William Coverdale (c. 1801 – 28 September 1865) was an English-born builder and architect in Canada West.
Personal life The son of Christopher Coverdale, the family is thought to have arrived in Lower Canada around 1810 before coming to Kingston, Upper Canada around 1833. Coverdale married Catherine Delmage and had five children. Unlike his many Anglican contemporaries, Coverdale was a practicing member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.
Career Coverdale worked as master builder on the construction of Kingston Penitentiary from 1836–1840, and was involved in the later additions of the dining hall, perimeter walls, and towers in the mid-1840s. When Kingston city architect George Browne was discharged on 20 May 1855, Coverdale was hired to replace him.
He oversaw the construction of Kingston City Hall from 1844 and prepared plans for the rebuilding of the rear wing after it burned down in 1865; the rebuilding was completed by his son William Miles Coverdale.
In 1859, Coverdale was hired as architect for the Government of Canada's Criminal Lunatic Asylum.
He designed plans for several large residences and a number of churches in Kingston, many of which are still in use today.
Death Coverdale died in Kingston in 1865 at the age of 64, with his most reputable building, Rockwood Asylum, only partially complete.
Designated heritage buildings +BuildingAddressBuiltKingston Penitentiary560 King St W1836St. Helen's Complex: St. Helen's440 King St W1838Roselawn National Historic Site of Canada421 Union St W1841Noble Palmer House131-133 King St E1842St. George's Anglican Cathedral (addition)J. McKendry, The Architects of St. George's Cathedral, Kingston in Queen's Quarterly [Kingston], xcv, Autumn 1988, 703, 707, illus.270 King St E1843Willow Cottage189 King St W1843Greystone Manor178-180 Johnson St1843St. James Anglican Church10 Union St1845St. Paul's Anglican Church137 Queen St1847Prince George Hotel (addition)200 Ontario St1848St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church41 Church St1849Agnes Maule Machar Home169 Earl St1849William and Mary Beamish House2263 Princess St1850Anglican Diocesan Centre in Kingston90 Johnson St1851Sydenham Street United Church82 Sydenham St1852Maxwell Strange Cottage107 Logan St1855Portsmouth Community Correctional Centre508 Portsmouth Ave1855Anchor Insurance Building327 King St E1857Louise House329 Johnson St1857Bajus Brewery (addition 1)308 Wellington St1857Richard Cartwright House165 King St E1858Rockwood Asylum752 King St W1859222 Johnson St222 Johnson St1860Bajus Brewery (addition 2)308 Wellington St1861Portsmouth Town Hall623 King St W1865
References
External links