MALCOLMSON, William George (1853-1937) of Detroit, Mich. was born in Hamilton, Ont. on 7 April 1853 but moved to Detroit with his family in 1857 and remained there for the duration of his career. He was educated in Detroit and trained under Joseph P. Sparks, a leading architect in that city, from 1875 to 1878. After the death of Sparks he opened his own office in 1879, working under his own name and, on occasion, assisting in the office of Mortimer L. Smith. In 1890 he formed a partnership with William E. Higginbotham (1858-1923) and during the next 35 years they planned more than three-quarters of the school buildings in the Detroit area as well as major institutional landmarks on the campuses of the University of Michigan and at Michigan State College. One of the staff members who worked in the office during this period was Albert E. French. Malcolmson was elected as a Fellow of the American Inst. of Architects in 1926 and died in Detroit on 19 October 1937 (obit. in the Detroit Free Press, 20 Oct. 1937, 23; biog. in H. Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects, 1956, 387; W. Hawkins Ferry, The Buildings of Detroit, 1968, 129)
W.G. MALCOLMSON (works in Ontario)
RIDGETOWN, ONT., The Porter Block, a 3 storey commercial block with eight stores and public hall, for Henry Porter, also called The Porter House Block, Main Street West at Erie Street South, 1878; still standing in 2023 (Free Press [London], 23 Feb. 1878, 2, t.c.; ACORN [Toronto], xxxvi, No. 1, Spring/Summer 2011, 22-3, illus.; Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, 80 for 80: Celebrating 80 Years of the A.C.O., 2013, 38-9, illus. & descrip.)
RIDGETOWN, ONT., Mount Zion Presbyterian Church, Main Street at Church Street, 1879; altered 1899-1900 by Spier & Rohns; tower damaged June 1906 and spire removed; tower rebuilt 1916; church still standing in 2023 (Globe [Toronto], 29 Jan. 1879, 3, t.c.; Daily Advertiser [London], 21 May 1879, 3, descrip.)
RIDGETOWN, ONT., St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, George Street at Maple Street South, 1880-81; still standing in 2023 (Ridgetown Album of Historical Homes & Landmarks 1875-1975, 221, signed dwg.)
MALCOLMSON & HIGGINBOTHAM (works in Ontario)
RIDGETOWN, ONT., commercial block for Thomas Craig and H.D. Smith, Main Street, 1899 (C.R., x, 15 Nov. 1899, 2)
RIDGETOWN, ONT., Town Hall & Fire Hall, 1900-01 (C.R., xi, 12 Sept. 1900, 3; Detroit Free Press, 30 June 1901, 12)
TORONTO, ONT., Church of Christ, Bathurst Street near College Street, 1902 (Toronto b.p. 199, 25 July 1902; J. R. Robertson, Landmarks of Toronto, 1904, iv, 499, illus. & descrip.)