Frederick Preston Rubidge, (10 March 1806 – 16 August 1897), was a

surveyor Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. These points are usually on the ...

and an architect. He was born in England and emigrated to

Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada () was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the Province of Queb ...

around 1825 where he took his training. Rubidge first qualified as a provincial surveyor in 1831 and completed important surveys over the next few years. In 1841, the Board of Works of the

Province of Canada The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report ...

(Public Works after 1846) was formed and he was among the initial employees. Much of his work involved design for public buildings. He held the title of assistant engineer but became known as architect for the department. He had various roles associated with the parliament and department buildings in Ottawa. One of the more intriguing projects concerned

Rideau Hall Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence of the governor general of Canada, the representative of the monarch of Canada. Located in Ottawa, the Capital city, capital of the country, on a estate at 1 Sussex Drive, th ...

, the former home of

Thomas McKay Thomas McKay (1 September 1792 – 9 October 1855) was a Canadian businessman who was one of the founders of the city of Ottawa, Ontario. Biography McKay was born in Perth, Scotland and became a skilled stonemason. He emigrated to the Cana ...

, and its conversion to the official residence of the governor general of Canada. Rubidge was retired in 1872 at the age of sixty five. This unhappy event ended his public career and died in Montreal in 1897.

Works

File:Rideau_Hall04.jpg,

Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

designed by Frederick Preston Rubidge File:Union Suspension Bridge Ottawa River 1843.jpg, Union Suspension Bridge, Ottawa River, Bytown designed by Frederick Preston Rubidge, 1843 * Montreal court-house (1855–57), * custom-house in

Quebec City, Quebec Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...

1856–58 * custom-house in

Kingston, Ontario Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the northeastern end of Lake Ontario. It is at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Cataraqui River, the south end of the Rideau Canal. Kingston is near the Thousand Islands, ...

1856–58 * custom-house in

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Hamilton has a 2021 Canadian census, population of 569,353 (2021), and its Census Metropolitan Area, census metropolitan area, which encompasses ...

1858 * Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce Courthouse, Quebec, 1859-1862 * Joliette Courthouse, Québec, 1860-62 *

Rideau Cottage Rideau Cottage is a historic residential building located on the grounds of Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Ontario. The two-level, 22-room Georgian Revival home is owned by the Canadian Crown and has traditionally been inhabited by people associated ...

1866–1867 with Stewart Taylor and Company

References

* 1806 births 1897 deaths Canadian engineers 19th-century Canadian architects British emigrants to Canada People from Montreal {{Canada-engineer-stub