Wells was born at Norwich , where he trained as a carpenter . He worked on the facade of St Mary Moorfields in London , after which he became an architect , displaying his works at the Royal Academy in 1823 and 1828 . Exploiting the rapid growth and population boom , he came to Montreal in about 1830 . His first commission was to erect the new prison , and afterwards he constructed the Ste. Ann 's Market ( 1832 ) , that stood until the Burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal . In 1834 , he was commissioned by John Redpath and Peter McGill to design and build a new home for St. Paul 's Presbyterian Church . He completed several religious buildings for all denominations , including Chalmers-Wesley United Church , and his personal popularity won him private commissions for some of Montreal 's leading figures within the Golden Square Mile - such as the Notman House ( 1845 ) and Prince of Wales Terrace , completed in 1860 for Sir George Simpson . His biography in '' ' The Canadian Encyclopedia ' '' , states that " due to the disappearance of a majority of his works , he has been overlooked as the arbiter of architectural taste in early Victorian Montreal " . He died at Montreal April 26 , 1864 , and was survived by at least one son ( G.H. Wells ) and one daughter ( Mrs Deborah Wadsworth )
Burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal
Burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal
John Wells (architect)