BELL, Robert Brown (1850-1940) was born in Campbelltown, Scotland on 6 August 1850 and trained as a carpenter and draftsman in Helensburgh, Scotland in 1868-70. He arrived in Canada in 1871 and settled in Ottawa where worked as a tradesman on the construction of the extension to the Departmental Buildings on Parliament Hill. In 1877 he moved west to Manitoba and farmed there for nearly a decade before moving to Vancouver in 1886, arriving just after the Great Fire had swept the city. He was active there for five years as a contractor, then moved to Vernon, B.C. in 1891 where he continued to work as a builder and contractor. He began to offer his services as an architect in 1891 and formed a partnership with Reginald O. Constant in 1910 as 'architectural supervisors'. Their firm can be credited with several landmarks in the town including the City Hall and the Fire Hall. In 1920-21 he was in partnership with Richard Curtis, and after 1925 he worked as sole practitioner. Bell died in Vernon on 19 September 1940 (obit. Province [Vancouver], 23 Sept. 1940, 8; Vernon News, 26 Sept. 1940, 1 & 6; biog. and port. Who's Who and Why in Canada, 1913, 50-1; D. Luxton, Building the West: The Early Architects of British Columbia, 2003, 224-5, 492)
R.B. BELL (works in British Columbia)
AGASSIZ, B.C., residence for the manager of the Experimental Farm, 1891; demol. (Vancouver Daily World, 25 April 1891, 7)
(with George W. Grant) OKANAGAN VALLEY, B.C. (near Vernon), large residence for Mrs. Thomas Greenhow, on the O'Keefe Ranch, Spallumcheen Township, 1892-93; burned 1939 (Vernon News, 9 June 1892, 5; Vancouver Daily World, 1 March 1893, 5, descrip.; inf. Donald Luxton, Vancouver)
VERNON, B.C., Vernon Newspaper Co. Block, Barnard Avenue, 1897, demol. (Vernon News, 30 Dec. 1897, 7, illus. & descrip.; and 6 Jan. 1898, 1, illus. and descrip.)
VERNON, B.C., City Hall, 30th Avenue, 1897-1903; demol. (A.I.B.C. application, list of works)
BELL & CONSTANT (works in Vernon)
CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOL, 27th Street, 1909-10 (Vernon News, 9 Sept. 1909, 1 & 8; and 15 Sept. 1910, 1 & 7)
LAKE VIEW, residence for Frank S. Reynolds, 1910 (Vernon News, 14 April 1910, 12, t.c.)
unnamed street, residence for P.V. Verhaegen, 1910 (Vernon News, 9 June 1910, 10, t.c.)
unnamed street, residence for C.B. Storms, 1910 (Vernon News, 9 June 1910, 10, t.c.)
MEGAW DEPARTMENT STORE, Barnard Avenue at Mission Street, extensive rebuilding of commercial block for W.R. Megaw, 1910 (Vernon News, 19 May 1910, 10, t.c.; and 7 July 1910, 5, descrip.)
VERNON HARDWARE CO., Barnard Avenue, large addition and alterations to commercial block, 1910 (Vernon News, 7 July 1910, 5, descrip.)
LAND & AGRICULTURAL CO. OF CANADA, Barnard Avenue, commercial block, 1910 (Vernon News, 7 July 1910, 5, descrip.)
CURLING RINK & ARENA, Seventh Street, 1910 (Vernon News, 4 Aug. 1910, 10, t.c.; and 24 Nov. 1910, 5, descrip.)
OKANAGAN TELEPHONE CO., South 7th Street, office and exchange, 1910 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works)
BANK OF MONTREAL, Barnard Avenue, 1910; with addition, 1920 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works; and 11 March 1920, 7)
OKANAGAN FRUIT UNION, warehouse,1910 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works)
EAST FREDERICK STREET, residence for Franklin Smith, 1911 (Vernon News, 23 Feb. 1911, 10, t.c.)
unnamed street, residence for Henry Corbon, 1911 (Vernon News, 13 April 1911, 10, t.c.)
unamed street, residence for Joseph Vlerin, 1911 (Vernon News, 13 April 1911, 10, t.c.)
KALEMALKA (or Kalamalka) HOTEL, Barnard Avenue, a large brick addition to existing building originally designed in 1891 by C.O. Wickenden of Vancouver, 1911 (Vernon News, 13 April 1911, 10, t.c.)
FIRE HALL No. 1, 30th Street, 1911; demol. (A.I.B.C. application, list of works)
BARNARD AVENUE, a theatre, 1912 (A.I.B.C. application, list of works)
unnamed street, residence for Thomas Twiddle, 1913 (Vernon News, 13 March 1913, 8, t.c.)
VERNON JUBILEE HOSPITAL, a new Nurses' Home & Residence for the hospital, 1913 (Vernon News, 24 April 1913, 7)
FRANCIS STREET, two houses for W.H. Smith, Mayor of Vernon, 1914 (Vernon News, 12 March 1914, 8, t.c.)
BELL & CONSTANT (works elsewhere in British Columbia)
LONG LAKE, B.C., in the Coldstream District, residence for R. Charles Buchanan, 1910 (Vernon News, 6 Jan. 1910, 8, t.c.)
