OGILVIE, Robert Mitchell (1860 -1921), born 13 March 1860, began his career in Toronto in 1887 by designing many semi-detached houses for speculative development and sale in the Annex neighbourhood of that city. He employed Andrew L. Ogilvie, perhaps a brother, as a draughstman in his office in 1890 and formed a partnership with him in June 1891. One of their apprentices was William M. Dodd. In early 1894 his residence on Davenport Road was destroyed by fire (C.R., iv, 8 Feb. 1894, 2); this calamity may have precipitated his move to Huntsville, Ont. to assist in the rebuilding of the town after the disastrous fire there in May of that year. He remained there for more than a year and advertised regularly in local newspapers. His best known work there is All Saints Anglican Church (1894-95), a English Gothic work executed in local fieldstone, and still standing in 2022. Oglivie returned to Toronto in late 1896 and continued to work under his own name until September 1904 when he accepted the position of staff architect in the Department of Indian Affairs in Ottawa. He received a permanent appointment to the position on 25 August 1905 and in this role, he designed dozens of day schools, boarding schools, band council houses, residences and ancilliary buildings on Indian reservations from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. His plans for residential schools, often conceived as substantial three-storey buildings based on symmetrical and classically inspired precedents, differed from site to site and from province to province, depending on the geography, climate and local building materials available in the region. Robert M. Ogilvie died in Ottawa on 9 April 1921. His successor at the Dept. of Indian Affairs was R. Guerney Orr (obituary in the Ottawa Journal, 9 April 1921, 1; inf. from Mr. Dana Johnson, Ottawa).
ROBERT OGILVIE (works in Toronto unless noted)
QUEEN STREET EAST, at Grant Street, commercial block for Allen H. Dingman, 1889; still standing in 2022 (Architectural Era [Syracuse], iii, March 1889, 75)
MacDONNELL AVENUE, residence for James Hudson, 1889 (Architectural Era [Syracuse], iii, March 1889, 75)
MARKHAM STREET, near Bloor Street West, residence for Charles Corbetta, 1889 (Architectural Era [Syracuse], iii, March 1889, 75)
LANGLEY AVENUE, two houses for Robert Watson, 1889 (Architectural Era [Syracuse], iii, March 1889, 75)
NASSAU STREET, two houses for James Hall, 1889 (Architectural Era [Syracuse], iii, April 1889, Supplement, 2)
GARDEN AVENUE, pair of houses for Mr. McAllister and pair of houses for J.E. McIntyre, 1889 (Architectural Era [Syracuse], iii, May 1889, 115)
ROBERT STREET, pair of houses for J. Andrews, 1889 (Architectural Era [Syracuse], iii, May 1889, 115)
QUEEN STREET EAST, near Mutual Street, stores for Richard Bigley, 1889 (Architectural Era [Syracuse], iii, May 1889, 115)
HAWTHORNE TERRACE, near Jameson Avenue, residence for Frank Adams, 1889 (Architectural Era [Syracuse], iii, June 1889, 135)
Robert & Andrew L. OGILVIE (works in Toronto unless noted)
AURORA, ONT., High School, Wells Street, 1891; demol. 1923 (C.R., ii, 20 June 1891, 2, t.c.)
BRUNSWICK AVENUE, near Bloor Street West, pair of houses for Marshall & Pinkerton, 1891 (C.R., ii, 5 Sept. 1891, 2)
RICHARD POTTER & CO., Queen Street West near Esther Street, furniture store, 1891 (C.R., ii, 19 Sept. 1891, 2)
SPADINA ROAD, semi-detached houses for Andrew Nelson, 1891 (C.R., ii, 26 Sept. 1891, 2)
ELM GROVE AVENUE, near King Street West, two houses for Murray & Chichester, 1892 (Toronto b.p. 878, 15 June 1892)
COWAN AVENUE, six detached houses for Francis Ferguson, 1892 (Toronto b.p. 962, 26 Aug. 1892)
CLOSE AVENUE, four detached houses for William Murray, 1892 (Toronto b.p. 1188, 15 Dec. 1892)
DOWLING AVENUE, near Leopold Street, four houses for William Murray, 1894 (Toronto b.p. 1667, 4 June 1894)
ROBERT OGILVIE (works in Toronto unless noted)
