TIARKS, John Gerhard (1867-1901) was born in England on 12 March 1867 and served an apprenticeship with Howe, Price & Wooler in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, Engl. He demonstrated a marked ability for drawing early in his career and he saw some of his measured drawings for churches published in The Builder, the leading architectural journal of England in the nineteenth century (Builder, liii, 1 Oct. 1887, 458, 460, illus.). He emigrated to Canada in 1888 and settled at Victoria where he was sought after for his domestic designs which he frequently executed as speculative ventures after buying the land, supervising construction of houses to his own design, and then selling the completed residences to other buyers. In December 1890 he opened his own office as an architect on Government Street (Victoria Daily Times, 9 Dec. 1890, 5). He had '....great experience in designs for villas of the better class and residences of country gentlemen and in all the detail of church design' (Williams British Columbia Directory, 1892, 1190). His skill at handling more complex building programmes is in doubt, however; in 1892 he was one of sixty-five entrants in the competition for the B.C. Legislative Buildings, but his submission, signed 'Floreat Victoria: Convenience with Economy' failed to impress the jury, and he was not one of the five finalists (M. Segger, The British Columbia Parliament Buildings, 1979, 83).
He was elected to the Aldermanic Board of Victoria in 1896 and had a sustained interest in municipal affairs. Tiarks died in Victoria on 21 August 1901 at the age of thirty-four from injuries suffered in a bicycling accident (obituary Daily Colonist [Victoria], 21 Aug. 1901, 2; Victoria Daily Times, 21 Aug. 1901, 5; biog. and list of works Daily Colonist, 5 April 1896, 10; D. Luxton, Building the West: The Early Architects of British Columbia, 2003, 168-70, 520). His photographic portrait can be found in C.A.B., vii, Oct. 1894
J.G. TIARKS (Residential works in Victoria unless noted)
GORGE ROAD, residence for J.G. Tiarks, architect, 1890 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 1 Jan. 1890, 7)
SOUTH TURNER STREET, a 2 storey frame residence for an unnamed client, 1890-91 (Victoria Daily Times, 19 Dec. 1890, 8, t.c.)
BOYD STREET, near Dallas Road, a 2 storey frame residence for an unnamed client, 1891 (Victoria Daily Times, 19 Feb. 1891, 5, t.c.)
BOYD STREET, at Luxton Avenue, a large 12 room residence for an unidentified client, 1891-92 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 13 Sept. 1891, 6, t.c.; Victoria Daily Times, 18 Dec. 1891, 6, t.c.)
SYLVIA STREET, near Boyd Street, for Thomas Corsan, 1891 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 13 Sept. 1891, 6, t.c.)
HERALD STREET, a three storey stone and brick residence for Thomas W. Carter, 1891 (Victoria Daily Times, 7 May 1891, 8, t.c.; and 21 May 1891, 8; Williams British Columbia Directory, 1892, 1190, list of works)
DUNSMUIR STREET, residence for Hans O. Price, 1892 (Victoria Daily Times, 16 Feb. 1892, 3, t.c.)
ERIE STREET, for Frank W. Vincent, 1892 (C.R., iii, 24 July 1892, 2)
CRAIGDARROCH CASTLE, Joan Crescent, several works at the mansion for Mrs. Dunsmuir, including:
Gardener's Cottage, 1892 (Victoria Daily Times, 25 Aug. 1892, 8, t.c.), and
a glass Conservatory, 1892 (Victoria Daily Times, 8 Sept. 1892, 8, t.c.), and
addition of potting houses, 1893 (Victoria Daily Times, 24 March 1893, 5, t.c.)
ESQUIMALT ROAD, at James Street, facing West Bay, residence for Mr. Hardy [sic], actually Norman Hardie and Louis H. Hardie, 1893 (Victoria Daily Times, 22 Sept. 1893, 5)
ESQUIMALT, at Head Street and Lampson Street and old Esquimalt Road, for John Brydon, M.P.P., 1893-94 (Victoria Daily Times, 9 Oct. 1893, 1, t.c.; and 24 Oct. 1893, 5; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 18 March 1894, 3, descrip.; C.A.B., xii, April 1899, illus.)
