BENZIE, James Anderson (1881-1930), a native of Glasgow, Scotland and son of a prominent builder William Benzie, was born there on 19 Februry 1881 and educated at Anderson's Technical College and at the Glasgow School of Art. He trained in marine engineering in Glasgow (in 1897-98) and worked in an architectural firm in Glasgow (in 1899-1903) before joining his father's building construction firm in 1903-10. He moved to Canada in late 1910 and joined the office of A. Arthur Cox in Vancouver (in 1910-15). Benzie then opened his own office in December 1916 and practiced under his own name until 1923 when he formed a partnership with William Bow, another Glasgow native who he had met while a student at the Glasgow School of Art. Benzie took a particular interest in hospital planning, but his schemes were never simple and utilitarian; his most impressive work (now regrettably demolished) was the sophisticated Edwardian treatment of the Rotary Club Hospital, Vancouver (1918). Benzie served a term as President of the Architectural Inst. of British Columbia in 1926-27 and died in Vancouver on 6 February 1930 (obit. Province [Vancouver], 6 Feb. 1930, 1; R.A.I.C. Journal, vii, March 1930, xxxiv, biog. and port. Who's Who and Why in Canada, 1923-24, 528; D. Luxton, Building the West: The Early Architects of British Columbia, 2003, 370-1, 492)
J.A. BENZIE (works in Vancouver unless noted)
VANCOUVER GENERAL HOSPITAL, West 12th Avenue, addition of a Soldier's Hospital, to serve as the Military Hospital Annex, 1916-17; addition to the Nurses' Home, 1921 (Vancouver Daily World, 26 Jan. 1917, 12; and 31 March 1917, 16, illus. & descrip.; Modern Hospital [Chicago], xi, Oct. 1918, 257-60, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xxxv, 6 April 1921, 64, t.c.; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives)
ROTARY CLUB TUBERCULOSIS HOSPITAL, West Pender Street, 1918-19; demol. (C.R., xxxii, 5 June 1918, 446-7, illus. & descrip.; British Columbia Record [Vancouver], 2 May 1919, 4; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives)
ANGUS DRIVE, at Nanton Avenue, residence for Clarence Wallace, 1919 (British Columbia Record [Vancouver], 2 May 1919, 4)
WEST 21st AVENUE, at Argyle Street, residence for Mrs. Alice Brydon-Jack, 1919 (British Columbia Record [Vancouver], 2 May 1919, 4)
STANDARD BANK, West Hastings Street at Richards Street, major addition, 1919 (British Columbia Record [Vancouver], 2 May 1919, 4)
BELLA BELLA, B.C., hospital for Methodist Missionary Board, 1919 (list of works in Who's Who in Canada, 1923-24, 528)
NORTH VANCOUVER, Workmen's Settlement House, at Dollarton, overlooking Burrard Inlet, c. 1919 (list of works in Who's Who in Canada, 1923-24, 528)
STANLEY PARK, Japanese Canadian War Memorial, 1919 (Vancouver Sun, 8 March 1922, 14; Vancouver Heritage Inventory: Summary Report, 1986, 107, illus.)
KING EDWARD AVENUE, at Selkirk Avenue, residence for Mrs. George Forsyth, 1919 (British Columbia Record [Vancouver], 3 Nov. 1919, 2)
WEST 29th AVENUE, at Marguerite Street, residence for Mrs. R.L. Bourne, 1919 (British Columbia Record [Vancouver], 3 Nov. 1919, 2)
HUDSON STREET, at West 27th Avenue, residence for Mrs. E.B. Bliss, 1919 (British Columbia Record [Vancouver], 3 Nov. 1919, 2)
TORONTO GENERAL TRUSTS, West Pender Street at Seymour Street, new facade, with major alterations and improvements to existing office block, 1920 (Vancouver Sun, 3 Sept. 1920, 5, descrip.; and 9 March 1921, 3, descrip.; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives)
SHAUGHNESSY HEIGHTS, residence for Iva D. Smith, West 35th Avenue near Yew Street, 1920-21 (Vancouver Sun, 4 Oct. 1920, 2; and 5 Nov. 1920, 14, descrip.; Town of Point Grey b.p. 3124, 26 Oct. 1920)
SHAUGHNESSY HEIGHTS, residence for Lorne D. Graham, West 29th Avenue near Alexandra Street, designed 1920; built in 1922 (Vancouver Sun, 4 Oct. 1920, 2; Town of Point Grey b.p. 4471, 3 April 1922)
ELECTRICITY EXHIBITION, at the Drill Hall, Beatty Street, a group of 20 exhibit booths for manufacturers and companies selling electrical products, 1920 (Vancouver Sun, 14 Nov. 1920, 13, descrip.)
