Gilbert Parfitt (1886-1966)

Educated and trained in England, in early 1912 he emigrated to Canada and arrived in Winnipeg in April. The following year he accepted a position as draftsman in the provincial Dept. of Public Works, working under the direct supervision of Victor Horwood, the Chief Architect of that department in 1913-15. When Horwood retired, Parfitt continued to work under William Fingland, the Acting Provincial Architect, until May 1920. He appears to have taken up private practise and he completed several commissions, either under his own name, or in collaboration with Edgar Prain (1881–1958) as Parfitt & Prain. From 1929 onwards, he was once again employed by the Province of Manitoba, at first in the capacity of Acting Building Superintendent (1929-33), then as Building Superintendent (1933-44), and finally as Provincial Architect & Superintendent of Public Buildings from 1944 until his retirement from the post in 1957.