David Stirling (architect)
David Stirling was a Canadian architect of Scottish birth. In 1872 he was made Dominion architect for the federal works in Nova Scotia and in 1880 he became one of the first associate architects of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.
Born in Galashiels, Stirling was the son of stonemason James Stirling. After training as an architect in his native country, he emigrated to St. John's, Newfoundland in 1847, where he played a major role in rebuilding portions of the town destroyed by fire the previous year. He spent the next 35 years designing and building a wide array of buildings out of practices in Charlottetown, Halifax, and Toronto. Having never retired, he died in Charlottetown in 1887 at the age of 64.
Selected works
- Pictou County Court House
- Fernwood, Halifax
- Halifax Club
- Library and Museum at King's College, ; Chapel,, Windsor, Nova Scotia
- Alexander Keith's residence
- He built the first South Street Poor House in Halifax after going to the states to get ideas. It had a fireproof arch which was subsequently, and without his permission, penetrated by not only an elevator but also by unsealed pipe holes. A fire broke out in the basement that destroyed the Poor House on November 6–7, 1882. 33 patients were trapped in the fifth-floor hospital and died.
- Hyndman Building, 57 Queen Street, Charlottetown
- Custom House, 40 Great George Street, Charlottetown
- Presbyterian Church of St. David, Halifax
- Fort Massey United Church, Halifax
- St. Matthew's Manse, Halifax
- Kirk of St. James Presbyterian Church, Charlottetown
- Falconwood Insane Asylum / Hospital, Charlottetown
- H.H. Houle House, 96-98 Prince Street, Charlottetown
- South Shore United Church, Tryon
- Summerside City Hall, Summerside
- MacLennan House, 235-237 Prince Street, Charlottetown
- Convocation Hall, King's-Edgehill School