RICHER, G. Rene (1887-1963), son of Euclide H. Richer, the mayor of St. Hyacinthe, Que., was born there on 14 September 1887 and studied at the local seminary and at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal. He trained in several architectural offices in that city and moved to Paris to study under Mr. Duquesne-Recours at the Ecole-des-Beaux-Arts. After returning to Canada in 1912 he opened his own office in St. Hyacinthe in 1914 and by the mid-1920's had gained experience in designing several ecclesiastical and institutional buildings for the Roman Catholic diocese. He also held the post of Director of Works for the town of St. Hyacinthe in 1918-24 and was Director of Municipal Services there in 1936-43. He was briefly in partnership with Lucien Sarra-Bournet in 1928-30. Richer died in Montreal on 8 June 1963 (obit. Courrier de St. Hyacinthe, 13 June 1963, 1), A new illustrated monograph on the career and work of Richer written by Suzanne Saint-Amour was published in 2008 by Les Editions GID, entitled Rene Richer: Architecte Maskoutain.
G.R. RICHER
(works in St. Hyacinthe unless noted)
CITY HALL, Laframboise Street, new facade and major addition to the original building designed in 1901 by Alcide Chausse, 1919-20 (C.R., xxxiii, 5 March 1919, 53; L. Voyer, St. Hyacinthe, 1980, 107)
(with Charles Brodeur) GREY NUNS HOSPITAL, 1919-20 (C.R., xxxiii, 24 Dec. 1919, 48, t.c.)
TECHNICAL SCHOOL, 1921 (C.R., xxxv, 5 Jan. 1921, 54)
ST. CHARLES, QUE., Roman Catholic Church, 1923 (C.R., xxxvii, 11 April 1923, 48, t.c.)
ST. JOSEPH ROMAN CATHOLIC CONVENT, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 21 March 1928, 64, t.c.)
RICHER & SARRA-BOURNET
ROMAN CATHOLIC HOSPITAL, for the Grey Nuns, Laframboise Street, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 12 Sept. 1928, 58)
ROMAN CATHOLIC SEMINARY, Girouard Street, addition of two wings and rebuilding of the chapel after a fire,1928-29 (C.R., xlii, 21 Nov. 1928, 51; inf. Bernard Auger, Seminary of St. Hyacinthe)
RADIO STATION, for La Presse Publishing Co., 1929 (C.R., xliii, 16 Jan. 1929, 50, t.c.)
GRANBY, QUE., Notre Dame Roman Catholic Church & Presbytery, 1930 (C.R., xliv, 9 April 1930, 67, t.c.)
PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL, for the City Council of St. Hyacinthe, 1930 (C.R., xliv, 20 Aug. 1930, 90)
G.R. RICHER
HUMP HAIRPIN CO., St. Anne Street, factory, 1931 (C.R., xlv, 22 April 1931, 65)
ST. MICHEL DE ROUGEMONT, QUE., rebuilding of the Roman Catholic Church, 1931 (C.R., xlv, 22 July 1931, 53)
CORONA THEATRE, c. 1935 (list of works in obituary)
LA PROVIDENCE, QUE., Roman Catholic Church, 1937 (C.R., l, 5 May 1937, 31)
INDOOR ARENA, 1938 (C.R., li, 6 April 1938, 37)
TECHNICAL SCHOOL, Laframboise Street, 1941-42 (C.R., liv, 17 Dec. 1941, 28)
ST. HILAIRE, QUE., refinery for Richelieu Beet Sugar Co., 1942 (C.R., lv, 18 Feb. 1942, 29-30)
NORMAL SCHOOL, Bourdage Street, major addition, 1945 (C.R., lviii, July 1945, 98)
SACRE COUER ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Laframboise Street, 1946 (C.R., lix, April 1946, 146)
COWANSVILLE, QUE., reconstruction of Ste. Therese Roman Catholic Church, 1947-48 (C.R., lx, Dec. 1947, 136)
STE. MADELEINE, QUE., Roman Catholic Church, 1948 (C.R., lxi, Jan. 1948, 176)
SOEURS DU PRECIEUX SANG, addition to the convent, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, May 1950, 144)