CORBETT, John (c. 1827-1887) was born in Ireland and trained as a mason, and he later emigrated to New Brunswick before 1860 where he first resided in Memramcook, N.B. before moving to Charlottetown, P.E.I. in 1866. He became the favoured architect of the Roman Catholic bishop there who, in 1875, presented him with a gold watch engraved with the inscription 'Presented to John Corbett, Architect, by the Bishop of Charlottetown, as a token of gratitude for his honesty, devotedness and ability in superintending the building of schools, churches and the Episcopal Residence in the Diocese of Charlottetown' (Examiner [Charlottetown], 20 Dec. 1875, 3). He employed a 'pure Gothic' style for his ecclesiastical work, but his public buildings in Prince Edward Island are distinctly his own work, executed in brick or heavy stone masonry in simple rectangular forms with boldly expressed round-arched windows and stone band coursing in a reserved Romanesque Revival style. In 1880 he moved to Ottawa after receiving the appointment of superintendent of lighthouse construction in the Marine Department. Corbett died in Ottawa on 13 April 1887 (obit. Ottawa Free Press, 14 April 1887, 3; Weekly Examiner [Charlottetown], 15 April 1887, 2; biog. H.S. Smith, Historic Houses of Prince Edward Island, 1990, 42)
CHARLOTTETOWN
ST. PATRICK'S HALL, CHRISTIAN BROTHERS' SCHOOL, Richmond Street 1868-1869; demol. 1966 (John C. McMillan The Catholic Church in Prince Edward island from 1835 to 1891, pub. 1913, 277, Tom Bradley A History of Queens Square School, 1991, 17; inf. Harry Holman, Charlottetown)
NOTRE DAME ROMAN CATHOLIC CONVENT, Sydney Street, 1869-70 (Examiner [Charlottetown], 24 May 1869, 2, descrip.; Patriot & Terra Nova Herald [St. John's, Nfld.], 31 May 1869, 2, descrip.; I. Rogers, Charlottetown, 1983, 287-9, illus.)
QUEEN'S BUILDING, King Street at Queen Street, for Owen & Welsh, 1872; burned 1902; rebuilt by C.B. Chappell and renamed The Riley Building (Island Argus [Charlottetown], 16 July 1872, 2; Charlottetown Guardian, 22 June 1917, 1, descrip.; I. Rogers, Charlottetown, 1983, 223-4, illus.)
PRINCE STREET, shop and dwelling for John Quirk, 'near the Athenaeum', 1872 (Island Argus [Charlottetown], 16 July 1872, 2)
POWNAL STREET, shop and dwelling for Charles McKenna, 1872 (Island Argus [Charlottetown], 16 July 1872, 2; I. Rogers, Charlottetown, 1983, 183-4, illus.)
GREAT GEORGE STREET, the Bishop's Palace, a residence for Bishop Peter McIntyre, 1872-75 (Island Argus [Charlottetown], 16 July 1872, 2; Examiner [Charlottetown], 20 Dec. 1875, 3; I. Rogers, Charlottetown, 1983, 112-15, illus.)
ELSEWHERE
CUMBERLAND, P.E.I., St. Martin's Roman Catholic Church, 1867-68 (H. Smith, Historic Churches of Prince Edward Island, 1986, 103, illus.)
VERNON RIVER, P.E.I., parochial house, likely for the Roman Catholic church, 1868 (Examiner ]Charlottetown], 17 Feb. 1868, 3, t.c.; inf. Harry Holman, Charlottetown)
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I., St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Notre Dame Street at Central Street, begun 1869; completed 1876; burned 1946 (Examiner [Charlottetown], 30 Aug. 1875, 2, descrip.; 19 June 1876, descrip.; John C. MacMillan, The History of the Roman Catholic Church in Prince Edward Island from 1835 to 1891, pub. 1913, 296; inf. Harry Holman, Charlottetown)
FORT AUGUSTUS, P.E.I., St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, 1870; burned 1897 (Islander [Charlottetown], 16 Dec. 1870, 3, descrip.)
GREEN MEADOWS, P.E.I., St. Lawrence O'Toole Roman Catholic Church, 1871 (Charlottetown Herald, 19 July 1871, 3, t.c.; inf. Harry Holman, Charlottetown)
CARDIGAN BRIDGE, P.E.I., Roman Catholic Church, 1874 (Examiner [Charlottetown], 30 March 1874, 3, t.c.)
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I., Court House, Central Street at Notre Dame Street, 1874 (Semi-Weekly Patriot [Charlottetown], 28 May 1874, 2; M. Carter, Early Canadian Court Houses, 1983, 207, illus.)
HOPE RIVER, P.E.I., St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church, 1875; burned 1876; rebuilt to the plan of John Corbett (PAPEI, MSS 2353/246)
RUSTICO, P.E.I., Roman Catholic convent, 1876 (Examiner [Charlottetown], 5 June 1876, 2, t.c.)