George Roberts (carpenter and joiner)

George Roberts
Born	(1826-05-07)May 7, 1826 London, United Kingdom
Died	(1899-08-26)August 26, 1899 Montreal, Canada
Resting place	Mount Royal Cemetery
Nationality	British / Canadian

George Roberts, born May 7, 1826 in London, United Kingdom and died August 26, 1899 in Montreal, Canada, was a Canadian carpenter, joiner, cabinetmaker, plasterer and businessman of British origin.

Biography

George Roberts was born on May 7, 1826, in Camden Town, London, United Kingdom. He emigrated to Canada in 1854 and worked for two years at Peto, Prassey & Co., building railways for the Grand Trunk Railway Company. In 1856, he founded his own carpentry, joinery, cabinetmaking, house painting, and plastering business, setting up shop in a warehouse at 597 De la Gauchetière Street in Montreal. During the life of his business, he sometimes employed more than 100 employees specializing in woodworking. His three sons, George Nelson, John James, and Edward Melbourne Roberts, gradually integrated the management of the company. He died in Montreal on August 26, 1899, almost a month after the death of his wife.

The company

George Roberts' company specializes primarily in all types of woodworking. It carries out all structural work for a building, as well as all ornamental wood carving, joinery, and cabinetmaking. In terms of cabinetmaking and joinery, it custom-makes all utilitarian wooden furniture incorporated into a building: bookcases or shelves, display units, fireplace mantels, doors and windows, floors, etc. It also carries out all woodwork intended for ornamental purposes: columns, coffered ceilings, paneling, etc. Several types of wood are worked, including oak, cherry, pine, and mahogany.

Work

Staircase newel by George Roberts (circa 1862) for Ravenscrag mansion in Montreal, preserved at the MUMAQ - Musée des métiers d'art du Québec

The list of achievements below is not exhaustive.

• William Dow House, René-Lévesque Boulevard (Montreal) - (1860)
• Ravenscrag, Pine Avenue (Montreal) - (1861-62)
• Molson Bank Building, Montreal - (1864-65)
• St. Mark Church (St. Mark Church, at the intersection of Dalhousie and William Streets, Montreal) - (1869-1870)
• Redpath Museum - (1881-1882)
• J.-C. Wilson Building, Craig Street (Montreal) - (1888)
• Nordheimer Building, Saint-Jacques Street (Montreal) - (1888)
• Macdonald Physics Building (McGill University) - (1890-1893)
• Redpath Hall Building (Former McGill University Library) - (1893)
• Marances-de-Rosay House, Laval Avenue (Montreal) - (1896)

Also, according to an article published on December 6, 1902 in the Montreal Witness, George Roberts's firm carried out several works in "a large number of private residences on Sherbrooke, Drummond, etc." streets in Montreal.

Sources

Notorial Acts

• Notarial deed in minute, min. no. 4545, October 4, 1858, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and A. & S. Nordheimer”, Notary: James Smith, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. no. 4961, March 1, 1859, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and A. Jones (?) (?)”, Notary: James Smith, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. no. 5168, April 16, 1859, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and Mosely et al.”, Notary: James Smith, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 5433, July 1, 1859, “Alexander Ramsay & Son to George Roberts: Protest”, Notary: James Smith, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 13750, April 21, 1860, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and the Honorable John Hamilton”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 13797, April 30, 1860, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and W. Kay”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 6779, June 23, 1860, “Contract and agreement between Mr. George Roberts and William Dow, Esquire”, Notary: James Smith, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 6136, May 4, 1861, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and James Hutton”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 8136, July 30, 1861, “Contract and agreement between Mr. George Roberts and Hugh Allan, Esquire”, Notary: James Smith, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal (microfilm M-620.1506).
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 6786, April 1, 1862, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and The Mount Royal Cemetery”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 9494, September 13, 1862, “Contract and agreement between Mr. George Roberts and Stark, Smith & Co.”, Notary: James Smith, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 10765, July 16, 1863, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and John Featherston”, Notary: James Smith, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 8878, August 31, 1863, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and D. Sutterland”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 8972, September 24, 1863, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and John Crawford”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 12153, June 6, 1864, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and Frederick Qeriken (?)”, Notary: James Smith, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 10213, July 13, 1864, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and the Molson Bank”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 16789, March 19, 1867, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and Alexander McQheart (?)”, Notary: James Smith, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. No. 13750, April 21, 1868, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and the Honorable John Hamilton”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. no. 13797, April 30, 1868, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and William Kay”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. no. 14744, March 13, 1869, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and Hugh Allan”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. no. 15026, May 28, 1869, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and the War Department”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registrars, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Collection, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.
• Notarial deed in minute, min. no. 16783, May 1, 1871, “Contract and agreement between George Roberts and The Protestant House of Industry and Refuge of Montreal”, Notary: James Stewart Hunter, Notary Registries, Judicial District of Montreal, Superior Court Fund, National Archives of Quebec in Montreal.

Newspaper Articles

• "New Buildings". Montreal Herald and Daily Commercial Gazette (Newspaper). Vol. 57, no. 303 (Robert Weir ed.). Montreal (Qc), Canada. December 21, 1865. p. 1.
• "Church of Scotland. Laying Corner Stone of St. Mark's Church". Montreal Herald and Daily Commercial Gazette (Newspaper). Vol. 51, no. 303 (Robert Weir ed.). Montreal (Qc), Canada. October 25, 1869. p. 2.
• "New Buildings. The new Warehouse and Factory on Craig Street". The Daily Witness (Newspaper). Vol. 29, no. 167 (John Dougall ed.). Montreal (Qc), Canada. July 18, 1888. p. 8.
• "Deaths. Eliza Augustine Styles Roberts". The Herald (Newspaper). Vol. 92, no. 172 (The Herald Company ed.). Montreal (Qc), Canada. July 24, 1899. p. 3.
• "Death of Mr. George Roberts". The Herald (Newspaper). Vol. 92, no. 202 (The Herald Company ed.). Montreal (Qc), Canada. August 28, 1899. p. 8.
• "The Late Mr. Roberts". The Herald (Newspaper). Vol. 92, no. 204 (The Herald Company ed.). Montreal (Qc), Canada. August 30, 1899. p. 3.
• "The Building Trade. Mr. George Roberts". The Daily Witness (Newspaper). Vol. 43, no. 287 (John Dougall ed.). Montreal (Qc), Canada. December 6, 1902. p. 15.

Administrative Document

• Roberts, George, ed. (1881–1889). Shop Pay sheet for 2 weeks (Cote BANQ : P1000,D822). Montreal (Qc), Canada: George Roberts. p. 450.

Website

• "Grave : George Roberts". Findagrave.com/. Montreal (Qc), Canada. Retrieved March 31, 2025.