STANFORD, Joseph Hunt (1871-1935), a remarkably prolific architect, dramatist and poet active in Toronto from 1904 until 1922 when he was joined by his son, Leo Hunt Stanford, in a partnership. Born in Tipton, Co. Staffordshire, England on 9 November 1871, he attended the Onslow School of Art and studied building construction at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London. He trained as a junior draftsman and assistant in the London office of John S. Chapple in c. 1890-92, for Thoday & Son, Architects of Cambridge, and as a draftsman and estimator for R. Pickens in London. Stanford emigrated to Canada in 1902 and settled in Toronto where he worked as chief assistant to James A. Harvey in 1902-04. He then opened his own office in Toronto in 1904, and specialised in the design of private houses in the Annex, Parkdale and Rosedale neighbourhoods. He was among the very first architects in the city to develop prototypes for three storey walk-up apartment buildings, for which his design of the King Edward Apartments on Jarvis Street (1905) is among the earliest examples. By 1914 he had completed more than 40 commercial and residential projects in Toronto. He was nominated as a member of the Royal Inst. of British Architects (London) in 1911, and his application was endorsed by Francis S. Baker, FRIBA, a prominent architect in Toronto.
In late 1914 he curtailed his professional activity and went to France to serve during WWI with the 201st Light Infantry, and with the 20th Canadian Mobile Artillery & Railway troops. He returned to Canada in 1919 and resumed his practise, and invited his son Leo H. Stanford to join him in a partnership in 1922. Much of his early work employed a variety of eclectic English classical styles, best seen in the St. Charles Court Apartments (1914-15), one of many commissioned by Harry & John Hutson, a team of developers and builders. He was also a regular contributor of designs for standard detached house plans replicated in dozens of locations throughout Toronto. These designs, called the “Weekly House Suggestion“, were published in regular issues of the Contract Record & Engineering Review [Toronto] in 1923 and 1924.
Stanford was also a well-known poet and author of “Miriam and Other Poems” (1906), and he took a keen interest in 19th C. British literature and was considered an authority on the work of Charles Dickens. From 1924 to 1928 he served as vice-president of the Toronto Dickens Fellowship (the largest Dickens organization in the world outside of London), and as president of that organization from 1929 to 1933. Stanford died in Toronto on 3 October 1935 (obit. Toronto Telegram, 4 Oct. 1935, 12; Toronto Star, 4 Oct. 1935, 2; Globe [Toronto], 5 Oct. 1935, 6; biog. and port. Who’s Who in Canada, 1925-26, 34; biog. J. Middleton, The Municipality of Toronto, 1923, Vol. iii, 244; J. Middleton, National Encyclopedia of Canadian Biography, 1935, 107-09; biog. R.I.B.A., Directory of British Architects 1834-1914, Vol. ii, 2001, 682; inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects; inf. Barbara Myrvold, Toronto)
J.H. STANFORD (Residences in Toronto unless noted)
RUSHOLME ROAD, for John C. Malcomson, 1904 (Toronto b.p. 552, 26 May 1904)
EUCLID AVENUE, near Harbord Street, two pairs of houses for Henry F. Squires, 1904 (Toronto b.p. 591, 4 June 1904)
BATHURST STREET, near College Street, two pairs of houses for Robert C. Vaughan, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 212, 21 Jan. 1905)
MARKHAM STREET, near Harbord Street, two pairs of houses for McCauley & Bishop, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 228, 28 Jan. 1905)
RUSHOLME ROAD, at Hepbourne Street, for Robert C. Wilson, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 1731, 1 Aug. 1905)
ST. GEORGE STREET, near Bernard Avenue, for Robert T. Brown, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 2233, 7 Oct. 1905)
EUCLID AVENUE, east side, near London Street, 3 pairs of semi-detached houses, for an unnamed owner, 1905-06 (Toronto Daily Star, 3 Nov 1905, 2)
PALMERSTON AVENUE, near College Street, pair of houses for Andrew Nelson, 1906 (Toronto b.p. 3310, 4 April 1906)
RUSHOLME ROAD, near Dewson Street, for Arthur C. Hutson, 1906 (Toronto b.p. 3819, 10 May 1906)
PALMERSTON AVENUE, near Bloor Street West, for W. McConnell, 1907 (Toronto b.p. 7273, 1 May 1907)
ORIOLE ROAD, at Heath Street West, for Charles Walker, 1907 (Toronto b.p. 7285, 1 May 1907)
RUSHOLME ROAD, near Hepbourne Street, for Robert Wright, 1907 (Toronto b.p. 7300, 2 May 1907)
RUSHOLME ROAD, for David S. McCurdy, 1908 (Toronto b.p. 9830, 15 Jan. 1908)
RUSHOLME ROAD, at Dewson Street, for Harry Hutson, 1908 (Toronto b.p. 9878, 29 Jan. 1908)
POPLAR PLAINS ROAD, near Lynwood Avenue, for Harry Hutson, 1908 (C.R., xix, 13 May 1908, 25-7, illus.)
