RADFORD, Edward C. (1831-1920) was briefly active in Canada from 1854 to 1860. He was in partnership with his older brother George K. Radford in Toronto and with him collaborated on several built works and a number of competition entries (see list of works under G.K. & E. Radford). Edward was born in Devonport, Devon on 22 April 1831, the son of William Radford, a civil engineer, and educated at Tredegar Square Grammar School, Bow, London. He was an indentured pupil of Thomas Wickstead, a civil engineer, and while in London assisted his brother George K. who was employed as an engineer on the construction of the Regent's Canal. Both brothers were practising architecture together in London, England from 1853 or earlier, and they operated an office at 11 Buckingham Street, Strand, London (Watkins London Directory for 1853, 456).
Edward C. emigrated to Canada in 1854 and remained in Toronto for six years, assisting his brother who came to Canada with him. They formed a partnership in Toronto in early 1856, but by August 1858 their collaboration had ended and Edward was working under his own name. In 1859 Edward submitted a entry in the competition for the Parliament and Departmental Buildings in OTTAWA, ONT., but his design was not premiated. In early 1861 he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio and fought with the 11th Ohio Battery during the American Civil War. In 1863 he was working as assistant to William Tinsley, a leading architect in Cincinnati, but the following year he returned to London to pursue a career as an artist. He became an Associate of the Royal Watercolour Society and frequently exhibited his paintings at the Royal Academy in London (A. Graves, Royal Academy of Arts, 1905, vi, 224). Radford died at Southwick, Co. Sussex, near Brighton, England on 9 June 1920 (death notice, England & Wales, National Probate Calendar, 1920, p. 5; biog. C.E. Clement & L. Hutton, Artists of the Nineteenth Century & Their Works, 1884, ii, 198-9; biog. Who Was Who in England 1916-1928, 865)
COMPETITIONS
HAMILTON, ONT., City Hall and Market Building, 1857. Edward C. Radford is undoubtedly the same person as "E.H.A. Radford [sic], Architect" who wrote to Hamilton City Council in March 1857 asking for more time to complete his plans in this competition (Semi-Weekly Spectator [Hamilton], 21 March 1857, 1). He was one of 14 architects who submitted designs, but his proposal was set aside and Frederick Kortum was declared the winner.
OTTAWA, ONT., Parliament & Departmental Buildings, 1859. Edward Radford was one of several Canadian architects who submitted designs in this national Competition (NAC, RG11, Letter Book, vol. 131, Item 29184; C. Young, Glory of Ottawa: Canada's First Parliament Buildings, 1995, 117). The competition for the Centre Block was won by Fuller & Jones, and for the East Block and West Block, the winners were Stent & Laver.