HUNTSVILLE, ONT., All Saints Anglican Church, River Street at High Street, 1894-95; still standing in 2022 (inf. from Local Architectural Conservation and Advisory Committee, Huntsville)
BRUNSWICK AVENUE, near Lowther Avenue, residence for Ignatius W. Magee, 1897 (Toronto b.p. 3084, 22 April 1897)
TRANBY AVENUE, near Bedford Road, two detached houses for Mrs. E. Philips, 1897 (Toronto b.p. 3, 23 April 1897)
BRUNSWICK AVENUE, north of College Street, three pairs of houses for an unnamed client, 1897 (Toronto b.p. 138, 13 Nov. 1897)
HOWLAND AVENUE, pair of houses for M.S. Kellow, 1898 (Toronto b.p. 188, 20 Jan. 1898)
RONCESVALLES AVENUE, near Queen Street West, residence for Edward Musgrove, 1898 (Toronto b.p. 43, 21 March 1898)
SPADINA ROAD, near Lowther Avenue, residence for Norman B. Gash, 1899; altered & restored, and now used as a subway station entrance, 1977 (Toronto b.p. 208, 3 March 1899)
HOWLAND AVENUE, near Bloor Street West, residence for I.W. McMichael, 1898 (Toronto b.p. 33, 9 Sept. 1898)
MADISON AVENUE, near Lowther Avenue, residence for William Murray, 1898 (Toronto b.p. 125, 9 Nov. 1898)
HOWLAND AVENUE, pair of houses for Moses S. Kellow, 1899 (Toronto b.p. 186, 10 Feb. 1899)
MADISON AVENUE, residence for R.P. Vaughan, 1899 (Toronto b.p. 206, 3 March 1899)
MADISON AVENUE, residence for Edwin S. Reade, 1899 (Toronto b.p. 207, 3 March 1899)
BERNARD AVENUE, at Walmer Road, residence for R.M. Ogilvie, 1899 (Toronto b.p. 209, 3 March 1899)
ANNE STREET, residence for Richard Gilpin, 1899 (Toronto b.p. 217, 8 March 1899)
SPRINGHURST AVENUE, residence for Samuel Hunter, 1900 (Toronto b.p. 216, 18 April 1900)
WELLS STREET, near Albany Avenue, two pairs of semi-detached houses for Moses S. Kellow, 1901 (Toronto b.p. 59, 16 Jan. 1901)
OAKVILLE, ONT., residence for William Smellie, 1901 (C.R., xii, 13 March 1901, 4)
ALBANY AVENUE, nar Bloor Street West, pair of houses for R.M. Ogilvie, 1901 (Toronto b.p. 157, 10 April 1901)
BATHURST STREET, near Ulster Street, pair of houses for Noble J. Craig, 1910 (Toronto b.p. 195, 16 April 1901)
SPADINA AVENUE, near Wellington Place, row of three houses for J.D. Henderson, 1901 (Toronto b.p. 5, 21 May 1901)
DOVERCOURT ROAD, near Dewson Street, residence for J. Wheeler, 1902 (Toronto b.p. 44, 1 April 1902)
BURK'S FALLS, ONT., Public School, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 30 April 1902, 2)
DORSET, ONT., Hotel Algonquin, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 3 Sept. 1902, 1, t.c.)
BLOOR STREET WEST, at Marguerretta Street, store and three dwellings for B.G. Austin, 1902 (Toronto b.p. 643, 5 Dec. 1902)
HUNTSVILLE, ONT., Public School, 1903 (C.R., xiii, 15 April 1903, 4, t.c.; The Forester (Huntsville), 17 April 1903, 1)
BURK'S FALLS, ONT., All Saints Anglican Church, Ontario Street at Queen Street, 1908-09; still standing in 2022 (Canadian Churchman [Toronto], 8 Oct. 1908, 657; and 12 May 1910, 303)
BUILDINGS FOR THE DEPT. OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
(The Technical Services Div. of the Canadian Government Dept. of Indian & Northern Affairs in Hull, Que. holds an extensive collection of drawings prepared by Robert M. Ogilvie during his tenure as staff architect of the department between 1905 and 1919. These are referred to below as INAC File Numbers)
FILE HILLS, ALTA., Hospital for the Aged & Indigent, 1905 (dwgs. INAC File No. 120)
PORT ESSINGTON, B.C., day school, 1905 (dwgs. INAC File No. 125)
STONY, ALTA., hospital, 1905; clerk's house, 1907; Morley Boarding School, 1914 (dwgs. INAC File No. 119, 320, 320A)
BLOOD RESERVE, ALTA., hospital, 1905; cottage, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 122; 161, 162)
THESSALON, ONT., school, 1906 (dwgs. INAC File No. 118)
KITAMAT, B.C., day school, 1906 (dwgs. INAC File No. 101)
METLAKATLA, B.C., day school, 1906 (dwgs. INAC File No. 100)
TIMISKAMING, ONT., school, 1906 (dwgs. INAC File No. 102)
HENVEY INLET, ONT., school, 1906 ((dwgs. INAC File No. 131)