PALMERSTON AVENUE, at Lennox Street, for John Pierce, 1908 (Toronto b.p. 11478, 16 June 1908)
POPLAR PLAINS ROAD, near St. Clair Avenue West, for Charles E. Potter, 1908 (Toronto b.p. 13192, 3 Nov. 1908)
PALMERSTON AVENUE, for James W. Devitt, 1908 (C.R., xxii, 2 Dec. 1908, 27)
PALMERSTON AVENUE, for Fred W. Weale, 1908 (C.R., xxii, 2 Dec. 1908, 28)
PALMERSTON AVENUE, near Lennox Street, for John W. Walker, 1908 (Const., ii, Dec. 1908, 66)
OAKVILLE, ONT., for Walter V. Ecclestone, 1908 (Const., ii, Dec. 1908, 66)
FOREST HILL ROAD, near Heath Street West, for William G. Pace, 1909 (Const., ii, Feb. 1909, 77)
WARREN ROAD, near St. Clair Avenue West, for Ziba Gallagher, 1909 (Const., ii, March 1909, 66-7)
PALMERSTON AVENUE, near Lennox Street, for Henry F. Squires, 1909 (Const., ii, March 1909, 66-7)
LONSDALE ROAD, near Avenue Road, for Theodore P. Loblaw, 1909 (Const., ii, April 1909, 79)
WARREN ROAD, at Clarendon Avenue, for Wilfrid M. Ecclestone, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 15287, 15 May 1909)
KING STREET WEST, at Cowan Avenue, two houses for J.T. and H. Hutson, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 15264, 15 May 1909)
RUSHOLME ROAD, at Hepbourne Street, pair of houses for John G. Kent, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 15435, 21 May 1909)
WARREN ROAD, near Balmoral Avenue, for George A. Powell, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 15705, 5 June 1909)
BINSCARTH ROAD, near Roxborough Street East, for James S. Chalmers, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 18130, 10 Nov. 1909)
SWAN STREET, near Woodlawn Avenue, pair of houses for J.T. and H. Hutson, 1909-10 (Toronto b.p. 18642, 16 Dec. 1909)
INDIAN ROAD, near Algonquin Avenue, two houses for William J. Brown, 1910 (Toronto b.p. 14486, 21 Nov. 1910)
ROWANWOOD AVENUE, at Cluny Avenue, three houses for Robert C. Bustard, 1911 (Toronto b.p. 25996, 29 March 1911)
WITHROW AVENUE, near Logan Avenue, pair of houses for Wright & Ryder, 1911 (Toronto b.p. 27355, 19 May 1911; inf. Francesca Vivenza, Toronto)
BINSCARTH ROAD, for John A. McConnell, 1911 (Toronto b.p. 28089, 10 June 1911)
LONSDALE ROAD, at Lawton Boulevard, for Robert D. McLeod, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 5 July 1911, 61)
ST. ANNE'S ROAD, near Dovercourt Road, twelve pairs of houses for Robert C. Bustard, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 33410, 18 April 1912; Canadian Builder & Carpenter [Toronto], iii, April 1913, 39-41, illus.)
ALBERTUS AVENUE, residence for Harry E. Stiles, 1912 (Canadian Builder & Carpenter [Toronto], ii, Sept. 1912, 9-12, illus. & descrip.)
