Anthony, John | Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada

ANTHONY, John (1833-1913) was born in Norfolk, England and was brought to Canada by his father in 1836. He learned the trade of carpentry under Peter Lapp in Scarborough and after completing his apprenticeship he moved to Pickering in 1858 to work as a builder. He first appears in the Markham area in 1869 as a 'Carpenter, Joiner & Practical Builder' (Markham Economist, 17 June 1869, 1, advert.) and in 1870 became a foreman for Speight & Son, a wagon manufacturer in Markham. Within a few years the local papers described him as 'the architect' of several substantial residences in the town of Markham. His best known works in the area include the Markham Town Hall & Fire Hall (1881) and Christ Church (Anglican) in Stouffville (1882), a modest Gothic design which had 'no pretensions of great architectural beauty'. In 1885 he moved to West Toronto Junction in order to profit from the rapid growth of that suburb in west end Toronto. He continued to prepared plans for buildings and is also listed variously in local directories as an architect, machinist, carpenter and as a foreman for two local lumber companies (Charlton's West Toronto Directory, 1890-91). No references to his activity can be found after 1891. He died in West Toronto on 12 October 1913 (obit. Toronto Star, 13 Oct. 1913, 5; biography in C. Blackett Robinson, History of Toronto and the County of York, 1885, ii, 315; inf. from John Court, Toronto)

MARKHAM, ONT., residence for Henry C. Marr, Main Street, 1875 (Markham Economist, 13 May 1875, 2, descrip.)
MARKHAM, ONT., store for Henry Wilson, Main Street, 1875 (Markham Economist, 13 May 1875, 2, descrip.)
MARKHAM, ONT., residence for William B. Speight, Main Street, adjacent to the Methodist Church, 1875; demol. (Markham Economist, 13 May 1875, 2, descrip.)
MARKHAM, ONT., Melville Presbyterian Church, Kennedy Road, Markham Township, 1877 (Historical Sketch of Melville Church 1845-1945, 28, illus.)
MARKHAM, ONT., Town Hall & Fire Hall, Main Street, 1881 (Markham Sun, 3 June 1881, 3, descrip.)
MARKHAM, ONT., Franklin House Hotel, Main Street, 1881 (Markham Sun, 10 June 1881, 3, descrip.)
MARKHAM, ONT., Public School for S.S. No. 15, Franklin Street, 1882 (Markham Sun, 3 Feb. 1882, 3)
STOUFFVILLE, ONT., Christ Church (Anglican), Main Street, 1882 (Markham Sun, 3 Nov. 1882, 3, descrip.)
MARKHAM, ONT., major addition and alterations to Grace Anglican Church, 1885 (Markham Economist, 21 May 1885, 3)
TORONTO JUNCTION, West Toronto Presbyterian Church, Annette Street at Pacific Avenue, 1885; demol. c. 1915 (Globe [Toronto], 17 June 1885, 6, t.c.)
TORONTO JUNCTION, Annette Street School, for S.S. No. 22, 1886 (Toronto Board of Education Archives: Minute Books for the West Toronto School Trustees)
TORONTO, ONT., Eglinton Public School (now John Fisher School), Erskine Avenue, 1887-88 (Telegram [Toronto], 6 July 1887, 3, t.c.)