MANITOULIN ISLAND, ONT., church on the Mississauga Reserve, 1907; school, 1907 (dwgs. INAC File No. 140; 141)
PEIGAN RESERVE, ALTA., agent's residence, 1907; clerk's house, 1907 (dwgs. INAC File No. 144, 145)
MORLEY, ALTA., principal's residence at the McDougall Orphanage & Indian School, 1907 (dwgs. INAC File No. 146)
CHAPLEAU, ONT., boarding school, 1907 (dwgs. INAC File No. 190)
CAUGHNAWAGA, QUE., teacher's residence, 1908; school, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 152, 153)
FISHING LAKE, SASK., farm house, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 164)
ONION LAKE, SASK., farm house, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 168)
PASQUA, SASK., agent's residence, 1908; farm house, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 167, 170)
EEL GROUND, N.B., school house, 1908; teacherage, 1914 (dwgs. INAC File No. 169; 321)
ELLIOT'S CORNERS, ONT., school house for the Six Nations Reserve, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 172)
RESTIGOUCHE, QUE., school house, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 173)
ST. REGIS, QUE., council house, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 174)
TOBIQUE, N.B., school house, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 177)
ESKASONI, N.S., school house, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 183)
SADDLE LAKE, ALTA., hospital, 1908 (dwgs. INAC File No. 184)
CHRISTIAN ISLAND, ONT., agent's residence, 1908; 1909 (dwgs. INAC File No. 185, 197)
CARCROSS, YUKON, N.W.T., principal's residence, 1908; boarding school, 1909 (dwgs. INAC File No. 191, 192, 210A)
MALAGOWATCH, N.S., school house, 1909 (dwgs. INAC File No. 189)
PIERREVILLE, QUE., major addition to the convent school, 1909 (dwgs. INAC File No. 196)
MISTAWASIS, SASK., teacherage, 1910 (dwgs. INAC File No. 204)
ONEIDA RESERVE, ONT., school house, 1910 (dwgs. INAC File No. 209)
MORAVIANTOWN, ONT., school house, 1910 (dwgs. INAC File No. 181)
ALERT BAY, B.C., residential school for girls, 1910 (dwgs. INAC File No. 214)
KENORA, ONT., boarding school, 1910; Roman Catholic residential school, 1910 (dwgs. INAC File No. 178A, 222)
SARCEE RESERVE, ALTA., residential school, 1911; boarding school, 1912 (dwgs. INAC File No. 219A; 253)
GORDON, SASK., boarding school, 1911; additions to residential school, 1912 (dwgs. INAC File No. 237; 259)
ROUND LAKE, SASK., boarding school, 1911 ((dwgs. INAC File No. 242)
BLACKFOOT RESERVE, ALTA., farm house, 1911 (dwgs. INAC File No. 246)
COWESSESS RESERVE, SASK., major addition to Crooked Lake boarding school, 1911; Girl's Dormitory, 1912 (dwgs. INAC File No. 373)
MUNCEY, ONT., addition of two new wings to the Mount Elgin Institute, East River Road, 1912; stock barns, 1915 (dwgs. INAC File No. 229, 230, 231, 365)
ST. MARY'S, N.B., residence for James Paul, 1912 (dwgs. INAC File No. 245)
ELKHORN, ALTA., principal's residence, 1912 (dwgs. INAC File No. 249)
ABENAKIS RESERVE, QUE., council house, 1912 (dwgs. INAC File No. 254)
WALPOLE ISLAND, ONT., council house, 1912 (dwgs. INAC File No. 255)
CAPE CROKER, ONT., school No. 1, 1912 (dwgs. INAC File No. 256)
ELKHORN, MAN., residential school, 1912 (dwgs. INAC File No. 260)
RAMA, ONT., day school, 1913 (dwgs. INAC File No. 270)
SANDY BAY, MAN., residential school, 1913 (dwgs. INAC File No. 225A)
FORT FRANCES, ONT., residential school, 1913 (dwgs. INAC File No. 225A)
CHAPEL ISLAND, N.S., council house, 1914 (dwgs. INAC File No. 317)
KUPER ISLAND, B.C., industrial school, 1914 (dwgs. INAC File No. 297)
COTE, SASK., day school and teacherage, 1915 (dwgs. INAC File No. 362)
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, MAN., farmer's cottage, 1915 (dwgs. INAC File No. 363)
MANITOULIN ISLAND, ONT., school and teacherage at Kaboni, Parry Island and at Sheshegwaning, 1915 (dwgs. INAC File No. 341)
WHITEFISH LAKE, ONT., day school and teacherage, 1919 (dwgs. INAC File No. 425)