WILSON, James Llewellyn (1856-1931) was active in Calgary from May 1887 until his death there in 1931, and he was a member of the following firms:
J. Llewellyn Wilson, London, England, 1883-1886
McVittie, Child & Wilson, Calgary, May 1887 - July 1887 (with Archibald W. McVittie and James T. Child)
Child & Wilson, Calgary, July 1887-Dec. 1898 (with James T. Child)
J. Llewellyn Wilson, Calgary, 1899-1903
Wilson & Wetenhall, Calgary, 1903-05 (with Edward B. Wetenhall)
Wilson & Hodgson, Calgary, 1904 (with Gilbert Hodgson)
Wilson, Hodgson & Bates, Calgary, 1905-07 (with Gilbert Hodgson and William S. Bates)
Wilson & Lang, Calgary, 1907-1908 (with George M. Lang)
J. Llewellyn Wilson, Calgary, 1909
Born in England on 9 January 1856 he was said to have '....practised his profession for several years in London, England', and it was stated that he had been trained in the office of Ewan Christian (1814-1895), a leading ecclesiastical architect in England (see the biographical note on Wilson in the Calgary Tribune, 17 June 1887, 8). He is almost certainly the same " J. Llewellyn Wilson, Architect" who prepared the elaborate design for the Manor House located in Elmswell, Suffolk Co., England, as illustrated in The Building News [London], xlv, 21 March 1884, full page plate illus. Wilson emigrated to Canada in early 1887 and became a partner in the Calgary firm of McVittie & Child, Architects in early May 1887 (see the Calgary Tribune, 6 May 1887, 8, on the formation of the partnership).
He was among the first professionally-trained architects to work in Alberta and he opened an office at Calgary in July 1887 in partnership with James T. Child (see list of works under Child & Wilson). Their successful practice was responsible for the design of many of the landmark buildings constructed of sandstone and erected on Eighth Avenue, and after the dissolution of the partnership in January 1899 Wilson practised under his own name until 1904 when he invited Edward B. Wetenhall to form a new partnership with him. This collaboration lasted less than one year, and in 1905 Wilson had opened a new office with Gilbert Hodgson and William S. Bates. They submitted a design in the competition for the City Hall at Medicine Hat, Alta., but their proposal was not premiated (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 27 May 1905, 29). Their brief partnership was shortlived, and from 1906 to 1908 Wilson and George M. Lang practised together. Wilson maintained an office until 1911 when he appears to have retired from active practise. He died in Calgary on 20 July 1931 and was buried at Burnsland Cemetery (obituary in the Calgary Albertan, 22 July 1931, 2; Calgary Herald, 21 July 1931, 9; biography and list of works by Child & Wilson in Picturesque Calgary, 1900, unpag.)
J.L. WILSON (works in England)
ELMSWELL, CO. SUFFOLK, ENGL., a large country manor house for Rev. W.A.C. Macfarlane, 1883-84 (Builder [London], xlv, 27 Oct. 1883, 576, contract awarded; Building News [London], xlvi, 21 March 1884, full page plate illus.)
LAMBETH, LONDON, ENGL., major additions and improvements to the National Schools at St. Mary the Less Church, 1884 (Building News [London], xlvi, 7 March 1884, p. xix, contract awarded)
J.L. WILSON (works in Calgary unless noted)
FIRST STREET EAST, at Angus Avenue, residence for Dr. Robert D. Sanson, 1899 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 28 March 1899, 2, t.c.; Weekly Herald [Calgary], 6 April 1899, 3, descrip.)
REINACH AVENUE, residence for R.N. Kirkpatrick, 1899 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 3 May 1899, 2, t.c.)
REINACH AVENUE, residence for Miss Bell-Irving, 1899 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 18 May 1899, 4, t.c.)
LANGDON, ALTA., cottage at the Langdon cattle camp for the Canadian Land & Ranch Co., 1899 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 19 June 1899, 2, t.c.)
FERNIE B.C., McInnes Block, a commercial block, 1899 (C.R., x, 5 July 1899, 3, t.c.; Calgary Weekly Herald, 17 Aug. 1899, 7)
MATERNITY HOSPITAL & NURSE'S HOME, 12th Avenue East at 7th Street, 1899-1900 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 28 June 1899, 2, t.c.; and 13 Sept. 1899, 1, descrip.; C.R., x, 5 July 1899, 3, t.c.)
DE WINTON, ALTA., Anglican Church, 1899 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 29 Nov. 1899, 4)
GLEICHEN, ALTA., St. John's Anglican Church, 4th Avenue at Gleichen Street, 'at the Blackfoot Reserve', 1899; still standing in 2023 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 30 Dec. 1899, 2, descrip.; Calgary Weekly Herald, 14 Dec. 1899, 3; and 4 Jan. 1900, 5)
REGINA, SASK., Victoria Hospital, Hamilton Street at 14th Avenue, 1900-01 (Weekly Leader [Regina], 31 Jan. 1901, 5, descrip.)
4TH AVENUE WEST, residence for H.S. McLeod, 1901 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 29 July 1901, 2, t.c.; C.R., xii, 7 Aug. 1901, 1, t.c.)
REINACH AVENUE, a large residence for William Bender, 1901 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 5 Aug. 1901, 1)
CENTRAL WARD SCHOOL, 6th Avenue West at 1st Street, 1902 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 4 Oct. 1902, 3)
EAST WARD SCHOOL, 9th Avenue East, 1902 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 4 Oct. 1902, 3)
NORTHCOTE AVENUE, residence for Anthony M. Grogan, 1902 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 17 March 1902, 8, t.c.; and 4 Oct. 1902, 3)
6th AVENUE WEST, major additions to residence for P.J. Nolan, 1902 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 4 Oct. 1902, 3)
RAYMOND, ALTA., public school, 1902 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 4 Oct. 1902, 3)
HIGH RIVER, ALTA., Anglican church, 1902 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 4 Oct. 1902, 3)
PINE LAKE, ALTA., Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 1902 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 4 Oct. 1902, 3; dwgs. at the Canadian Architectural Archives, Univ. of Calgary, Anglican Diocese Coll.)
