ROBINSON, Arthur G. (1817-1894) was born at Baunagher, Ireland and educated in Dublin. He arrived in Canada in 1831 and passed through the Indian village of Orillia on his way to Toronto where he later obtained a position as assistant engineer in the Dept. of Works for Upper Canada. He contributed to the design of the Welland Canal, the Lachine Canal and several light houses on Georgian Bay and Lake Huron, but also took an interest in architecture and design. In 1867 he was recorded in Orillia, Ont. where he later formed a partnership with William Brown, a surveyor by trade, in late 1872 (see list of works under Brown & Robinson). Many of the principal commercial buildings on the main street of Orillia constructed after the fire of 1871 were designed by their firm. Robinson later died in Orillia on 24 February 1894 (obituary, Weekly Times [Orillia], 1 March 1894, 7).
ORILLIA, ONT., Guardian Angels Roman Catholic Church, West Street, 1872, demol. 1909 (Expositor [Orillia], 1 Aug. 1872, 2, descrip.)
ORILLIA, ONT., Slaven Block, Mississauga Street at Peter Street, a 3 storey commercial block and drug store for Dr. J.W. Slaven, 1873 (Expositor [Orillia], 6 March 1873, 2, col. 8, descrip.)
ORILLIA, ONT., a three storey commercial block for F.J. Gribbin, Mississauga Street, 1874 (Northern Advance [Barrie], 2 April 1874, 2, t.c.)