Passmore, Frederick Fortescue

PASSMORE, Frederick Fortescue (1824-1892) was a prominent Ontario land surveyor who also advertised his services as an architect in Toronto in the 1850's. Born in Selby, Devon, England he emigrated to Canada in 1845 and served an apprenticeship with Sandford Fleming and Kivas Tully; his signature as draftsman appears on Tully's drawings for the St. Catharines Town Hall, 1848-49 (dwgs. at the St. Catharines Historical Museum). Passmore listed himself as an architect, surveyor and civil engineer in Toronto from 1851 until 1859, and in 1856 submitted a design in collaboration with 'Mr. Haskins' for the Market House, GUELPH, ONT. (Tri-Weekly Advertiser [Guelph], 6 June 1856, 2). His scheme was not premiated however, and the commission was awarded to William Thomas. After 1860 Passmore devoted much of his career to surveying in western Ontario and later became Deputy Registrar in the Toronto Registry office where he was admired for his 'intimate acquaintence with the topographical history of Toronto' (biography and port. in Association of Ontario Land Surveyors Annual Reports, 1918, 176-77, biography in J.H. Beers, Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of York, 1907, 519; obituary in Toronto World, 15 Jan. 1892, 3)