John Schofield (1883-1971)

John Schofield (1883-1971) was born in Monaghan, Ireland before emigrating to Canada circa 1904. Listed in the Irish Census of 1901 as a draughtsman in Dublin. In 1907, he became the draftsman for the Canadian Northern Railway in Winnipeg. Although Schofield primarily worked in Manitoba and “Central Canada”, he did design three stations in the ‘frontier west’, located in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Hope, and Chilliwack, British Columbia. Sometimes referred to as Scofield and even Schoefield in records.

After the Canadian National Railway was formed in 1920, he became their main architect based in Montreal. He was involved in almost every design of CNR stations and hotels (including as Archibald & Schofield) until he retired in 1948. His stations, especially those in larger cities were quite conservative in design. He died in Barbados in 1971 and is buried in Montreal QC. Many of his stations are designated as National Historic Sites of Canada.