BLANSHARD STREET, at Kane Street, for Dr. Ernest B. Hanington, 1894 (Victoria Daily Times, 13 Feb. 1894, 1, t.c.; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 18 March 1894, 3, descrip.; Victoria Daily Times, 14 July 1894, 5, descrip. of furniture)
KOKSILAH, B.C., additions to residence for Andreas Keating, 1894 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 18 March 1894, 3, descrip.)
SUPERIOR STREET, near St. Lawrence Street, for Capt. D. Munson [sic], actually Capt. D. Morrison, 1894-95; still standing in 2022 (Victoria Daily Times, 25 April 1894, 8, t.c.; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 5 April 1896, 10; inf. Jennifer Barr, Victoria)
NORTH SAANICH, B.C., residence for W.M. le Poer French, 1894 (Victoria Daily Times, 21 May 1894, 8, t.c.)
ESQUIMALT ROAD, 'Clovelly', for A.J. Weaver Bridgman, on West Bay, 1894 (Victoria Daily Times, 6 Aug. 1894, 1; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 9 Nov. 1894, 7, descrip.)
FORT STREET, for Dr. John A. Duncan, 1894 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 9 Nov. 1894, 7, descrip.)
LAMPSON STREET, near Fernhill Road, Esquimalt, for R.L. Ker, 1894 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 9 Nov. 1894, 7, descrip.)
METCHOSIN ROAD, Esquimalt, for Capt. A.E. McCallum, 1896 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 5 April 1896, 10)
MOSS STREET, 'Highwood', for George Gillespie, 1896 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 5 April 1896, 10; Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 166-67, illus. & descript.)
GORGE ROAD, 'The Gables', for H.B.W. Aikman, 1896 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 5 April 1896, 10)
ESQUIMALT ROAD, for H.O. Price, 1896 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 5 April 1896, 10)
DALLAS ROAD, east of Menzies Street, 'Westmount' , a residence for Capt. Francis M. Yorke at 530 Dallas Road, 1896; demol. 1959 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 5 April 1896, 10; Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 2, 2018, 24, illus.)
DALLAS ROAD, at Menzies Street, a large 2 storey frame residence at 502 Dallas Road for Capt. John T. Walbran, 1896; still standing in 2023 (Victoria Daily Times, 18 July 1896, 1, t.c.; Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 2, 2018, 17, illus.)
DALLAS ROAD, near Menzies Street, residence for George M. Leishman, at 508 Dallas Road, 1896; still standing in 2023 (inf. Jennifer Barr, Victoria)
OAK BAY, for Sir Charles H. Tupper, York Place, 1898 (Victoria Daily Times, 28 Dec. 1897, 5; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 28 Dec. 1897, 6, descrip.; S. Stark, Oak Bay's Heritage Buildings, 1986, 38-9, illus.)
OAK BAY, for Hon. Fred Peters, Oak Bay Road, 1898 (Victoria Daily Times, 28 Dec. 1897, 5; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 28 Dec. 1897, 6, descrip.)
ROCKLAND AVENUE, for Hon. Edgar Dewdney, 1898 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 28 Dec. 1897, 6; Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 227-28, illus. & descrip.)
NORTH SAANICH, B.C., for W.G. Le Pouer-Trench, 1898 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 28 Dec. 1897, 6)
ESQUIMALT ROAD, at Head Street, for Roderick MacKenzie, 1898 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 8 June 1898, 5)
ESQUIMALT, residence for J.G. Tiarks, architect, Lampson Street, 1898 (M. Segger & D. Franklin, Exploring Victoria's Architecture, 1996, 159, illus.)
HEAD STREET, residence for W.K. Reynolds, 1899 (Victoria Globe, 1 May 1899, 5)
OAK BAY, for Arthur E. Haynes, Beach Drive, 1898-99 (Victoria Globe, 1 May 1899, 5; S. Stark, Oak Bay's Heritage Buildings, 1986, 28, illus.)
OAK BAY, for Herbert F. Hewett, Beach Drive, 1899; house relocated to Salt Spring Island in 1992 (Victoria Globe, 1 May 1899, 5; S. Stark, Oak Bay's Heritage Buildings, 1986, 30, illus.)
