Cecil Burgess


Cecil Burgess was a Canadian architect. He was born in Walkden, Lancashire, England on 8 July 1888. He was educated Walkden, Lancashire, England. He articled to Henry Kirkby, an architect in Manchester, England. Cecil Burgess arrived in Ottawa, Ontario with his parents in 1905. He married Violet Hervey from Round Hill, Nova Scotia, in 1913. The couple had a son, Bernard W. Burgess of Montreal, and a daughter, Mrs. Barbara Joyce Greenwood.
He was a prominent Ottawa architect. At various times, he lived at 34 Echo Drive and at 25 Bellwood in Ottawa South. He was a charter member of the Ottawa Kiwanis Club. Cecil Burgess was a philanthropist. He served as a director of the Ottawa Boys' Club from 1939 to 1956. He died in hospital in Ottawa, Ontario in July 23, 1956 at 68 after a short illness. His funeral was held at Trinity Anglican Church, one of his works. The service was conducted by Rev. Wilfred Bradley, assisted by. Archdeacon J. C. Anderson.
He worked and partner with several prominent architects including his former employer Arthur Weeks, Richard Millson, and Edwin Gardner. During the Second World War, Burgess moved to Nova Scotia where he oversaw the construction of 80 buildings for the naval base before returning to Ottawa. Many of Burgess buildings reflected his interest in modern Art-Deco architecture. He used a Modern Classicism style with elegant dashes of Art Deco in many of his later works in Ottawa.

Career

He worked as a draughtsman and assistant for the firm of Weeks and Keefer in Ottawa 1908–1910. He worked on his own under the company name of Burgess & Co. 1910–1914. He partnered with Arthur L. B. Weeks, under the company name of Weeks and Burgess 1914. Burgess partnered with Richard H. Millson, under the company name of Millson & Burgess 1915–1922. Albert James Hazelgrove joined the partnership under the company name of Millson, Burgess & Hazelgrove 1923–24. He partnered with Richard H. Millson, under the company name of Millson & Burgess 1925–26. Burgess was alone under the company name of C. Burgess 1927–33; from 1927, Burgess worked with an associate Edwin Alexander Gardner. Burgess partnered with Edwin Alexander Gardner under the company name of Burgess and Gardner 1934–42. In 1942 Gardner entered the federal public service; Gardner became chief architect at the Department of Public Works from 1952 to 1963. Cecil Burgess was alone under the company name of C. Burgess 1945–51. He partnered with J. Malcolm McLean under the company name of Burgess and McLean 1951–1958. Murdoch MacPhadyen became a partner under the company name of Burgess, McLean and MacPhadyen 1958–1967. After Burgess died in 1956, J. Malcolm McLean and Murdoch MacPhadyen remained sole associates under the company name McLean and MacPhadyen.

Works

Burgess designed buildings in the greater Ottawa region, with a few projects in Rockliffe Park, Renfrew, Perth, North Bay or Cornwall, Ontario. A significant portion of the projects are new, renovations or modifications to existing private dwellings, office buildings, churches for private clients or institutions such as government departments, hospitals, school boards.
He designed dozens of churches, schools, homes, apartments and civic buildings. Burgess notable works in Ottawa includes The Coliseum at Lansdowne Park, Ashbury College, the Bank of Montreal and No. 11 Fire Hall on Parkdale Ave in Hintonburg. The National Archives of Canada holds a large collection of drawings for more than 250 projects executed by Burgess and the various firms in which he practised from 1910 until 1962. The Burgess firm handled some 5O school projects from Deep River, Ontario to Cornwall, Ontario.

Burgess & Co. (1910–1914)

C. Burgess (1927–1933)

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/44456410/
PropertyAddressWardConstruction DateArchitectPhoto
Ashbury College362 Mariposa AvenueSomerset1914Weeks and Burgess
Plant Bath130 Preston StreetSomerset1924Millson, Burgess and Hazelgrove
Lansdowne Park Coliseum1015 Bank StreetSomerset1926Millson, Burgess and Hazelgrove
St. Matthew's Anglican Church 217 First AveSomerset1929Cecil Burgess
The Duncannon216 Metcalfe StreetSomerset1931Cecil Burgess
Windsor Arms Apartments150 Argyle AvenueSomerset1930Cecil Burgess
CFB CornwallisCornwallis ParkDeep Brook, Nova Scotia1945Cecil Burgess
St. Peter's Lutheran Church, OttawaLyon StreetSomerset1952Burgess, McLean and MacPhadyen
St. Stephen's Anglican Church 930 Watson StreetLincoln Heights1953Burgess, McLean and MacPhadyen
Britannia United ChurchPinecrest RoadLincoln Heights1961Burgess, McLean and MacPhadyen