SMITH, George H. (fl. 1855-60), active in London, Ont., was recorded in partnership with Samuel Peters as early as March 1854 (see list of works under Peters & Smith). By February 1856 he had joined with John Beattie to form a partnership (Free Press [London], 6 Feb. 1856, 3, advert.) and with him submitted an entry in the competition for the Market House in Guelph, Ont. (Tri-Weekly Advertiser [Guelph], 6 June 1856, 2). Their entry was not premiated and William Thomas of Toronto was declared winner. The following year Smith & Beattie prepared a striking Italianate design for the Central School, ST. MARY'S, ONT., 1857-58, an unusually sophisticated work for a small town in western Ontario, indicative of a designer with considerable talent; he may be the same 'George Horatio Smith' who had been active in Montreal and Ottawa in 1846-54. Smith & Beattie maintained an office in London until early 1860 (Free Press [London], 3 Feb. 1860, 1, advert.)
SMITH & BEATTIE
LONDON, ONT., City Market Weigh Scale Building, 1855 (City of London, Council Minutes, 4 Sept. 1855)
BEACHVILLE, ONT., Presbyterian Church, 1857 (Free Press [London], 18 Aug. 1857, 2)
ST. MARY'S, ONT., Central School, Church Street at Elizabeth Street, 1857-58; demol. (J.R. Stanley, Our St. Mary's Schools, 1910, 4-5, descrip.; L. Wilson & L. Pfaff, Early St. Mary's, 1981, 15, illus.)