WELLS, James Henry (fl. 1863-66), son of John Wells of Montreal, likely trained under his father and first appeared in the Montreal City Directory in 1842 in partnership with him as 'J. Wells & Son, Architects & Civil Engineers'. After 1844 he no longer appeared in classifed directory listings with his father, and may have pursued a different career. After the death of his father in April 1864 James continued the practice under his own name until 1866. In 1863 he was credited with the design of the Paterson Block, Ste. Helene Street at des Recollets Street, an important block of three retail store buildings each five storeys in height. The following year, in 1864, he was credited with a major addition to a commercial block on Ste. Catherine Street West for Beniah Gibb. No references to his architectural work have been found after this date, and It is unclear if he is same 'James Wells, labourer' who is listed in the Montreal Directory for 1867 and 1868.
(works in Montreal)
PATERSON BLOCK, Ste. Helene Street at des Recollets Street, a group of three wholesale stores, each 5 storeys high, for Jacob H. Joseph (Montreal Transcript, 1 Oct. 1863, 2, descrip.; Montreal Herald, 2 Feb. 1864, 2, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 21 April 1864, 2, detailed architectural descrip.; City of Montreal, Les Magasins Les Cinemas, 1985, 72-75, illus.)
ST. PAUL STREET, a three storey warehouse block for Henry Joseph, "...situated opposite Thomson & Mindlin's crockery warehouse, near Custom House Square", 1864 (Gazette [Montreal], 25 March 1864, 4, descrip.)
GIBB BLOCK, Ste. Catherine Street West, a major addition to a commercial block for Beniah Gibb (ANQM, R. Beaufield, Notaire, 20 May 1864, No. 2823).