GILBY, Charles James (1865-1953), an architect who was active in the region of Grey County, Ontario during the period of c. 1890 to c. 1910. He lived and worked in the town of Chatsworth, near Owen Sound, and local newspapers record him as an architect in 1905 and in 1908. The Grey County Museum & Archives holds several architectural drawings signed by him illustrating a design for a residence of Harry Spencer, of Toronto. Gilby was born in London, England in February 1865 and was brought to Canada by his family in 1879. Census records for Ontario list him variously as farmer, or tanner, and he began to style himself as an architect after 1890. A biography of Gilby, with a photographic portrait, was published in 1943, and stated that '...Among other pursuits, he took up the study of architecture, and will leave many school houses, churches and residences in the district as monuments to his ability along that line'.... (Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times, 3 May 1943, p. 9). He appears to have lived in Holland Township for his entire career, and he later died there on 2 November 1953 at the age of 91 years (obituary The Sun-Times (Owen Sound), 4 Nov. 1953, 4; inf. Ian Mason, Sarnia; inf. Karin Noble, Grey County Museum & Archives).
HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Public School for S.S. No. 1, 2nd Concession, 1891-92 (Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times, 6 Feb. 1937, 8, illus. and detailed history of the school, with photographic portrait of Charles J. Gilby
HOLLAND CENTRE, ONT., Methodist Church, Highway 10 near Railroad Street, 1905; still standing in 2023 (Markdale Standard, 14 Dec. 1905, re-published in this same newspaper on 12 Dec., 1935, p. 7 as a historical article; Owen Sound Daily Sun Times, 3 Sept. 1955, 10, illus. and history of the church and its construction in 1905)
PORT LAW, ONT., (near Flesherton, Ontario), a new brick school building, 1908 (Flesherton Advance, 26 Nov. 1908, 1, detailed descrip.)
TORONTO, ONT., residence for Harry Spencer, possibly located at No. 9 Gibson Avenue, west of Yonge Street, c. 1910; demol. (signed blueprint drawing at the Grey County Museum & Archives, Owen Sound, Fonds PF19, S3 F1, 14)
CHATSWORTH, ONT., a large 3 storey residence for M.E. Galbraith, c. 1910 (signed drawing at the Grey County Museum & Archives, Owen Sound, Fonds PF19, S3 F1, 14)
OWEN SOUND, ONT., (or a nearby town), a large 3 storey residence, for an unidentified client, c. 1910 (signed drawing at the Grey County Museum & Archives, Owen Sound, Fonds PF19, S3 F1, 14)