PINCHER CREEK, ALTA., a new hotel for an unnamed client, 1903 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 25 April 1903, 3)
GLEICHEN, ALTA., City Hall and Fire Station, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 7 June 1911, 60)
WILSON & WETENHALL (works in Calgary unless noted)
VICTORIA PARK, a public grand stand at the exhibition grounds, 1903 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 19 May 1903, 5, t.c.)
CODVILLE & CO., Stephen Avenue, large warehouse, 1903 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 16 July 1903, 2, t.c.)
OLDS, ALTA., Merchant's Bank, 1903 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 16 July 1903, 2, t.c.)
MERCHANTS BANK, Stephen Avenue, a 3 storey bank, 1903 (Weekly Albertan [Calgary], 17 July 1903, 7, t.c.; Daily Herald [Calgary], 18 July 1903, 8, t.c.)
5th AVENUE WEST, residence for R.N. Kirkpatrick, 1904 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 12 Feb. 1904, 5, t.c.)
KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Centre Street at 7th Avenue East, enlargement and extensive remodelling of the church, 1904; completed in 1905 by Wilson, Hodgson & Bates (Daily Herald [Calgary], 4 March 1904, 5; 19 June 1905, 1 and 3, illus, & descrip.)
(with J.C.M. Keith) CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER [Anglican], McIntyre Avenue, 1904 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 24 March 1904, 4, descrip.; 28 March 1904, 7, t.c.)
STEPHEN AVENUE, office block for Wilson & Wetenhall, architects, 1904 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 30 April 1904, 32, illus.)
BOW RIVER FREEMASON'S LODGE, 1904 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 30 April 1904, 32, illus. & descrip.)
CALGARY HERALD BLOCK, Centre Street at McIntyre Avenue, for J.J. Young, 1904 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 30 April 1904, 21, illus., 32, descrip.)
WESTERN CANADA COLLEGE, 1904 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 30 April 1904, 17, illus.; Daily Herald [Calgary], 15 June 1904, 7, t.c.; with correction and status of the project, Daily Herald [Calgary], 22 Dec. 1904, 5, Letter from Wilson & Hodgson, Architects)
FORT CALGARY, residence for R. Burton Deane, Commanding Officer of the Royal North West Mounted Police, 1904 (NAC, Borden Papers, Reel C4377, item 94018)
WILSON & HODGSON (works in Calgary)
ALBERTA HOTEL, alterations to existing building, 1904 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 12 Oct. 1904, 5, t.c.)
(with Darling & Pearson, Toronto) INNISFAIL, ALTA., Canadian Bank of Commerce, 50th Avenue, 1905 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 31 March 1905, 2, t.c.; C.R., xvi, 5 April 1905, 5, t.c.)
(with Darling & Pearson, Toronto) CLARESHOLM, ALTA., Canadian Bank of Commerce, 1st Street West, 1905 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 31 March 1905, 2, t.c.; C.R., xvi, 5 April 1905, 5, t.c.)
WILSON, HODGSON & BATES (works in Alberta)
LETHBRIDGE, ALTA., Bank of Montreal, 3rd Avenue South at Sixth Street South, 1905 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 23 May 1905, 11, t.c)
CALGARY, ALTA., major addition to the Bank of Montreal, 1905 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 5 June 1905, 9, t..c.)
RAYMOND, ALTA., Bank of Montreal, 1905 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 29 June 1905, 9, t.c.)
NANTON, ALTA., residence for N.F. Ferris, 1905 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 5 Sept. 1905, 9, t.c.)
CALGARY, ALTA., mansion for A. Judson Sayre, Royal Avenue at 7th Street SW, 1905; completed in 1906 by Hodgson & Bates; still standing in 2023 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 12 Sept. 1905, 9, t.c.; and 14 April 1906, 4, detailed architectural descrip.)
W.R. HULL & CO., 9th Avenue at 1st Street West, a commercial block with an arcade, 1908 (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 21 July 1908, 1)
WILSON & LANG (works in Alberta)
OLDS, ALTA., hotel with 30 rooms for A.S. Corbett, Railway Avenue, 1906 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 17 April 1906, 1, descrip.; C.R., xvii, 25 July 1906, 2)
OLDS, ALTA., fire hall, 1906 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 28 July 1906, 2, t.c.)
CALGARY, ALTA., residence for Thomas J. Riley, at Upper Hillhurst, west of 14th Avenue, 1906 (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 30 Aug. 1906, 7, t.c.)
CALGARY, ALTA., The Harmonic Club, a private club house, 1907 (Morning Herald [Calgary], 14 Jan. 1907, 9, t.c.)
J.L. WILSON (works in Calgary unless noted)
BANK OF BRITISH NORTH AMERICA, 8th Avenue West, major addition and alterations to bank, 1909 (Morning Herald [Calgary], 22 April 1909, 8, t.c.)
COMPETITIONS
CALGARY, ALTA., King George Hotel, 1911. J. L. Wilson was one of 6 architectural firms from Calgary who were asked to submit plans (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 8 April 1911, 5). The winner was James A. MacDonald of Calgary. Wilson later sued the hotel owners to recover his fees and expenses to prepare the design for this competition entry, and he won the court case.