GODDARD, Samuel May (1843-1906), an early architect from Michigan and western Ontario who later practised in Manitoba, Washington State and in British Columbia. He was active in the following offices:
Samuel M. Goddard, Windsor, Ont. 1872-1879
Kilpatrick & Goddard, Winnipeg, Man. 1882-1884 (with David Kilpatrick)
Samuel M. Goddard, Victoria, B.C., 1890
Hooper & Goddard, Victoria, B.C. October 1890 to 1 June 1891 (with Thomas Hooper)
McCoskrie & Goddard, Victoria, B.C., July 1891 - early 1892 (with Edward McCoskrie)
Samuel M. Goddard, San Diego, Calif., 1894-96
Kilpatrick & Goddard, Los Angeles, Calif. 1896- c. 1901 (with David Kilpatrick)
Goddard was born in Birmingham, England on 16 May 1843 and came to Canada before 1870. He began his career in Detroit, Mich. where "....for several years he was with the Lloyd's and he drew plans for twelve of the churches of Detroit". As a draftsman for Gordon W. Lloyd from 1867 until 1871 it is likely that he served his apprenticeship with him and then began his own practice in Windsor from 1872 until 1879 (Essex Journal [Windsor], 6 Feb. 1872, 3, advert.; Gazetteer & Directory of the Great Western Railway and Its Branches...., 1872, 422-3; Windsor City Directory, 1875-76, 37). It was during this period that he received one of the largest and most significant commissions of his career for the new Jesuit College in Windsor, Ont., costing $100,000 and designed in "..the scholastic Gothic style of architecture" (built 1875; central portion with tower still standing as of 2016). He moved west to Winnipeg in late 1882 and worked as a draughtsman before forming a partnership with David Kilpatrick (see works under Kilpatrick & Goddard).
In 1887 Goddard moved to Seattle and worked for E.H. Fisher in 1889 and for W.E. Boone in 1890 before relocating in Victoria, B.C. in late 1890 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 13 Nov. 1890, 5). He collaborated with Thomas Hooper in 1890-91, but their partnership was dissolved in June 1891 (Victoria Daily Times, 2 June 1891, 8). Goddard was by all accounts a designer of some talent; his entry in the competition for the North & South Ward Schools in Victoria was given Second Premium and cited by the juror Robert M. Fripp for its '....superior draughtmanship' (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 18 July 1893, 6, descrip.). Goddard left Victoria after 1894 and established a practise in San Diego, Calif. By 1896 he had moved to nearby Los Angeles where he rejoined his former business partner from Winnipeg, David Kilpatrick, and together they opened a new office in Los Angeles in late 1896. Their partnership was active there until after 1900. Goddard died in Los Angeles on 19 January 1906 (obituary in the Los Angeles Daily Times, 20 Jan. 1906, Section Two, p. 11; Daily Colonist [Victoria], 21 Jan. 1906, 1; D. Luxton, Building the West: The Early Architects of British Columbia, 2003, 465, 502; inf. from Herbert Layfield, Whittier, Calif.)
(works in Windsor & Essex County, Ontario)
TOWN HALL, City Hall Square, alterations to the second storey of the Town Hall, and construction of jail cells outside, 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 18 April 1873, 3, t.c.; Detroit Free Press, 24 April 1873, 3, t.c.)
RICE BLOCK, Sandwich Street, a two storey commercial block with retail stores for F.V. Rice, 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
WINDSOR AVENUE, residence for C.G. Richards, 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
CRAWFORD AVENUE, at London Street, residence for Francis Cleary, 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
PITT STREET, extensive alterations to residence for William McGregor, "....on the river bank", 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
CAMPBELL AVENUE, at London Street, "...near the Toll Gate", residence for George Campbell "....in the Gothic style", 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
SANDWICH, ONT., residence for Thomas McWhinney, Main Street near Askin Avenue, on the river bank, 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
SANDWICH, ONT., residence for Thomas Wright, "...in the Gothic style", Mill Street near Bedford Street, "...at the entrance to Sandwich, opposite the old mill", 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
SANDWICH, ONT., residence for Frank E. Marcon "...in the Gothic style", Russell Street near Mill Street, 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
SANDWICH, ONT., residence for Henry Wales, "...on the front street", likely Russell Street, 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
SANDWICH, ONT., at the Mineral Springs, a large 3 storey restaurant for T. Baptiste Gauthier, "...in the Swiss style", 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
AYLMER AVENUE, near Chatham Street, a building (a house?) for James Radcliffe, 1873 (Essex Record [Windsor], 4 July 1873, 2, descrip.)
MAIDSTONE CROSS, ONT., St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Talbot Road near Malden Road, 1874; still standing in 2022 (Detroit Free Press, 22 Feb. 1874, 2, t.c.)
OUR LADY OF ASSUMPTION ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Huron Church Road at University Avenue, major addition of a tower and spire, and a new sanctuary for the church, 1874-75, with alterations to the existing church originally designed by Capt. Robert T. Elliott, and built in 1842-45; restored 2014-19 (Detroit Free Press, 14 Feb. 1874, 3, t.c.; Essex Record [Windsor], 18 Dec. 1874, 2, descrip.)
ASSUMPTION ROMAN CATHOLIC COLLEGE, Huron Church Road opposite Peter Street, for the Jesuit Brothers, 1875; south wing demol. 1984, but central hall and tower still standing as of 2016, and now called Assumption University (Detroit Free Press, 30 May 1875, 1, detailed descrip.)
PETITE COTE, ONT. [south of Sandwich, Ont.], fish hatchery, labs, offices and fish farm for the Dominion Fish Commission of the Federal Government, on the River Road adjacent to the Detroit River, 1875 (Detroit Free Press, 30 May 1875, 1, detailed descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 6 Nov. 1875, 2)
GAOL & LOCK-UP, City Hall Square, 1875, a large addition to the existing Town Hall built in 1856 and originally designed by Albert Jordan (Detroit Free Press, 30 May 1875, 1, descript.)
SANDWICH, ONT., large residences for George W. Mason, Peter Street at Mill Street, 1877; still standing as of 2020 (Essex Record [Windsor], 13 Dec. 1877, 1, descrip.; Parks Canada, Canada's Historic Places, designation statement 6 February 1978)
COMPETITIONS
VICTORIA, B.C., North Ward School and South Ward School, 1893. The Victoria office of S.M. Goddard was one of 14 architects from the USA and Canada who prepared plans in this competition (Victoria Daily Times, 13 July 1893, 7, descrip. and list of competitors). He submitted three designs, No. 5A and 5B. The juror was R. Mackay Fripp of Vancouver, who stated that his submission No. 5A possessed a "....pleasing elevation ", but that it was inferior to his alternate design No. 5 B The first premium was jointly awarded to Soule & Day, along with W. Ridgeway Wilson.