Cannon, Edward

CANNON, Edward (1739-1814) was best known as a master mason and contractor who was active in Quebec City from 1795 until his death there, but he is referred to as 'the architect' for the Union Hotel, Ste. Anne Street, QUEBEC CITY, QUE., completed in 1805 (Quebec Mercury, 17 Aug. 1805, 261; L. Noppen et al, Québec - trois siècles d'architecture, 1979, 396-7, illus.). Born in Co. Wesford, Ireland he emigrated to Newfoundland in 1774 where he was 'occasionally employed on the Fortifications and other Government Buildings'. He moved to Quebec in 1795 and served as master mason on the Anglican Cathedral, 1800-03 (designed by Capt. William Robe), and added two chapels and a sacristy to the St Pierre Roman Catholic Church, BAIE ST. PAUL, QUE., 1804-05 (ANQ, Greffe J. Plante, 28 Dec. 1804, No. 3909). In 1806 he erected a circular lighthouse at ILE VERTE, QUE. (ANQ, Greffe J. Jones, 21 June 1806). Soon after he was joined by two of his sons, John Cannon and Lawrence Cannon, and the new partnership of Edward Cannon & Sons offered services as contractors and masons and, as the registered representative for the Arthur Gilmore Company, designers for chimney pieces and tomb stones (Quebec Gazette, 27 April 1809, 4, advert.). The new firm contracted to execute the masonry for the old Prison, St. Stanilas Street, 1808 (designed by François Baillairgé), and to build Mailhot's Hotel, St. Jean Street, QUEBEC CITY, QUE., 1810, a work which Edward Cannon himself may have designed (ANQ, Greffe R. Lelievre, 3 Oct. 1810, No. 5118). They also contracted to build (and perhaps design) a stone building on Ste. Angele Street for Father Charles Marie in 1813 (ANQ, Greffe F. Tetu, 9 Aug. 1813, No. 1749). Edward Cannon died in Quebec on 28 July 1814 and his practice was continued by John Cannon (death notice in the Quebec Mercury, 2 Aug. 1814, 247, with correction, 255; biography and list of works in A.J.H. Richardson, Quebec City: Architects, Artisans & Builders, 1984, 167-8)