Basic Biographical Details

Name:	Richard Lewis
Designation:
Born:	1824
Died:	1 January 1875
Bio Notes:	Richard Lewis was born in London in 1824 but moved to Scotland some time after and was articled there probably in a building trade rather than as an architect. He emigrated to Chile in 1853 and from there to San Francisco where he practised as both architect and builder from 1855. He moved to Victoria in 1858 to participate in the Fraser River gold rush and was responsible for a number of buildings there in 1858-60, probably as builder rather than as architect. For a time he was also a cabinetmaker and undertaker. His practice was transformed by the Cariboo gold rush of 1861: he designed most of the commercial buildings on Wharf Street, the first four having cast-iron facades imported from San Francisco. His business thereafter declined again, but he became a prominent mason, a member of the Oddfellows Lodge and an alderman. ]] Lewis became mayor of Victoria in 1872 as a result of the resignation of his predecessor, but he did not seek re-election for a further term. By that date his practice had significantly recovered. Lewis married twice: after his first wife Christina died in June 1864 he married again in the following January to Jeannette Mitchell, the daughter of an ironfounder. Lewis died on 1 January 1875 his widow continuing his business for some months before selling it to Thomas Storey who traded as a builder.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
	Address	Type	Date from	Date to	Notes
	Scotland	Private	After 1824	1853
	Chile	Private	1853	Before 1858
	San Francisco, California, United States of America	Private	After 1853	Before 1858
	Victoria, Canada	Private	1858

The following books contain references to this :
	Author(s)	Date	Title	Part	Publisher	Notes
	Luxton, Donald (ed.)	2003	Building the West: the early architects of British Columbia		Vancouver: Talon Books