Richard P. Blakey (1879-1963)

Born in Sunderland, educated there and in 1895 entered the office of George T. Brown, FRIBA, remaining there until 1900 when he moved to Oswestry to become chief assistant to F. Spaull, FRIBA. He settled in Leeds and joined F. Mitchell (in 1902-04), and then in Newcastle-on-Tyne where he was clerk-of-works for D. Balfour & Sons (in 1905-06). After emigrating to Canada in May 1907 he joined the Alberta Dept. of Public Works in June 1908, working under the supervision of A.M. Jeffers. In January 1911 he was appointed Provincial Architect and took direct responsibility for the design of all provincial government buildings until the dissolution of his department in 1925.

His best known works, however, began in some controversy when he was appointed Provincial Architect before Jeffers, the previous architect, had in fact resigned. Jeffers left the position due to questions surrounding the management and construction of the Alberta Legislature Building. With the structure unfinished, Blakey became responsible for the staircase, Rotunda, and South Wing of the Legislature, as well as for Government House, the mansion of the Lieutenant Governor in Edmonton.