LONG LAKE, B.C., in the Coldstream District, residence for Miss Homer Dixon, 1910 (Vernon News, 14 April 1910, 12, t.c.)
LONG LAKE, B.C., in the Coldstream District, residence, barn and cottage for the Hon. Coutts Marjoribanks, 1910 (Vernon News, 21 April 1910, 7)
LAVINGTON, B.C., residence at the Hamburg Ranch, for an unnamed client, 1910 (Vernon News, 9 June 1910, 10, t.c.)
LAVINGTON, B.C., residence for Mrs. Kennedy, 1910 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works)
COLDSTREAM VALLEY, B.C., residence for R. Rutherford, 1910 (Vernon News, 28 July 1910, 10, t.c.)
COLDSTREAM VALLEY, B.C., residence and barn for W.A. Bauer, on Lot 30, 1910-11 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 10, t.c.)
COLDSTREAM VALLEY, B.C., residence for J.L. Webster, 1910 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works)
ARMSTRONG, B.C., Bank of Montreal, 1910 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works)
ARMSTRONG, B.C., residence for T.K. Smith, 1910 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works)
WOOD'S LAKE, B.C., a barn for F. Rayburn, 1910 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works)
SUMMERLAND, B.C., warehouse for the Okanagan Fruit Union, 1910 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works)
UPPER SUMMERLAND, B.C., warehouse for the Okanagan Fruit Union, 1910 (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works)
OKANAGAN LANDING, B.C., Presbyterian Church, 1911, a building designed by Richard Curtis while he was employed with Bell & Constant (Vernon News, 4 May 1911, 8)
ENDERBY, B.C., Bank of Montreal, Cliff Avenue at Vernon Road, 1911; demol. (Vernon News, 22 Dec. 1910, 1, list of works)
PENTICTON, B.C., Bank of Montreal, Main Street at Front Street, 1911-13; with addition, 1920; demol. (Vernon News, 14 Sept. 1911, 7; and 11 March 1920, 7)
ENDERBY, B.C., J.L. Fortune Public School, 1912 (Enderby Press & Walker's Weekly, 15 Aug. 1912, 7, descrip.; 8 Jan. 1914, 6, illus. & descrip.)
KAMLOOPS, B.C., theatre, 1912 (A.I.B.C. application, list of works)
PENTICTON, B.C., public school, 1913 (A.I.B.C. application, list of works)
ENDERBY, B.C., public school, 1914 (A.I.B.C. application, list of works)
BELL & CURTIS (works in Vernon, B.C. unless noted)
BARNARD AVENUE, a large fruit packing warehouse, with offices, for Stirling & Pitcairn, located on the east side of the CPR tracks, 1918 (Vernon News, 27 June 1918, 5, descrip.)
PENTICTON, B.C., addition to the Bank of Montreal, with R.B. Bell as Local Supervising Architect, 1920 (Vernon News, 11 March 1920, 7; and 13 May 1920, 7)
KELOWNA, B.C., High School, 1920 (C.R., xxxiv, 7 July 1920, 64)
PENTICTON, B.C., an 8 room public school, Ellis Street, 1920 (Vernon News, 1 July 1920, 8; and 22 July 1920, 4, t.c.; C.R., xxxiv, 21 July 1920, 53, t.c.)
VERNON, B.C., residence for Dr. C.S. Dent, 1921 (Vernon News, 28 April 1921, 12, t.c.)
ST. MICHAEL'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, Frederick Street, overlooking Long Lake Road, 1921 (Vernon News, 8 Sept. 1921, 1, descrip.)
PINE GROVE NEIGHBOURHOOD, a residence for Mrs. F. Billings, 1923 (Vernon News, 8 March 1923, 5, t.c.)
W.G. DREW LTD., Barnard Avenue, two new retail stores including butcher shop, 1923 (Vernon News, 20 Dec. 1923, 5, descrip.)
WAR MEMORIAL CENOTAPH, 1924-25 (Vernon News, 12 June 1924, 1 & 7, descrip.; and 12 Feb. 1925, 1)
INLAND ICE & COLD STORAGE CO., Pine Street, a large cold storage warehouse, 1925-26 (Vernon News, 3 Dec. 1925, 1, descrip.)
SEVENTH AVENUE, auto garage for F.B. Jacques, 1926 (Vernon News, 8 April 1926, 10, t.c.)
ARMSTRONG, B.C., new buildings for the Okanagan Fair Exhibition Grounds, 1926 (Vernon News, 29 April 1926, 7)
THOMAS BULMAN & SON CO. LTD., a 3 storey fruit and vegetable processing plant, on the east side of the CPR tracks, north of the old vinegar works, 1926 (Vernon News, 24 June 1926, 9, descrip.)
BOY SCOUTS COMMUNITY HALL, Eighth Street, 1926 (Vernon News, 16 Dec. 1926, 1 & 6, descrip.)
R.B. BELL (works in Vernon, B.C. unless noted)
PARK PUBLIC SCHOOL, large addition for Home Economics Dept., 1928 (Vernon News, 13 Sept.. 1928, 1)
ANGELES APARTMENTS, Barnard Street at Marie Street, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 25 Jan. 1928, 64, t.c.)
ARMSTRONG, B.C., Community Hall, 1930 (Vernon News, 17 July 1930, 7)