OLDERSHAW, Charles Russell (1865-1946) was born in Ontario and began his career in Chatham, Ont. He first advertised himself as an architect there in July 1895 (Chatham Daily Planet, 10 July 1895, 1, advert.). In 1898 he moved to Vancouver where he is listed as 'architect for the Canadian Pacific Railway' in 1899 and 1900. His work includes several C.P.R. hotel buildings in B.C. and Ontario, but his most important commission was the C.P.R. Telegraph Building on West Hastings Street, 1899, which he designed "...along the lines of the latest period of French architecture" The public interiors were particularly lavish, and it was said that "...in point of richness of design and finish, the interior is unequalled by any used for similar purposes from coast to coast of this broad Dominion" (Province [Vancouver], 13 Jan. 1900, 7, descrip.).
By 1905 he had relocated to Winnipeg, Man. where his name can be linked with the design of apartments and commercial blocks in 1905-06. By 1909 he had returned to Vancouver, but no information on his architectural activity after 1910 has been found. Oldershaw died in Vancouver on 17 November 1946 (death notice The Sun [Vancouver], 18 Nov. 1946, 13)
VANCOUVER, B.C., High School, 1892 (Vancouver Daily World, 16 Feb. 1892, 4, descrip.)
CHATHAM, ONT., residence for William J. Oldershaw, 1895 (C.R., vi, 17 Oct. 1895, 2)
ERIE, ONT., club house and boat house for the Chatham Boat Club, 1895 (C.R., vi, 17 Oct. 1895, 2)
CHATHAM, ONT., public school, 1896 (C.R., vii, 30 April 1896, 2)
CHATHAM, ONT., major addition to McKeough School, Forest Street, 1896 (C.R., vii, 30 April 1896, 2)
CHATHAM, ONT., residence for John A. Walker, 1896 (C.R., vii, 30 July 1896, 2)
CHATHAM, ONT., Chatham Banner Block, King Street, 1896 (Canadian Printer & Publisher, Oct. 1896, 6, illus.; C.R., viii, 11 Feb. 1897, 1)
BROCKVILLE, ONT., Grand Central Hotel, King Street West opposite Home Street, 1899 (Ottawa Citizen, 23 Feb. 1899, 1; C.R., x, 1 March 1898, 2)
KAMLOOPS, B.C., large hotel, 1899 (C.R., x, 29 March 1899, 2)
VANCOUVER, B.C., C.P.R. Telegraph Co. Block, Hastings Street West, 1899 (Province [Vancouver], 13 Jan. 1900, 7, extensive descrip.; Railway & Shipping World, iii, Feb. 1900, 59-61, descrip.; June 1900, 189, illus.)
WINNIPEG, MAN., commercial block for Mrs. W. Plaxton, St. Mary Street at Hargrave Street, 1904 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 13 April 1904, 3, descrip.)
WINNIPEG, MAN., College Block, Sargent Avenue, 1905 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 30 Oct. 1905, 24)
WINNIPEG, MAN., Bexley Court Apartments, Sargent Avenue at Kennedy Street, 1905; addition 1906 (Winnipeg b.p. 1220, 7 June 1905; Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 6 Dec. 1906, 55)
REGINA, SASK., Victoria Public School, 1905; demol. 1958 (Daily Leader Inaugural Number, 1 Sept. 1905, 7, illus.)
WINNIPEG, MAN., Oldershaw Block, St. Mary's Avenue, for Mrs. Annie Oldershaw, 1906 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 6 Dec. 1906, 55)
WINNIPEG, MAN., Assiniboine Court, Assiniboine Avenue at Hargrave Street, 1906 (Winnipeg b.p. 6, 2 January 1906)
WINNIPEG, MAN., major extension and two additional floors for the Kilgour Rimer Co. Warehouse, Princess Street at McDermot Avenue, 1906 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 6 Dec. 1906, 37)
VANCOUVER, B.C., residence for William C. Stearman, West 1st Avenue at Larch Street, 1909 (Vancouver Daily Province, 15 May 1909, Real Estate Section, p. 1, descrip.; City of Vancover b.p. 30 April 1909; still standing as of 2019; inf. Patrick Gunn, City of Vancouver)
VANCOUVER, B.C., large stables for the residence for James C. Keith, Richards Street near Pacific Street, 1909; demol. (City of Vancouver b.p. 20 May 1909; inf. Patrick Gunn, City of Vancouver)
COMPETITIONS
VANCOUVER HIGH SCHOOL, 1903. The office of C.R. Oldershaw was one of seven architects invited to submit plans for the new High School in Fairview (Vancouver Daily World, 9 Sept. 1903, 2). He was awarded Second Prize for his effort (The Province [Vancouver], 14 Nov. 1903, 13), and E.E. Blackmore was declared as the winner.