Thomas Fuller (architect)


Thomas Fuller was an English-born 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.
Fuller was born in Bath, Somerset, England, where he trained as an architect. While 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, Joseph Bureau wrote, "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 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


BuildingYear CompletedBuilderStyleLocationImage
Anglican Mortuary Chapel in the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin, Bathwick 1855Thomas Fuller with George MannBath, Somerset, England
St. Stephen in-the-Fields Anglican Church1858Thomas Fuller and Henry LangleyNeo-Gothic styleKensington Market, Toronto, Ontario
Canada's Parliament Buildings Centre Block - destroyed in fire 19161858Thomas Fuller and Chilion JonesNeo-Gothic styleOttawa, Ontario
Halifax Armoury1858Thomas Fuller Romanesque Revival architectureCornwallis Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Library of Parliament,1858Thomas Fuller and Henry LangleyVictorian High Gothic styleParliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario
Langevin Block1858Thomas Fuller and Henry LangleySecond EmpireParliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario
Armouries Toronto1858Thomas Fuller and Henry LangleyNeo-Gothic styleToronto, Ontario
Victoria Tower1866Thomas FullerNeo-Gothic styleOttawa, Ontario
Royal Military College of Canada Gatehouse 1, Building R2; recognized Federal Heritage Building 19941884Thomas FullerKingston, Ontario
Royal Military College of Canada Gatehouse 2, Building R6;recognized Federal Heritage Building 19941884Thomas FullerKingston, Ontario
Old Galt Post Office building
National Historic Sites of Canada		1886Thomas Fuller Romanesque, Gothic and Second Empire stylesGalt, Cambridge, Ontario
Former Brockville Post Office;
National Historic Sites of Canada		1886Thomas Fuller Flemish, Queen Anne and classical elements;]Brockville
Gilbert H. Grosvenor Hall1887Thomas Fuller Romanesque RevivalBaddeck, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
Former Summerside Post Office National Historic Sites of Canada1887Thomas Fuller Gothic and Romanesque elements;Summerside
Royal Military College of Canada Administration Building, former Hospital, Building R551887Thomas Fuller 1887Kingston, Ontario
John Weir Foote Armoury
200 James Street North		1888–1908Thomas Fuller / David EwartNeo-Gothic styleHamilton
Almonte Post office National Historic Sites of Canada1891Thomas Fuller and Henry LangleyRomanesque Revival architectureAlmonte, Ontario
Saint-Hyacinthe Post Office
National Historic Sites of Canada		1892Thomas Fuller Italianate and Romanesque RevivalGirouard Street At St. Dominique Street,
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
Land Titles Building – Victoria Armoury 10523 - 100 Avenue1893Thomas Fuller Edmonton, Alberta
Toronto Armories - University Avenue1894
demolished 1963		Thomas Fuller Italianate/Romanesque Revival styleToronto, Ontario
The Armouries
The Royal Westminster Regiment New Westminster		1895Thomas Fuller Italianate/Romanesque Revival style530 Queen's Ave,
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 an architect.
Several of his buildings in Bath have been threatened with demolition and other works, such as his Bradford-on-Avon Town Hall, have been converted into other uses.
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.