Thornton, Peter Muschamp

THORNTON, Peter Muschamp (1916-1996) was an important early modernist architect active in Vancouver from 1939 onward. Born in Edmonton in 8 May 1916 he studied at the Architectural Association in London for five years and graduated with honours in 1938. While there he was employed by the Finnish and Swedish governments on construction work in England, and had a particular interest in European town planning. He returned to Canada in 1939 and worked in the office of C.B.K. Van Norman for one year before forming a partnership with Francis G. Gardiner in 1940 (see list of works under Gardiner & Thornton). One of his significant early works designed in 1939 was his family house built at CAULFIELD, WEST VANCOUVER, B.C. (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, April 1940, 58-9, illus.; C.H.G., xvii, Aug. 1940, 16-18, illus.). In 1947 he moved to Shaugnessy Heights and designed a new home for himself on Matthews Avenue at Hudson Street, VANCOUVER, B.C. (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxiv, June 1947, 186, illus.; C.H.G., xxvi, Feb. 1949, 30-1, illus.) Thornton remained active in Vancouver well after 1950, as the firm was renamed Gardiner, Thornton Gathe & Assoc. before being dissolved in 1970. He served as President of the A.I.B.C. in 1951-52 and died at Chilliwack, B.C. in November 1996 (biog. C.R., liii, 26 June 1940, 24; inf. Architectural Inst. of British Columbia, Vancouver)