(Esther) Marjorie Hill
General Information
Occupation: Architect, Weaver, Educator
Date of Birth: January 01, 1895
Date of Death: January 01, 1985
Birth City: Guelph
Birth State/Province: Ontario
Birth Country: Canada
Resident City: Victoria
Resident State/Province: British Columbia
Resident Country: Canada
Notes: First woman in Canada to earn an architectural degree. In an interview shortly after graduation, Marjorie stated, "One must have artistic talent, practical experience, professional knowledge, good business and executive ability, resourcefulness, and a determination to persevere. With these assets there is no reason why a woman should not be as successful as a man."
Sources: Biographical sketch found in the Blanche Lemco van Ginkel collection of the IAWA ; http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/women/002026-407-e.html
Specialties
No specialties on record
Jobs
Employer: Eaton's Department Store
Title: Worked in the Interior decorating department.
City: Toronto
Country: Canada
Employer: McDonald and Magoon, Architects
City: Edmonton
Country: Canada
Notes: Hill worked on the Carnegie Library, where her father was the chief librarian. Hill returned to the firm in 1928 to work until 1929, when the Depression eliminated all professional work.
Employer: Marcia Mead
Title: Architect
City: New York
State: New York
Country: United States
Start Date: January 01, 1923
End Date: January 01, 1924
Employer: Taught weaving and glove making during the depression.
Country: Canada
Notes: in 1936 Hill became a Master Weaver and moved to British Columbia to teach.
Employer: Kathryn C. Budd
Title: Architect
City: New York
State: New York
Country: United States
Start Date: January 01, 1925
End Date: January 01, 1928
Collaborators
No collaborators on record
Apprenticeships
No apprenticeships on record
Awards
No awards on record
Exhibitions
No exhibitions on record
Notable Projects
Title: Houses converted to Apartments, residential renovations
Description: An architectural commission led to a part time practice.
City: Victoria
State: British Columbia
Country: Canada
Notes: By 1945 the architectural practice became full time at the end of the war as volume of work increased: houses, motel addition, Fellowship Hall, and a convelescent home for seniors.
Education
Institution: University of Alberta
Degree: Bachelor of Art
End Date: January 01, 1916
Institution: University of Toronto
Department: Architecture
Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science, Architecture
End Date: January 01, 1920
Institution: University of Alberta
Department: Architecture
Notes: HIll completed two years in the architecture program before transferring to the University of Toronto.
Institution: University of Toronto
Department: Town Planning
Degree: Completed post graduate course
Institution: Columbia University
Notes: Hill completed a summer design course.
Licensing
License: Alberta Registration
Organization: Alberta Association of Architects
Date Awarded: January 01, 1925
Notes: Hill applied unsuccessfully to register in 1921, but was registered in 1925. First woman in Canada to be named a professionally Registered Architect.
License: Registered Architect
Organization: Architectural Institute of British Columbia
Professional Affiliations
No affiliations on record
Publications By
No publications by on record
Publications About
Title: Constructing careers : profiles of five early women architects in British Columbia
Author: Women in Architecture Exhibits Committee
Page: 18-25
City: Vancouver
Date Published: January 01, 1996
Title: Slowly and surely (but somewhat painfully) more or less the history of women in architecture in Canada
Author: Blanche Lemco van Ginkel
Publication: The Canadian Architect
Volume: 38
Issue: 11
Page: 15-17
Date Published: January 01, 1993
Title: First woman architect receives big ovation
Author: unknown
Publication: Globe and mail
Volume: June 5, 1920
Page: 8