Victorian Architecture in London and Southwestern Ontario: Symbols of Aspiration

In an era of steel and glass towers, the graceful and distinctive structures of Victorian Ontario which survive are a pleasing and a valuable link with the past. Some of the finest examples of these buildings can still be found in London, Ontario, and the surrounding towns and villages.

Beginning with a discussion of the area’s history, Nancy Tausky and Lynne DiStefano explore the work of the most prominent architectural firm in Victorian London – Robinson, Tracy, Durand and Moore – and its role in the development of southwestern Ontario. From their focus on specific architects emerges a broader picture of the factors that typically shaped Victorian towns. They consider the various theories and movements that were given expression in Victorian building design, the social influences on the period’s architecture, the evolution of building technology, and the state of the architectural profession in general during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

At the heart of the book, of course, are the buildings. Churches, banks, schools, courthouses, stores, and all manner of public buildings, as well as private homes are represented. Extensively illustrated, the book includes old photographs, reproductions of drawings and plans, and contemporary photographs of buildings which still stand, taken specially for this volume by Ian MacEachern.

Published in conjunction with a 1986 exhibition which was presented at the London Regional Art Gallery and then toured Canada, this volume records an elegant chapter in our architectural history, an irreplaceable part of our heritage.