William Tuff Whiteway (1856–1940) was a Canadian architect best known for his work in the early 1900s in Vancouver

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

, although he received commissions in various parts of the United States and Canada during his peripatetic career.

Biography

Whiteway was born in Musgrave Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador

Musgrave Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador

Musgrave Harbour is a Canadian town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.-Geography:Located on the Kittiwake coast of the island of Newfoundland, the closest major centre is the town of Gander.-History:...

, in 1856. He moved to Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...

 in approximately 1882, to Vancouver in 1886, and to San Diego in 1887. In 1888, he moved to Port Townsend, Washington

Port Townsend, Washington

Port Townsend is a city in Jefferson County, Washington, United States, approximately north-northwest of Seattle . The population was 9,113 at the 2010 census an increase of 9.3% over the 2000 census. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County...

, where he practiced architecture with his partner Julius C. Schroeder. In 1892, he left Port Townsend for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...

, and then moved to Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

 where he partnered with William T. Horton. In 1900, Whiteway returned to Vancouver, where he remained until his death in 1940.

During his career he was repeatedly in conflict with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia for nonpayment of membership fees, and for undercutting the minimum fees that the Institute imposed on transactions with clients. He was also criticized by the Institute for working with an unlicensed architect, W.H. Chow, who was barred from licensing because of his race.

Another element of controversy surrounds whether he truly designed the most famous work attributed to him, the World Building (now Sun Tower

Sun Tower

The Sun Tower is a 17 storey Beaux-Arts building at 100 West Pender Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is known for its faux-patina steel dome painted to imitate copper cladding. Nine nude muses, the "nine maidens" supporting the cornice line can be seen...

) of Vancouver. Another highly successful Vancouver architect of the era, George L.T. Sharp (1880–1974), has claimed the initial sketch was his, not Whiteway’s.

Notable Commissions

(All are in Vancouver unless otherwise specified; all are extant unless otherwise specified.)

In chronological order:

• Second Ferguson Block (1887), 6 Powell Street at Carrall Street.
• Miller and Burkett Building (1889), 237 Taylor Street, Port Townsend, Washington. Later known as the Elks Building, now Silverwater Restaurant. Designed by the firm of Whiteway and Schroeder.
• Sterming Block (1889), 921-925 Water Street, Port Townsend, Washington. Designed by the firm of Whiteway and Schroeder. Now The Belmont.
• Captain Tibbal's Building (1889), 1004 Water Street, Port Townsend, Washington. Designed by the firm of Whiteway and Schroeder. Also known as the Palace Hotel, the building operated as a brothel for many years. Following renovation, it now operates as a legitimate hotel.
• Mount Baker Block (1890), 910-914 Water Street, Port Townsend, Washington. Designed by the firm of Whiteway and Schroeder.
• Duck Block (1892), 1314-1322 Broad Street, Victoria.
• St. John's Courthouse
  St. John's Courthouse
  The St. John’s Courthouse is located on Water Street and Duckworth Street in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The building is a National Historic Site of Canada. It was built in 1901-04. The architect was William Tuff Whiteway.-References:...
  
  (1904), Water Street at Duckworth Street, St. John's, Newfoundland. It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places
  Canadian Register of Historic Places
  The Canadian Register of Historic Places is an online, searchable database that includes listings of historic places important to communities, cities, provinces, territories, and the nation...
  
  .
• Chinese Times Building (1902), 1 East Pender Street at Carrall Street. Designated as a heritage building by the City of Vancouver.
• Kelly Douglas Warehouse (1905), 316 Water Street, now The Landing, an office and retail complex.
• Wood’s Hotel (1906), 412 Carrall Street at East Hastings Street. Variously known as the Roger Hotel, Rainbow Hotel, and Portland Hotel; now Pennsylvania Hotel. This five-story hotel was notable because both street facades consist entirely of bay windows, with a circular turret at the corner. Designated as a heritage building by the City of Vancouver. It was renovated in 2008-2009 for use as social housing.
• Hotel Winters (1906), 203 Abbott Street at Water Street, commissioned by William Frederick Winters. Designated as a heritage building by the City of Vancouver.
• MacDonald School (1906), 1955 East Pender Street at Victoria Drive.
• Fire Hall No. 1 (1907), 270-280 East Cordova Street, now Fire Hall Arts Centre. Designated as a heritage building by the City of Vancouver.
• Kamloops Public School (1907), 245 St. Paul Street, Kamloops, British Columbia, now Stuart Wood School.
• Admiral Seymour School (1907), 1130 Keefer Street.
• Lord Roberts School (1908), 1100 Bidwell Street.
• Woodward's
  Woodward's
  Woodward's was the name of a department store chain which operated in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada for one hundred years, before its sale to the Hudson's Bay Company .-History:...
  
   Department Store (1908), 101 West Hastings Street at Abbott Street, now integrated into a new mixed-use structure. Designated as a heritage building by the City of Vancouver.
• Manitoba Hotel (1909), 50 West Cordova Street, now Hildon Hotel.
• Holden Building (1911), 10-16 East Hastings Street, now Tellier Tower. Designated as a heritage building by the City of Vancouver.
• World Building (1912), 100 West Pender Street, now Sun Tower
  Sun Tower
  The Sun Tower is a 17 storey Beaux-Arts building at 100 West Pender Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is known for its faux-patina steel dome painted to imitate copper cladding. Nine nude muses, the "nine maidens" supporting the cornice line can be seen...
  
  . Designated as a heritage building by the City of Vancouver. Its attribution to Whiteway is disputed; see above.
• St. Regis Hotel (1912), 602 Dunsmuir Street at Seymour Street.
• Duncan Elementary School (1913), 1035 Nagle Street, Duncan, British Columbia.
• 6120 McDonald Street (1921), house built for G.L. Smellie in the Georgian Revival style. Designated as a heritage building by the City of Vancouver.
• Normandie Apartments (1927), 1425 Haro Street.