Cliff, George

CLIFF, George (1814-1898) was active in Kingston and Napanee, Ont. as an architect, builder, and contractor. Born in Nottinghamshire, Engl. he arrived in Canada with his parents in 1819, settling first at Quebec City and then in Montreal where his father engaged in his trade as builder and contractor. It was here that Cliff '..served a seven year apprenticeship at architectural drawing and surveying under the direction of his father'. He moved to Kingston in 1836 to establish his own business as builder, contractor and, when required, as an architect (T. Flynn, Directory of Kingston, 1857-58, 38). After 1865 he moved to Napanee and found opportunities to demonstrate his skills as both builder and designer, preparing plans in the Gothic style for two ecclesiastical landmarks as well as substantial residences for the Mayor of Napanee, J.C. Huffman, for R.G. Wright, for the East Ward School, and the Rennie Block in that town. He had four sons, including W. Wesley, Charles E., George Jr. and John, the latter two of whom appear to have practiced architecture with their father or under their own names. In 1880 John Cliff built (and likely designed) an elaborate residence for an unnamed client on Graham Street in Napanee, described as '..the crowning success of Mr. Cliff's architectural skill, and [we] would advise those who contemplate building to place their confidence in Mr. Cliff's taste in making their plans' (Napanee Beaver, 14 Aug. 1880, 2, descrip.) George Cliff died in Napanee on 16 September 1898 (obituary in the Napanee Beaver, 30 Sept. 1898, 2)

NAPANEE, ONT., Eastern Methodist Church, 1861-62; demol. 1905; parsonage 1878-79 (Christian Guardian, 24 Sept. 1862, 156)
NAPANEE, ONT., Western Methodist Church, 1872 (Globe [Toronto], 15 March 1872, 4, t.c.)