MARTIN, George Thomas (1844-1925) dominated the local architectural scene in Smith's Falls, Ont. and in surrounding counties of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville for nearly twenty-five years. Born in Surrey, England he came to Canada in 1870 and settled in Toronto where he worked as a carpenter and builder. In 1879 or 1880 he moved to eastern Ontario where much of his work involved the construction of passenger stations and bridges for the Canadian Pacific Railway, but his achievements in this field fall outside the scope of this work. In early 1889 he moved to Smith's Falls and opened an architectural office (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 2 May 1889, 4). Martin's local fame rests largely on his ability to design distinctive and robust institutional and ecclesiastical works. He invariably adopted a brusque Romanesque Revival style for his large scale projects, taking advantage of the abundance of building stone found in the Hughes quarry near Perth. He also possessed a vision for the 'grand plan', setting out a scheme to connect all the summer resorts on the Rideau River with an electric railway system (C.R., x, 16 Aug. 1899, 3). In 1907 he was the patentee of a method to improve the construction of railway coaches (C.A.B., xx, June 1907, x). Few works can be attributed to him after 1910. Martin died in Smith's Falls on 4 March 1925 (obituary and port. in Smiths Falls Record News, 5 March 1925, 5).
SMITH'S FALLS
SOUTH WARD PUBLIC SCHOOL, 1889 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 22 Aug. 1889, 4, t.c.)
McLAREN HOUSE HOTEL, Beckwith Street at Russell Street, rebuilding of the hotel, 1889 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 3 Oct. 1889, 4)
WOOD'S FACTORY, a woolen factory and oatmeal mill for Mr. Wood, 1890 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 20 March 1890, 4; C.R., i, 5 April 1890, 2)
ST. JOHN'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, reconstruction of the church, 1890 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 7 Aug. 1890, 4, t.c.)
RIDEAU RIVER BRIDGE, Beckwith Street, 1890 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 25 Dec. 1890, 1, descrip.)
BECKWITH STREET, commercial block of three stores for Dr. J.S. McCallum, 1891 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 23 April 1891, 1)
BECKWITH STREET, store and apartment for J.M. Clark, 1891 (American Contractor [Chicago], xii, 6 June 1891, 41, descrip.)
PUBLIC MARKET, 1892 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 15 Sept. 1892, 1, illus. & descrip.)
UNION BANK, Main Street, 1893 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 2 March 1893, 4)
McGILLIVRAY BLOCK, Main Street, 1893 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 21 Dec. 1893, 12, descrip.)
MAIN STREET, at Market Street, hotel for Andrew Burrows, 1893 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 18 May 1893, 5, descrip.)
BECKWITH STREET, residence for John McGillivray, 1894 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 15 March 1894, 4, descrip.)
TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH, complete rebuilding with major additions to the original building, 1894-95 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 28 Feb. 1895, 1, illus. & descrip.; Trinity United Church Smith's Falls: 150 Years of History, 1982, 5, illus.)
MAIN STREET, commercial block for J.M. Clark, 1899 (C.R., x, 22 March 1899, 2)
ELMSLEY HALL, extensive alterations and repairs to the residence and stables for F.W. Ashe, 1900; burned 1903 (C.R., xi, 25 April 1900, 3)
BECKWITH STREET, at Russell Street, hotel for John McLaren, 1901 (C.R., xii, 24 April 1901, 3)
MASONIC HALL, for George Dart, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 26 Feb. 1902, 1)
unnamed street, residence for A.L. Ferguson, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 21 May 1902, 2)
CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY, a new engine round house, 1907 (Kemptville Telegram, 25 April 1907, 4)
CHAMBERS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, Elmsley Street South, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 23 Feb. 1910, 23; Daily Standard [Kingston], 18 May 1910, 2; Canadian Builder & Carpenter [Toronto], iii, March 1913, 25-29, illus. & descrip.)
