Thomas Fuller (architect)

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Thomas Fuller (architect) bigraphy, stories - Architect

Thomas Fuller (architect) : biography

March 8, 1823 – September 28, 1898

Thomas Fuller (March 8, 1823 – September 28, 1898) was a Canadian architect. From 1881 to 1896, he was Chief Dominion Architect for the Government of Canada, during which time he played a role in the design and construction of every major federal building.

He was born in Bath, Somerset (England), where he trained as an architect. Living in Bath and London he did a number of projects. In 1845 he left for Antigua, where he spent two years working on a new cathedral before emigrating to Canada in 1857. Settling in Toronto, he formed a partnership with Chilion Jones with Fuller responsible for design work. The company first won the contract to design the church of St. Stephen-in-the-Fields.

In 1859, The Legislative Assembly in Ottawa voted the sum of £75,000 for the erection of a "Parliament House" and offered a premium of $1000 for the best design within that budget. The winning bid was made by Fuller and Jones for a neo-gothic design. The principal architects until its completion in 1866 were Thomas Fuller and Charles Baillairge. In Hand Book to the Parliamentary and Departmental Buildings, Canada (1867), Joseph Bureau wrotes, "The corner stone was laid with great ceremony by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in September, 1860, on which occasion the rejoicings partook of the nature of the place, the lumber arches and men being a novelty to most of its visitors, bullocks and sheep were roasted whole upon the government ground and all comers were feasted."

In 1867 he won the contract to build the New York State Capitol building in Albany, New York, and spent the next several years in the United States. The project ran into severe cost overruns, and an inquiry blamed Fuller. Fuller thus returned to Canada, and unable to work in the more lucrative private sector, in 1881 became Chief Dominion Architect, replacing Thomas Seaton Scott.

The Department of Public Works erected a number of small urban post offices in smaller urban centres during Thomas Fuller’s term as Chief Architect.

Family

Thomas Fuller’s son, Thomas W. Fuller, was also appointed Chief Architect in 1927. Thomas W. Fuller’s son, Thomas G. Fuller spent more than 50 years in the building industry. In 2002, Thomas Fuller Construction Co. Limited (established 1958) was awarded the contract for the Library of Parliament building rehabilitation

Legacy

A 35 cent, 3 colour postage stamp featured an image of the Parliament Buildings and the text ‘Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, 1880-1980, Thomas Fuller’

Works

Building Year Completed Builder Style Location Image
St. Stephen in-the-Fields Anglican Church, 1858 Thomas Fuller (architect) and Henry Langley Neo-Gothic style Kensington Market, Toronto, Ontario
Canada’s Parliament Buildings 1858 Thomas Fuller (architect) and Chilion Jones Neo-Gothic style Ottawa, Ontario
post office National Historic Sites of Canada 1858 Thomas Fuller (architect) and Henry Langley Romanesque Revival architecture Almonte, Ontario
Royal Military College of Canada Administration Building, former Hospital, Building R55 1887 Thomas Fuller (architect) 1887 Neo-Gothic style Kingston, Ontario
Royal Military College of Canada Gatehouse 1, Building R2; recognized Federal Heritage Building 1994 1884 Thomas Fuller Neo-Gothic style Kingston, Ontario
Royal Military College of Canada Gatehouse 2, Building R6;recognized Federal Heritage Building 1994 1884 Thomas Fuller Neo-Gothic style Kingston, Ontario
Old Post Office building; National Historic Sites of Canada 1886 Thomas Fuller (architect) Romanesque, Gothic and Second Empire styles Galt, Cambridge, Ontario
Halifax Armoury 1858 Thomas Fuller (architect) Romanesque Revival architecture Cornwallis Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia
John Weir Foote Armoury 200 James Street North 1888–1908 Thomas Fuller (architect)/ David Ewart Neo-Gothic style Hamilton
Library of Parliament, 1858 Thomas Fuller (architect) and Henry Langley Victorian High Gothic style Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario
Langevin Block 1858 Thomas Fuller (architect) and Henry Langley Second Empire Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario
House of Parliament 1858 Thomas Fuller (architect) and Henry Langley Neo-Gothic style Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario
Armouries Toronto 1858 Thomas Fuller (architect) and Henry Langley Neo-Gothic style Toronto, Ontario
Gilbert H. Grosvenor Hall 1887 Thomas Fuller (architect) Romanesque Revival Baddeck, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
Former Brockville Post Office; National Historic Sites of Canada 1886 Thomas Fuller (architect) Flemish, Queen Anne and classical elements;] Brockville
Former Summerside Post Office National Historic Sites of Canada 1887 Thomas Fuller (architect) Gothic and Romanesque elements; Summerside
Saint-Hyacinthe Post Office Girouard Street At St. Dominique Street; National Historic Sites of Canada 1892 Thomas Fuller (architect) Italianate and Romanesque Revival Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
Land Titles Building – Victoria Armoury 10523 – 100 Avenue 1893 Thomas Fuller (architect) Edmonton, Alberta
New Westminster Armoury 530 Queen’s Ave 1895 Thomas Fuller (architect) Italianate/Romanesque Revival style New Westminster, British Columbia

On his death in 1898, Thomas Fuller was interred in the Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa. His son Thomas Fuller II also became a prominent Canadian architect.

Several of his buildings in Bath have been threatened with demolition and other impressive works, such as his Bradford-on-Avon Town Hall, have been converted into other uses (the Town Hall is now the R.C. Church of St Thomas More).

In 2002, the Thomas Fuller Construction Company, founded by Fuller’s grandson Thomas G. Fuller and now operated by his great-grandsons, was awarded a contract to renovate the Library of Parliament in Ottawa which he originally designed.

File:Napanee ON 3.JPG|Napanee, Ontario Post Office File:Bureau de poste central de Montreal 05.jpg|Montreal, Quebec Post Office