THATCHER, Joseph Austin (1884-1968) was born on 10 August 1884 at Ashton-Under-Lyne, Lancashire and educated in England. He came to Canada in 1909 and gained experience as an engineer with the Trussed Concrete Steel Co. in 1909-10. He worked briefley for F.H. Herbert and then formed a partnership with W.H. Mallory Jr. in 1911 (see list of works under Mallory & Thatcher). Their partnership was dissolved in July 1913 and Thatcher opened his own office, remaining active in Toronto until after 1950. His best known work is the Art Deco design for the Frontenac Arms Apartments, a finely proportioned symmetrical tower embellished with patterned brickwork and decorative spandrel panels. Thatcher later died in Toronto on 21 December 1968 (death notice Toronto Star, 23 Dec. 1968, 24; inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects)
(works in Toronto unless noted)
LAPLANTE AVENUE, near College Street, factory for J.A. Thatcher in trust, 1914 (Toronto b.p. 12726, 24 June 1914)
DORENZIE APARTMENTS, Dovercourt Road at McKenzie Crescent, for Dr. Johnson, 1914 (Toronto b.p. 9310, 25 Feb. 1914)
GERRARD STREET EAST, at Woodfield Road, stores and apartments for J.A. Thatcher in trust, 1914 (Toronto b.p. 9481, 9 March 1914)
STANDARD BAKERY, King Street West, 1916 (Const., ix, April 1916, 133)
LOWTHER AVENUE, near St. George Street, residence for Louis Gelber, 1917 (Const., x, Aug. 1917, 288)
FORD CITY, ONT., a large tract of 75 houses for factory workers, 1919 (C.R., xxxiii, 26 Feb. 1919, 42)
WELLS HILL ROAD, at Lyndhurst Avenue, residence for Marshall G. Flick, 1920 (C.R., xxxiv, 6 Oct. 1920, 54; xxxvi, 8 March 1922, 227, illus. & descrip.)
WELLS HILL ROAD, at Lyndhurst Avenue, residence for H.G. Stubbs, 1920-21 (C.R., xxxiv, 15 Dec. 1920, 52; xxxvi, 29 March 1922, 292, illus. & descrip.)
POPLAR PLAINS ROAD, residence for Arthur M. Dudley, 1921 (Toronto b.p. 38307, 12 April 1921; C.R., xxxvi, 1 March 1922, 203, illus. & descrip.)
GLEN ROAD, at Summerhill Avenue, residence for Mrs. C. Johnson, 1921 (Toronto b.p. 44295, 18 Oct. 1921)
HIGH PARK BOULEVARD, at Sunnyside Avenue, residence for Orville H. Moore, 1922 (C.R., xxxvi, 24 May 1922, 506, illus. & descrip.)
PORT CREDIT, ONT., residence for Thomas Blake '.....on the Toronto-Hamilton Highway', 1921 (C.R., xxxvi, 1 Feb. 1922, 121, illus. & descrip.)
OAKMOUNT ROAD, at Bloor Street West, residence for James W. Commeford, 1921 (C.R., xxxvi, 18 Jan. 1922, 72, illus. & descrip.)
ORILLIA, ONT., residence for J.M. Tupling, Tecumseth Street, 1927 (inf. from Orillia Public Library)
PATTERSON CANDY CO., Queen Street West at Massey Street, factory, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 7 March 1928, 58, t.c.)
PRESTOLITE BATTERY CO., Dufferin Street at Grange Avenue, factory, 1929 (Toronto b.p. B5163, 12 March 1929; Toronto Daily Star, 12 April 1929, 5, descrip.)
MAPLE VILLA APARTMENTS, Maplewood Avenue at Kenwood Avenue, 1930 (C.R., xliv, 19 Feb. 1930, 63, t.c.; Telegram [Toronto], 19 Aug. 1930, 11, illus.)
FRONTENAC ARMS APARTMENTS (now the Essex Park Hotel), Jarvis Street opposite Allan Gardens, a ten storey apartment block, 1930-31; still standing in 2023 (Toronto b.p. 16058, 21 May 1930; Toronto Star, 30 May 1930 33, illus. & descrip.; and 15 Aug. 1930, 26, descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, viii, Aug. 1931, vi, illus. in advert.)
JENNY LIND CANDY CO., Lansdowne Avenue at College Street, factory, 1930 (Toronto b.p. 17152, 30 June 1930; Toronto Star, 11 July 1930, 23, illus.)
SPADINA ROAD, near Lonsdale Road, apartment block for A.A. Barthelmes, 1930 (C.R., xliv, 1 Oct. 1930, 69)
QUEEN'S PARK APARTMENTS, Bredalbane Street, 1931; demol. c. 1965 (Canadian Engineer, lx, 10 Feb. 1931, 37, illus. in advert.)
MONETARY TIMES BUILDING, Church Street at Gerrard Street, a 4 storey office and publishing house, 1930-31; still standing in 2023 (Toronto Star, 5 Dec. 1930, 37, illus. & descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, viii, Nov. 1931, vi, illus. in advert.)
EGLINTON AVENUE WEST, near Bathurst Street, row of eight stores and apartments for an unnamed client, 1938 (C.R., li, 3 Aug. 1938, 29)
CANADIAN TIRE CORP., Yonge Street near Davenport Road, major addition, 1939; addition to showroom and warehouse, 1950; still standing in 2023 (Toronto b.p. 66330, 17 Nov. 1939; C.R., lxiii, March 1950, 140)
DUNCAN STREET, office and warehouse for I. Caplan Ltd., 1949 (C.R., lxii, May 1949, 170)
SEELY SYSTEMS CORP. LTD., major addition to production plant, Oxford Street, Etobicoke, facing the Queen Elizabeth Way near Islington Avenue, 1950 (Financial Post [Toronto], 22 April 1950, 14)