Frank Darling

Frank Darling (17 February 1850 – 19 May 1923) was an important Canadian architect, winner of the RIBA Gold medal in 1915, who designed many of Toronto's landmark institutional and financial buildings, as well as scores of bank branches throughout the country. Darling is best described as an 'Edwardian imperialist' in his outlook and architectural approach, and accordingly left a legacy of fine Edwardian Baroque buildings in Canada's major cities, representative of the period's prosperity and optimism.

Early life and education Born in Scarborough Township in the Province of Canada, Darling was the son of the rector of St Margaret’s Anglican Church (in-the Pines) in West Hill and Christ Church of Scarborough Village, and later of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Toronto William Stewart Darling (1818-1886) and Jane Parson (1816-1909). As a boy, he received his general education at Upper Canada College before entering Trinity College School, in Weston. He worked briefly as a bank teller before becoming apprenticed to architect Henry Langley from 1866 to 1870. He studied and trained in England under George Edmund Street between 1870 and 1873 and then returned to Canada.

Career Apart from two brief solo periods in the 1870s, he practised with a series of collaborators: Henry MacDougall, 1873–74; Samuel George Curry (1855–1942 ), principal in Darling & Curry – 1880–90, in Darling, Curry & Co. - 1891, and in Darling, Curry, Sproatt & Pearson -1892; Henry Sproatt (1866–1934), principal in Darling, Curry & Co. -1891, in Darling, Curry Sproatt & Pearson – 1892, in Darling, Sproatt & Pearson 1892–95, and later draughtsman for Darling & Pearson – 1896,-97; and finally John A. Pearson (1867–1940), principal in Darling, Curry & Co. - 1891, in Darling, Curry, Sproatt & Pearson- 1892 ; in Darling, Sproatt & Pearson- 1892–95, and in Darling & Pearson – 1895–1937, after Darling' s death in 1923. In 1897 Darling formed his most long-lasting architectural partnership with John A.Pearson, named Darling and Pearson. 1915 11487 89 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta In the Neoclassical style by Percy Erskine Nobbs & Frank Darling.

Toronto General Hospital College Street Wing 1919 101 College Street, Toronto Edwardian Classicism. Now part of the MaRS Discovery District.

For projects after the formation of Darling, S. George Curry, Sproatt, & Pearson in 1892, see Darling and Pearson.