C.P.R. RAILWAY YARDS, major addition to C.P.R. Engine Round House, and addition to machine shop building, 1912 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 17 Oct. 1912, 10)
ELSEWHERE
PORTLAND, ONT., Methodist Church, 1889 (Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 22 Aug. 1889, 4, t.c.)
MERRICKVILLE, ONT., residence for B. McGee, 1891 (American Contractor [Chicago], xii, 6 June 1891, 41, descrip.)
PERTH, ONT., stone cemetery vault at Elmwood Cemetery, 1896 (Perth Courier, 28 Aug. 1896, 4; Daily British Whig [Kingston], 19 Sept. 1896, 3)
PERTH, ONT., reconstruction after a fire of a commercial block for the Matheson Estate, for Shaw & McKerracher, 1898 (Perth Courier, 5 Aug. 1898, 5; 28 Oct. 1898, 6, descrip.)
PERTH, ONT., major addition to the Public School, 1898 (C.R., ix, 2 Nov. 1898, 1, t.c.)
OLIVER'S FERRY, ONT. [now called Rideau Ferry], 'The Swiss Cottage', a summer residence on Senator Peter McLaren's property, 'to be occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Benedict of Brockville', overlooking Big Rideau Lake, 1899 (Perth Courier, 4 Aug. 1899, 6; Evening Journal [Ottawa], 5 Aug. 1899, 5, descrip.)
PERTH ONT., extensive landscaping, iron fence, an arbor, a fountain and other improvements to the Parsonage and lands of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, 1899 (Perth Courier, 22 Sept. 1899, 5, descrip.)
PERTH, ONT., Lanark County House of Industry, 1901-02 (Perth Courier 15 March 1901, 8; and 2 Aug. 1901, 4, descrip.; Rideau Record [Smith's Falls], 27 June 1901, 5; and 8 Aug. 1901, 5, descrip.; Perth Courier, 30 Jan. 1903, 1 & 7, illus. & descrip.)
PERTH, ONT., Sovereign Bank, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 26 March 1902, 1)
PERTH, ONT., residence for Robert Smith 'on the lot west of Victoria Hall', 1902 (Perth Courier, 18 April 1902, 5, descrip.; C.R., xiii, 23 April 1902, 2)
WINCHESTER, ONT., commercial block for an unnamed client, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 21 May 1902, 2)
BALDERSON'S CORNERS, ONT., Presbyterian Church, Fallbrook Road, 1903-04 (Perth Courier, 31 Oct. 1902, 3; and 7 Oct. 1904, 1 & 8, descrip.; C.R., xiv, 18 Feb. 1903, 2, t.c.; Balderson United Church-50th Anniversary Service, 1954, unpag.)
PERTH, ONT., commercial block for J.M. Balderson 'next to the Drennan Block', 1903 (Perth Courier, 6 Feb. 1903, 5; C.R., xiv, 18 Feb. 1903, 2)
PERTH, ONT., Henry K. Wampole & Co., Herriot Street at Sherbrooke Street, factory, 1905 (Perth Courier, 15 Dec. 9105, 1, descrip.; 22 Dec. 1905, 5)
PERTH, ONT., Carnegie Library, Gore Street at Basin Street, 1906; burned 1980; rebuilt and converted to offices (Perth Courier, 30 May 1906, 1, descrip.; C.R., xvii, 6 June 1906, 2, t.c.)
LANARK, ONT., alterations and improvements to the Town Hall, 1908 (Lanark Era, 22 April 1908, 1)
GEORGIAN BAY & SEABOARD RAILWAY CO., several passenger railway stations on the line from Port McNicoll, Ont. southeast to Dranoel, Ont. 1912. Five stations for the G.B. & S. are still standing in 2020, including those at Orillia, at Brechin, at Eldon, at Balsam Lake (moved to Lorneville), and at Grass Hill (moved to a farm site 3 m. west of Oakwood). See the Lindsay Post, 15 Dec. 1911, p. 7 for reference to G.T. Martin and his station designs.
MERRICKVILLE, ONT., major addition to Central School, 1916 (Weekly Advance [Kemptville], 6 April 1916, 1; and 20 April 1916, 1)