspired designs for business buildings featured heavily rusticated arcades at street level and bold Romanesque Revival windows and a roof line of elaborate projecting cornices. He also served as the contractor and builder of the Court House in nearby Napanee (1864-65), and as contractor for the Belleville Town Hall & Market (1871-72). His skill as a competent builder was called upon by the provincial government in 1889 when he was appointed Contractor for the Provincial Asylum complex in Orillia, Ontario, designed by Kivas Tully, Chief Architect for Ontario (see the Orillia Daily Times, 24 April 1889).
Despite the fact that a pool of architectural talent existed in nearby Kingston, Ontario during this period, Forin dominated the profession in Belleville for more than four decades, and continued to work into the mid-1880's. He is often mistakenly referred to as the architect of the Belleville Town Hall, a monumental Gothic Revival work built in 1871 and still standing today, but he served as contractor and builder on this project, following the designs prepared by John D. Evans of Belleville. Forin died in Victoria, British Columbia on 29 March 1901 (obituary Victoria Daily Times, 30 March 1901, 4; obit. Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 30 March 1901; obit. Weekly Intelligencer [Belleville], 4 April 1901, 2; biog. and port. in Gerald Boyce, Belleville City Hall from 1873 To 1989, pub. 1988, 23-24, illus.; inf. Lois Foster, Belleville)
JOHN FORIN (works in Bellevillle)
BRIDGE STREET, between William Street and Ann Street, a large 2 storey residence for Dr. Holden, 1859 (Hastings Chronicle [Belleville], 13 July 1859, 2, detailed descrip.)
HOLTON BLOCK, Front Street, a 4 storey commercial block for E.W. Holton, 1862-63; with later alterations, additions and improvements, 1882 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 21 Nov. 1862, 2, detailed architectural descrip.; and 24 April 1863, 2, descrip.; and 5 Aug. 1863, 1, detailed descrip.; and 20 Oct. 1882, 2)
TAYLOR'S HILL, “....nearly opposite Mr. Flint's residence”, a large villa for C. Holden, designed “....as a compound of the Italian and Gothic model”, 1863 (Hastings Chronicle [Belleville], 5 Aug. 1863, 2, detailed architectural descrip.)
JOHN BELL CO., Queen Street, an addition of a grapery [or winery] to his premises, 1863; demol. (Hastings Chronicle [Belleville], 5 Aug. 1863, 2)
FRONT STREET, a 4 storey commercial block for George Vair, 1863 ( Hastings Chronicle [Belleville], 5 Aug. 1863, 1, detailed descrip.)
WILLIAM STREET, large residence for E. Chandler, 1863 ( Hastings Chronicle [Belleville], 5 Aug. 1863, 2, descrip.)
HASTINGS COUNTY GAOL, for the town of Belleville, 1865 (The Globe [Toronto], 19 Aug. 1865, 2)
JOHN STREET, residence for Mrs. Delia O'Hare, 1868 (inf. Lois Foster, Belleville)
FRONT STREET, at Bridge Street, a 3 storey commercial block for James Thompson, 1870; demol. (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 5 May 1870, 2, descrip.)
MONTREAL TELEGRAPH & EXPRESS CO., Bridge Street, major additions and alterations, 1870 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 5 May 1870, 2, t.c.)
BOGART BLOCK, a 3 storey block for David D. Bogart, Bridge Street, between Front Street and Pinnacle Street, 1870 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 5 May 1870, 2, descrip.)
LISTER BLOCK, Front Street, two storey row of 4 retail stores, for Dr. James Lister, 1870; demol. (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 6 May 1870, 2, descrip.)
MYER'S ORCHARD, Lot 12, two large houses for Edward Evans, 1870 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 6 May 1870, 2)
ANN STREET, 2 brick houses, each 3 storeys, for E.W. Holton, 1870 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 6 May 1870, 2)
FRONT STREET, at Market Street, commercial block for L.W. Yeomans, 1873; burned c. 1960 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 16 May 1873, 2, t.c.)
COMMERCIAL STREET, residence for John Johnston, 1875-76 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 14 Feb. 1876, 2)
COMMERCIAL STREET, residence for A. Christie, 1875 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 14 Feb. 1876, 2)
HAINES & LOCKETT STORE, large addition, 1879 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 16 Dec. 1879, 1)
WILLIAM STREET, additions and improvements to the house of John Forin, “...now occupied by Eugene McMahon", 1879 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 16 Dec. 1879, 1)
RIDLEY STREET, at North Front Street, residence for an unnamed client, 1879 Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 16 Dec. 1879, 1)
HOTEL STREET, at Church Street, residence for Dr. James E. Eakins, 1881 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 26 Sept. 1881, 3, detailed architectural descrip.)
JOHN STREET, at Alexander Street, residence for John Forin, architect, 1881 (Daily Ontario [Belleville], 28 Sept. 1881, 2, descrip.)
ASHLEY BLOCK, major addition, 1882 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 20 Oct. 1882, 2)
CITY MISSION BUILDING, Dundas Street, 1882 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 20 Oct. 1882, 2)
BRIDGE STREET, at Dufferin Avenue, residence for R. Thomson, Manager of the Bank of Commerce, 1882 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 20 Oct. 1882, 2, descrip.)
JOHN FORIN (works elsewhere)
MELROSE, ONT., Tyendinaga Community Hall, 1859 (Towmship of Tyendinaga, Clerk's Office, Minutes of Council, Meeting of 28 Aug. 1858; Parks Canada, Town Halls of Canada, 1987, 301)
FOXBORO, ONT., Methodist Church, Ashley Street at Yorke Drive, 1877-78; still standing in 2022 and now called Emmanuel United Church (Christian Guardian [Toronto], 16 Jan. 1878, 32)
STIRLING, ONT., residence for Dr. G.W. Faulkner, Emily Street at Front Street, 1878 (Daily Intelligencer [Belleville], 16 March 1878, 2, t.c.)