CRESCENT BEACH, residence for W.C. Shelly, 1921 (Vancouver Daily World, 4 March 1921, 11, descrip.)
ABBOTSFORD, B.C., General Hospital, 1921 (Abbotsford Post, 19 Aug. 1921, 1)
SHAUGHNESSY HEIGHTS, residence for Hubert A. Wallace, West 29th Avenue, near Alexandra Street, 1921-22 (Vancouver Daily World, 30 Nov. 1921, 17)
QUESNEL, B.C., a new general hospital, 1922 (Vancouver Sun, 9 Feb 1922, 3)
STANLEY PARK, outdoor fountain memorial to Pauline Johnson (1861-1913), near Third Beach and the Siwash Rock, erected by the Women's Canadian Club, 1922 (Vancouver Sun, 8 March 1922, 14, illus. & descrip.; Vancouver Daily World, 25 May 1922, 7, descrip.)
BENZIE & BOW (works in Vancouver unless noted)
POINT GREY, Bank of Toronto, Kerrisdale Branch, Wilson Road, 1923 (Vancouver Daily World, 13 Jan. 1923, 9)
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C., North Vancouver High School, St. Georges Avenue at 23rd Street East, 1923-24 (North Shore Press (North Vancouver), 16 March 1923, 1, illus. & detailed architectural descrip.; C.R., xxxvii, 30 May 1923, 169, t.c.; R.A.I.C. Journal, iv, Nov. 1927, 411-12, illus. & descrip.)
CAPILANO, B.C., a four room school, for the North Vancouver School Board, 1924 (Vancouver Daily World, 15 Jan. 1924, 14, t.c.)
VANCOUVER, B.C., Cleland-Bell Engravers Co., Cambie Street near West Pender Street, office and workshop, 1925 (Province [Vancouver], 22 March 1925, 27, descrip.; City of Vancouver b.p. B 11013, 14 May 1925; inf. Patrick Gunn, Vancouver)
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C., residence for Herbert W. Taylor, 17th Street at The Boulevard, 1925 (North Shore Press (North Vancouver), 30 Jan 1925, 1, descrip.)
SOMERSET CRESCENT, at West 40th Avenue, residence for A. Percy Foster, 1926 (City of Vancouver b.p. 9602, 31 May 1926; inf. Donald Luxton, Vancouver)
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C., major addition of north and south wings to Ridgeway School, East 8th Street at Ridgeway Avenue, 1925-26 (North Shore Press [North Vancouver], 13 March 1925, 1; and 8 May 1925, 5, descrip.; and 12 Feb. 1926, 7, descrip.; H. Kalman, Exploring Vancouver, 1993, 227, illus.)
NORTH VANCOUVER, major addition to public school at Dollarton, 1926 (North Shore Press [North Vancouver], 20 Aug. 1926, 10, t.c.)
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C., Lion's Gate General Hospital, East 13th Street and East 14th Street, at St. Andrew's Avenue and St. George's Avenue, 1928-29, a commission won by William Bow in a competition against 6 other architects from North Vancouver (The Province [Vancouver], 5 Feb. 1928, 2; and 9 Feb. 1928, 11, descrip.; North Shore Press [North Vancouver], 1 May 1928, 1; and 4 May 1928, 1; and 6 July 1928, 1, illus. & descrip.; and 31 May 1929, 1 & 4, detailed descrip.; C.R., xlii, 4 July 1928, 49; R.A.I.C. Journal, viii, Jan. 1931, 23-4, 26, illus.)
OAK BAY, VICTORIA, B.C., a large residence for Col. James Lightbody, St. David Street near Newport Avenue, 1926 (Victoria Daily Times, 8 June 1935, 17, advert. and descrip.; inf. Anna Sander, Archivist, Oak Bay City Hall)
VANCOUVER, B.C., Terminal City Club, inside the Metropolitan Block, West Hastings Street, major interior alterations and improvements, 1928 (Province [Vancouver], 1 April 1928, Canadian Club Supplement, 3, illus. & detailed descrip.)
TRAIL, B.C., Federal Building, Cedar Avenue, 1929 (C.R., xliii, 3 Oct. 1929, 63)
(with H.W. Meech) LETHBRIDGE, ALTA., St. Michael's Hospital, 13th Street South, 1931 (C.R., xlv, 14 Jan. 1931, 53; R.A.I.C. Journal, ix, Feb. 1932, 36-9, illus. & descrip.)