WILKES, Francis Hilton (1891-1983) of Toronto was one of the transitional figures responsible for introducing a modernist vernacular into residential architecture in Ontario in the 1930's. Born in Brantford, Ont. on 26 December 1891 he attended Brantford Collegiate and St. Andrew's College in Toronto, and received his degree in architecture from McGill University in Montreal in 1914. He worked briefly for Sproatt & Rolph and in September 1914 went overseas to serve with the Royal Canadian Dragoons during World War I. He enrolled at the Architectural Association School in London in March 1919 and remained for the summer term before returning to Toronto to join the staff of Darling & Pearson in August of 1919. He then moved to New York City to work in the office of McKim, Mead & White for two years and in 1922 opened his own office in Toronto. Later that same year Wilkes formed a partnership with Mackenzie Waters (see list of works under Waters & Wilkes), and in October 1923 he married into the Gooderham family (to Victoria Louise Gooderham) which undoubtedly provided him with many opportunities for social and business connections to members of Toronto's wealthy upper class.
His partnership with D.M. Waters was dissolved in early 1926 and for the following eight years he worked under his own name or in collaboration with other firms. In 1928 he won Second Prize for his classically inspired design for the University Club, Toronto (R.A.I.C. Journal, v, Feb. 1928, 63-4). His work was commended by the jury who suggested that Wilkes associate himself with the winners of the competition, Mathers & Haldenby, in the execution of their design. This collaboration led to Wilkes involvement in another more important commission with the same architects for the headquarters of the Canada Permanent Mortgage Corporation on Bay Street.
In 1934 he formed a partnership with Richard A. Fisher (R.A.I.C. Journal, xi, Oct. 1934, 152) and later won a national competition with a decidedly progressive modernist 'Design for a Small House' sponsored by the T. Eaton Co. (R.A.I.C. Journal, xiii, July 1936, 129, 131, 138, illus.). After 1950 he was member of the firm of Wilkes, Wasteneys & Wilkes who supervised the restoration of Little Trinity Anglican Church, King Street East, after the building had been gutted by fire in 1961. Wilkes died in Toronto on 18 June 1983 (death notice Globe & Mail [Toronto], 20 June 1983, C14; biog. and port. National Reference Book, vi, 1940, 735-6; R. Hamilton, Prominent Men of Canada, 1931-32, 373; inf. R.I.B.A., London)
F.H. WILKES (works in Toronto unless noted)
HIGHLAND AVENUE, residence for the architect, 1925 (C.H.G., ii, Dec. 1925, 37, illus.)
(with Mathers & Haldenby) UNIVERSITY CLUB, University Avenue opposite Armoury Street, 1928-29 (R.A.I.C. Journal, v, Feb. 1928, 61-4, illus. & descrip.; vii, April 1930, 126-37, illus. & descrip.; viii, March 1931, 80, 84, illus.; Const., xxiii, Jan. 1930, 4-8, 12, 14-19, illus. & descrip.; Toronto Star, 6 Dec. 1929, 41, descrip.)
(with Mathers & Haldenby and Sproatt & Rolph) CANADA PERMANENT MORTGAGE CORP., Bay Street at Adelaide Street West, office tower, 1928-29 (Toronto Daily Star, 10 March 1928, 28, descrip.; and 25 July 1928, 2, detailed descrip.; The Globe [Toronto], 26 July 1928, 12, descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, v, Sept. 1928, 319, illus.; vii, May 1930, 175-91, illus. & descrip.; Financial Post [Toronto], 28 Nov. 1929, 18, descrip.; Const., xxiii, March 1930, 73-9, 83-6, illus. & descrip.; May 1930, 165-71, illus. & descrip.; Toronto Star, 15 Nov. 1929, 8, illus. & descrip.; Tim Morawetz, Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, 2017, 16, illus. & descrip.)
(with Craig & Madill) NORTH YORK, Connaught Laboratories, Steeles Avenue West near Dufferin Street, staff residences, stables and operating room, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 26 Sept. 1928, 72; R.A.I.C. Journal, x, March 1933, 55)
OLD FOREST HILL ROAD, residence for Mrs. C.A. Withers, 1928 (R.A.I.C. Journal, vi, March 1929, 94, 100, illus.)
OTTAWA, ONT., residence for Dr. Burton A. Wilkes, Lansdowne Road, in Rockcliffe Park, c. 1929 (list of works in biog. in National Reference Book, 1940, 735-6)
ST. JAMES ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL, King Street East at Church Street, new Baptistry, 1935 (list of works in biography in the Canadian Who's Who, ii, 1936-37, 1137)
WILKES & FISHER (works in Toronto unless noted)
NORTH YORK, residence for Henry L. Nathanson, Cummer Avenue at Yonge Street, 1936 (C.H.G., xiii, May 1936, 26-9, 38, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xiv, March 1937, 46, illus.)
KING CITY, ONT., lodge for Edgar G. Burton, 1937 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xiv, Dec. 1937, 255, illus.; C.H.G., xv, Jan.-Feb. 1938, 16-17, illus.)
RUSSELL HILL ROAD, near St. Clair Avenue West, new facade and extensive remodelling of residence for Donald G. MacKenzie, 1937 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xiv, Sept. 1937, 186, illus.; C.H.G., xv, March 1938, 37, illus.)
ARDWOLD GATE, residence for Charles S. Robertson, 1937-38 (Toronto Daily Star, 5 March 1937, 12, illus.; C.H.G., xvi, April 1939, 32-3, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, Jan. 1940, 8, illus.)
STRATFORD, ONT., new facade for residence of H.W. Strudley, Mornington Street, 1938 (C.H.G., xv, July 1938, 26-7, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xvi, March 1939, 55)
BARRIE, ONT., residence for C.D. Stewart, Toronto Street, 1938 (C.H.G., xv, Nov. 1938, 30-4, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xvi, May 1939, 108, illus.)
BENNINGTON HEIGHTS DRIVE, near Bayview Avenue, residence for the architect Richard A. Fisher and his wife Lotta Dempsey, 1938-39 (Globe & Mail [Toronto], 9 Nov. 1938, 5, illus. & descrip.; C.H.G., xvi, Nov. 1939, 36-9, 61, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, Feb. 1940, 26-7, illus.)
COMPETITIONS
TORONTO, ONT., Toronto City Hall, 1958. The Toronto firm of Wilkes, Wasteneys & Wilkes were one of nearly 100 Canadian entrants in this international competition. The modernist design submitted by this firm was not among the finalists, but their proposal has recently been published in G.T. Kapelos, Competing Modernisms: Toronto's New City Hall and Square, 2015, 69, illus. The competition was won by Viljo Revell from Finland.