STEWART, Victor (fl. 1873-85) was a talented and remarkably prolific architect who brought his substantial professional experience with him when he arrived in Guelph, Ont. in 1873. A news item published in a local paper in October 1873 reported that Stewart "...intends to take up permanent residence in Guelph very shortly, and to practice here as an architect. We are informed that Mr. Stewart has had considerable practice in his profession both in the Old Country and the U.S." (Guelph Daily Mercury, 28 Oct. 1873, 1). . Presumably he came from England or Scotland, and he may be the same "Victor Stewart, Architect" listed at 3 Astor Place in New York City in 1858 (Dennis S. Francis, Architects in Practice New York City 1840-1900, 1983, 72).
During his three years of activity in Guelph he designed at least 20 distinctive institutional, commercial and residential buildings there, many in the fashionable Second Empire style. By December 1876 he had left Guelph and moved to southern California "...for the health of Mrs. Stewart" , but no information can be found on his activity in Canada until June 1882 when his name appears in Winnipeg, Man. (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 21 June 1882, 1, advert.). In 1884 his plans were awarded First Premium in the competition for the new Medical College there, but he later entered a public dispute with his rival, Neil D. Barker, who claimed that Stewart's plans were merely copies of his own designs (Winnipeg Daily Times, 1 Aug. 1884, 4). Stewart refuted this claim in a lengthy Letter to the Editor, pointing out his 30 years of professional experience, and thus placing the commencement of his professional activity in 1854 or 1855. Stewart appears to have left Winnipeg after September 1885, and no references can be found to his activity after that time. A list of his many works in Guelph was published in the Guelph Daily Mercury 21 July 1917, 7 & 10, reproducing an early Building Report published in that same paper in 1875 and now lost (inf. Gordon Couling, Guelph; Linda Kearns, Guelph; Kent Rawson, Toronto).
GUELPH, ONT.
GENERAL HOSPITAL, Delhi Street, 1874-75 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 30 Oct. 1873, 1, descrip.; 25 Nov. 1874, 1, descrip.)
MARKET BUILDING, Carden Street, extension, 1874 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 4 Nov. 1874, 1, t.c.)
QUEEN STREET, residence for James Massie, 1874 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 25 Nov. 1874, 1, descrip.)
CARDIGAN STREET, row of three houses for Robert Melvin, 1874 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 25 Nov. 1874, 1)
MASSIE'S BISCUIT FACTORY, for James Massie, major extension, 1874 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 25 Nov. 1874, 1, descrip.)
ERAMOSA ROAD, villa for Fred Biscoe, 1874 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 25 Nov. 1874, 1, descrip.)
HOGG BLOCK, Upper Wyndham Street, for John Hogg, erected adjacent to the Alma Block, 1874 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 25 Nov. 1874, 1, descrip.)
GEORGE STREET, residence for John M. Bond, 1875 (Guelph Evening Mercury, 21 July 1917, 7)
OXFORD STREET, villa for William Bell, 1875 (Guelph Evening Mercury, 21 July 1917, 7)
MARKET SQUARE, store for F.J. Chadwick, 1875 (Guelph Evening Mercury, 21 July 1917, 10)
MARDEN, ONT., public school for Section 3, Guelph Township, 1876 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 20 Jan. 1876, 1, t.c.)
MACDONNELL STREET, at rear of Great Western Hotel, new hotel for R. Coulson, 1876 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 25 Feb. 1876, 1, descrip.)
WELLINGTON HOTEL, Wyndham Street North at Woolwich Street, 1876 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 12 April 1876, 1, descrip.; 31 Oct. 1876, 2, descrip.)
FEDERAL BANK, Upper Wyndham Street, 1876 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 12 May 1876, 1, descrip.)
SUFFOLK STREET, pair of houses for J.S. Spiers, 1876 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 15 July 1876, 1, descrip.)
WELLINGTON COUNTY HOUSE OF INDUSTRY & REFUGE, Wellington Road 18, near Charles Allan Way, begun 1877; completed 1877-78 by Cornelius J. Soule of Guelph; converted to Wellington County Museum & Archives, 1980; still standing in 2023 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 31 Aug. 1876, 1, descrip.; Lightning Express [Elora], 20 Oct. 1876, 3, t.c.)
MASONIC HALL, Upper Wyndham Street, 1876 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 15 May 1876, 1, descrip.; 1 Nov. 1876, 1, descrip.)
UPPER WYNDHAM STREET, store for A.B. Petrie and store for William Stewart, 1876 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 1 Nov. 1876, 2, descrip.)
OXFORD STREET, commercial block for William Ball, 1876 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 2 Nov. 1876, 2)
WINNIPEG, MAN.
STEWART'S TERRACE, row of four houses on Nena Street, 1882 (Manitoba Daily Free Press, 17 Aug. 1882, 8, t.c.)
McDERMOT AVENUE, terrace of seven houses for the British Canadian Colonisation Co., 1882 (Manitoba Daily Free Press, 30 Aug. 1882, 2, t.c.)
KENNEDY STREET, residence for Dr. J.L. Benson, 1882 (Manitoba Daily Free Press, 7 Sept. 1882, 8, t.c.)
NENA STREET, two houses for J.H. Brock, 1883 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 2 June 1883, 4, t.c.)
JOHN HIGGINS BLOCK, Main Street at Logan Avenue, 1883; demol. 1945 (Manitoba Daily Free Press, 2 July 1883, 5, t.c.)
SELKIRK AVENUE, at Aikins Street, terrace of three houses, 1883 (Manitoba Daily Free Press, 23 Aug. 1883, 4, t.c.)
MANITOBA MEDICAL COLLEGE, Kate Street at McDermot Avenue, 1885 (Daily Manitoban [Winnipeg], 25 Sept. 1885, 4, descrip.)