COOK STREET, at Bellot Street, for F.J. Patton, 1899 (Victoria Globe, 1 May 1899, 5; C.R., x, 26 July 1899, 3)
OAK BAY, for Conrad Schwengers, Mount Baker Avenue, 1900 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 1 July 1900, 5; S. Stark, Oak Bay's Heritage Buildings, 1986, 35, illus.)
J.G. TIARKS (Other works in Victoria, B.C. unless noted)
JAMES BAY, St. James Anglican Church, Quebec Street, a new pulpit inside the nave, 1891; church demol. 1922 (Victoria Daily Times, 6 Jan. 1891, 8, descrip.)
WARD SCHOOLS, for the North Ward, South Ward and Central School, additions, 1891 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 13 Sept. 1891, 6, t.c.)
PIERRE BLOCK, store for John T. Pierre, Douglas Street, 1891 (Victoria Daily Times, 6 April 1891, 5, descrip.; and p. 8, t.c.; Williams British Columbia Directory, 1892, 1190, list of works by Tiarks)
NANAIMO, B.C., large residence for Alex Shaw, Fraser Street, 1891 (Nanaimo Free Press, 16 March 1891, 1)
CEDAR DISTRICT, B.C., St. Philip's Anglican Church, Cedar Road at Boswell Road, 1891; still standing in 2023 (Nanaimo Free Press, 20 Oct. 1891, 4, descrip.)
SOMENOS STATION, B.C. (near Duncan), a general store for the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway, for Major J. M. Mutter, 1892 (Victoria Daily Times, 4 April 1892, 8, t.c.)
SWAN LAKE, B.C., a two storey hotel, 1894 (Victoria Daily Times, 24 Jan. 1894, 7, t.c.)
VICTORIA DAILY TIMES BUILDING, Broad Street, a 3 storey commercial block, 1894 (Victoria Daily Times, 26 June 1894, 8, t.c.; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 9 Nov. 1894, 7)
(with F.M. Rattenbury) NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C., Bank of British Columbia, Columbia Street at Mary Street, 1898-99 (Victoria Daily Times, 26 Sept. 1898, 7, descrip.; C.R., ix, 5 Oct. 1898, 2; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 22 Oct. 1898, 5, descrip.; Daily Columbian [New Westminster], 2 Nov. 1899, 4, descrip.)
NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C., The Merchants Exchange, Columbia Street, rebuilding of a block for Mr. Cash, on the site of the old Cosmopolitan Hotel, 1898 (Victoria Daily Times, 26 Sept. 1898, 7; and 29 Oct. 1898, 1, t.c.)
NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C., The Cosmopolitan Hotel, Columbia Street, rebuilding of a hotel for John J.B. McDonald, 1898 (Victoria Daily Times, 26 Sept. 1898, 7; and 29 Oct. 1898, 1, t.c.)
(with F.M. Rattenbury) NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C., Bank of Montreal, Columbia Street at Church Street, 1898-99 (C.R., ix, 7 Dec. 1898, 3; C.A.B., xii, Jan. 1899, 5; J.D. Scott, Heritage of New Westminster, 1985, 15, illus.)
NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C., Caledonia Hotel, Columbia Street, 1899 (Victoria Daily Times, 17 Dec. 1898, 5; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 12 Feb. 1899, 5; C.R., x, 5 July 1899, 2)
GOVERNMENT STREET, a new commercial block "....to replace the Heathorn Block, recently burned", 1899 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 12 Feb. 1899, 5, t.c.)
KAMLOOPS, B.C., a 4 storey brick block for C.W. Ward, 1899 (Vancouver Daily World, 8 June 1899, 8)
B. WILLIAMS & CO., Yates Street, commercial block, 1899-1900 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 19 Sept. 1899, 5; Victoria Daily Times, 20 Jan. 1900, 5; C.R., xi, 31 Jan. 1900, 4)
KAMLOOPS, B.C., Cecil Hotel, a 4 storey hotel "....of old English and Elizabethan design", 1899-1900 (Victoria Daily Times, 22 June 1899, 7; and 7 Dec. 1899, 6, descrip.; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 10 Dec. 1899, 5; C.R., x, 13 Dec. 1899, 2)
VERNON, B.C., Gaol, 1899 (B.C., Sessional Papers, 1900, Public Accounts, 113)