From: "Montreal History and Gazeteer to the year 1892"
By Rev. J. Douglas Borthwick, John Lovell & Son, Montreal 1892
|
George Browne was born in Belfast Ireland, 1811. His father, of the same name, was an architect of that city. He cam to Quebec in 1830, where hes resided for a number of years. During 1837-1838 he held a commission in the Militia, and the took an active part. In 1840 he removed to Montreal. In 1841 he was sent to Kingston to prepare the Parliament Buildings there, and was at the same time the architect of the City Hall and Market. In 1844 he was sent by the Board of Works Department to Montreal to prepare the Parliament Buildings and other Government offices; and "Monklands", the residence then of the Governor General, the City Hall and the City Concert Hall were fitted up under his supervision. In 1851-52 he was employed by the Board of Works Department to proceed to Quebec to plan and superintend the alterations in the Parliament Buildings (since destroyed by fire) and Spencer Wood, the then Governor General's residence. In 1854 he was unanimously elected to represent the Centre Ward. In
1857 he was appointed to the Commission of the Peace. Special mention may
be made of the Montreal Merchants' Exchange,
subsequently destroyed by fire, and the Molson Banking
House, which were also designed by Mr. Browne. He died a few years
ago.
|