GRAYSON-BROWN, Walter (1879 - c. 1960) was born in Dundas, Ont. on 18 April 1879 and articled with William Lawrence Munro in Hamilton from 1898 until 1900. In 1902 he joined the office of William P. Witton, a prominent architect in Hamilton, and was employed as his draftsman from early 1902 until late 1904 (City of Hamilton Directory, 1902, 189; Directory, 1903, 188). It is likely that Witton, who had trained in New York City and Chicago, encouraged Grayson-Brown to move to the United States to obtain more experience in architectural offices there.
Grayson-Brown then moved to the United States in 1905 and assisted in the office of Claude Bragdon in Rochester, N.Y. and later with Coolidge & Carlson, Boston, with James E. Casale, New York City, and with Richardson, Hartwell & Driver in Boston. After returning to Hamilton in 1909 he rejoined his former employer, then a partner in the firm of Munro & Mead, and, while working in that office, he met Stanley T.J. Fryer with whom he formed a short-lived partnership in 1913-14. From 1919 until c. 1945 Brown practised under his own name in Hamilton and designed several substantial houses in a Tudor Revival style. After 1945 he moved to Toronto and later resigned from the O.A.A. in December 1956 (inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects; biog. Royal Inst. of British Architects, Directory of British Architects 1834-1914, pub. 2001, Vol. 1, 771; inf. Arthur Wallace, Hamilton)
W. GRAYSON-BROWN (works in Hamilton)
ST. LUKES ANGLICAN CHURCH, Macaulay Street East near John Street North, a new parish hall, 1917; burned c. 1971 and later partially rebuilt (Spectator [Hamilton], 8 Feb. 1917, 7, and 4 Jan. 1918, 8, detailed descrip.; Const., x, June 1917, 216; inf. Scott Edwards, inf. Robert Hamilton)
GRACE ANGLICAN CHURCH, King Street East, 1919 (Grace Anglican Church 50th Anniversary, 1969, 6, illus.)
PRINCE OF WALES PUBLIC SCHOOL, Lottridge Street at Cannon Street, 1921-22 (Spectator [Hamilton], 9 July 1920, 21, and 15 Oct. 1920, 28; Const., xv, Dec. 1922, 382-5, illus. & descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, iv, May 1927, 188-89, illus. inf. Robert Hamilton)
ABERDEEN AVENUE, near Caroline Street South, residence for Robert B. McGregor, 1924; still standing in 2024 (Spectator [Hamilton], 24 July 1924, 18; inf. Robert Hamilton)
A. 0. CUNNINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOL, Wexford Avenue South, 1928-29 (C.R., xlii, 13 June 1928, 66)
GEORGE.L. ARMSTRONG PUBLIC SCHOOL, Concession Street at 18th Street, 1929-30 (inf. Hamilton Public School Board)
LLOYD GEORGE PUBLIC SCHOOL, major addition, 1929-30 (C.R., xliii, 11 Dec. 1929, 52)
HAMILTON HYDRO ELECTRIC SUBSTATION, King Street East at Wentworth Street North, 1929 (Hamilton Herald, 14 Dec. 1929, 11, illus.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
W. GRAYSON-BROWN (works elsewhere)
GALT, ONT., major addition to the General Hospital, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 5 July 1911, 59, t.c.)
KITCHENER, ONT., major addition to the Berlin-Waterloo Hospital, King Street, 1911-13 (C.R., xxvi, 28 Feb. 1912, 64; Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 15 June 1911, 3, detailed descrip.; and 3 Oct. 1911, 3, t.c.; and 20 March 1913, 2; and 14 April 1913, 1; inf. Robert Hamilton)
(with Stanley T.J. Fryer) STRATFORD, ONT., Brunswick Street Public School, 1913-14 (Spectator [Hamilton], 22 Feb. 1913, 15, illus. and descrip.; dwgs. Stratford Perth Archives)
WATERLOO, ONT., major addition to Alexandra Public School, 1922-23 (C.R., xxxvi, 13 Dec. 1922, 49; Daily Record [Kitchener], 21 Sept. 1922, 2, detailed descrip.; and 31 Oct. 1923, 2; inf. Robert Hamilton)
ANCASTER, ONT., residence for J.V. Young, 1922 (Const., xvi, March 1923, 108-11, illus.; inf. Arthur Wallace, Hamilton)
LYNDEN, ONT., Lynden Public School, Howard Street opposite Maple Street, 1924; still standing in 2023 (Spectator [Hamilton], 6 May 1924, 18, t.c.; Brantford Expositor, 7 May 1924, 17, t.c., inf. Robert Hamilton)
WATERDOWN, ONT., residence for Walter Grayson-Brown, architect, Aldershot Road, c. 1925 (inf. Arthur Wallace, Hamilton)
OWEN SOUND, ONT., addition and alterations to General and Marine Hospital, 1927 (Owen Sound Daily Sun Times, 14 May 1927, 7, t.c.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
(with J.T. Clark) OWEN SOUND, ONT., major addition to hotel for G. Marron, 2nd Avenue East, 1927 (C.R., xli, 25 May 1927, 176)
NEW TORONTO, ONT., Public Library, Eleventh Street near Lakeshore Boulevard West, 1927-28; demol. 1993 (Toronto Star, 10 Feb. 1928, 20; dwgs. at Toronto Public Library Archives, Fonds 17, Series 6, Box No. 3; inf. Barbara Myrvold, Toronto Public Library)
ORILLIA, ONT., major addition to Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, Sept. 1950, 123)
COMPETITIONS
OWEN SOUND, ONT., King Edward Public School, 4th Avenue West, 1912. Grayson-Brown was one of two architects who submitted plans to the school board (Owen Sound Times, 3 May 1912, 1, detailed descrip.). His submission was passed over in favour of the design by Forster & Clark of Owen Sound.