Francis Thompson (architect)

Francis Thompson (architect)

Francis Thompson (1808-1895) was an architect particularly well known for his railway work.

He was born in 1808 in Woodbridge in Suffolk, England, to a family of builders. He married Anna Maria Watson in 1830 at Woodbridge church and emigrated to Montreal in British North America (now Canada). Their son Francis Jacob was born in 1831. Anna died the following year during the cholera epidemic which claimed 4000 lives in Montreal.

Having an interest in and understanding of architecture gained from his relatives Thompson designed houses, commercial buildings, court facilities and a church. With John Wells he designed St Ann's market hall, which later became the Canadian parliament house.

After the death of his wife, and because of the increasing political unrest between the French and the increasing number of British settlers, he returned to England in 1837.