THE FIRST DECADE (1891 - 1900)

As with most young architects embarking on their own practices, the early years were difficult ones. In his first year of practice, records show accounts rendered starting in March for such work as: "Sketches for organ for Grace Church, Winnipeg - $8.00; sketches and details for Chalmers Church, Kingston - $25.00; supervision of fittings for Board of Trade Restaurant - $75.00 and various residential alterations producing. Gross income for the year is $594.00."

Acton Baptist Church, Acton (1899)

Highlights of this first decade would include his selection as runner-up in the competition for the British Columbia Legislative Buildings in 1892 ($750.00 prize) and second prize for his design for the Parish Church of St. John the

Highlights of this first decade would include his selection as runner-up in the competition for the British Columbia Legislative Buildings in 1892 ($750.00 prize) and second prize for his design for the Parish Church of St. John the Evangelist. In addition to a number of competitions, actual buildings of this period include the public school in Burkes Falls, 1895; The Rockland Baptist Church, 1886; and the Acton Baptist Church and Shelburne Public School in 1899. His son Francis Bruce Brown was born in 1899.

Shelburne Public School      (1899)

THE SECOND DECADE (1901 - 1910)

Gravenhurst Town Hall    (1900)    Olivet Baptist (1901)    Cannington Baptist (1902)

As might be expected, the practice began to expand and brought further commissions including the Gravenhurst Town Hall (1900), now used for summer theatre, and a series of Baptist Churches including Olivet (1901) and Century (1903) on MacPherson Avenue, both in Toronto. (The latter is now luxury condominiums.) Further afield, he designed churches in Cannington, Arnprior and Hespeler. While churches seem to be getting special attention here, the backbone of the practice was still residential projects. It is interesting to see how the projects move northwards as the city expands from the Carlton - Wellesley area to Bloor Street - Rosedale and finally to the St. Clair Avenue areas. 1904 brought the second great fire in Toronto, wiping out 122 buildings and 220 businesses in the area from Yonge Street to York Street and Melinda Street to the waterfront. This tragedy may have had its positive elements in that we know that the Eckhart Casket Factory was a victim and that work for H.P. Eckhart & Co. shows up on a regular basis from 1904 to 1912. This was also a time of expanding factories and this decade produced commissions for Gordon McKay & Co., Firstbrook Bros., C.H. Westwood & Co., Dominion Paper Box, Toronto Engraving, Queen City Vinegar and others.

 

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