EDGAR AVENUE, near Schofield Crescent, for Robert Mowbray, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 37844, 30 Sept. 1912)
CRAWFORD STREET, near College Street, row of four houses and two detached houses for J.T.V. May, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 593, 21 Oct. 1912)
GROVE TERRACE, at Moore Avenue, twenty-one pairs of houses for Robert C. Bustard, 1913 (Toronto b.p. 2231, 3 March 1913)
HOMEWOOD AVENUE, near Carlton Street, row of seven houses for W.A. Forster, 1913 (Toronto b.p. 4135, 13 May 1913)
CARLAW AVENUE, near Gerrard Street, two pairs of houses for Jean Grafton, 1913 (Toronto b.p. 4145, 13 May 1913)
SCHOLFIELD AVENUE, near Edgar Avenue, residence for Dr. Arnold D. Mason, 1913 (Toronto b.p. 6592, 2 Sept. 1913; inf. Chris Bateman, Heritage Toronto)
PENDRITH STREET, near Shaw Street, nine pairs of houses for John M. Malkey, 1913; with addition of four pairs of houses for same client, 1914 (Toronto b.p. 5137, 17 June 1913; 8737, 30 Dec. 1913)
RUSHOLME ROAD, near Bloor Street West, two houses for Walter L. Plewman and Edward W. Corby, 1920 (Toronto b.p. 42167, 19 May 1920)
BURLINGTON CRESCENT, near Oakwoood Avenue, for George E. Davies, 1923 (Toronto b.p. 66539, 4 Jan. 1923; signed dwgs. in the possession of Deena Altman, Toronto)
WESTMOUNT AVENUE, for J.T. and H. Hutson, 1923 (C.R., xxxvii, 12 Sept. 1923, 890, illus.)
ALEXANDRA BOULEVARD, for G.A. Clark, 1923 (C.R., xxxvii, 10 Oct. 1923, 978, illus. & descrip.)
ALEXANDRA BOULEVARD, for Albert V. Orr, 1924 (C.R., xxxviii, 23 Jan. 1924, 92, illus. & descrip.)
QUEEN STREET WEST, at Cockburn Street, houses for the Humbercrest Estate, 1924 (C.R., xxxviii, 9 April 1924, 366, illus.)
BURNSIDE DRIVE, for A. Banting, 1924 (C.R., xxxviii, 2 July 1924, 680, illus. & descrip.)
ST. CLAIR AVENUE WEST, at Spadina Road, pair of houses for J. Dykes, 1924 (Toronto b.p. 76755, 5 Dec. 1924)
RUSSELL HILL ROAD, at Clarendon Avenue, for Walter Osborne, 1926 (Toronto b.p. 88372, 21 April 1926)
GRENADIER HEIGHTS, a subdivision of 9 new houses on the old Rennie homestead, to be called "The Gardens", 1927 (Toronto Daily Star, 8 Oct. 1927, 13; and Toronto Star Weekly, 5 Oct.1929, Gravure Section, p. 3, illus.)
GLEN EDYTH DRIVE, for Cyril T. Young, 1929 (Toronto Daily Star, 12 July 1929, 22, illus. & descrip.; Toronto b.p. B6480, 22 April 1929)
STRATHALLAN BOULEVARD, near Mona Drive, residence for an unnamed builder, 1929, and later purchased and occupied in 1932 by Frederick V. Massey (dwgs. in the possession of Madeleine Vaight, Toronto)
RUSSELL HILL ROAD, for Frederick A.N. Powell, 1931 (C.H.G., viii, Aug. 1931, 26-7, illus.)
BATHURST STREET, at Austin Terrace, for S. Robertson, 1933 (C.R., xlvii, 1 March 1933, 38)
WEMBLY ROAD, at Old Park Road, residence for Stanley A. Griffin, 1934 (Toronto Daily Star, 8 June 1934, 18, illus.)
J.H. STANFORD (Apartment blocks in Toronto unless noted)
KING EDWARD APARTMENTS, Jarvis Street near Dundas Street East, two apartment blocks for Giles S. Ransom, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 958, 26 May 1905; C.R., xxiii, 24 Feb. 1909, 36, illus. & descrip.)
GRANGE APARTMENTS, Grange Avenue at Esther Street, c. 1909; demol. 1964 (list of works in R.I.B.A. Application, 9 March 1911)
BERESFORD APARTMENTS, King Street West at Cowan Avenue, c. 1909 (list of works in R.I.B.A. Application, 9 March 1911)
BEDFORD ROAD, at Chicora Avenue, apartments for J.W. Walker, 1911 (Toronto b.p. 25256, 16 Feb. 1911)
HAMPTON COURT APARTMENTS, Cumberland Street at Avenue Road, 1911; demol. c. 1965 (Toronto b.p. 26411, 20 April 1911)
COLONIAL APARTMENTS, Palmerston Avenue near Lennox Street, 1911 (Toronto b.p. 26510, 22 April 1911)
KELVIN APARTMENTS, Ontario Street at Clyde Street, 1912; demol. c. 1965 (Toronto b.p. 34331, 27 May 1912)
WINCHESTER APARTMENTS, Winchester Street at Sackville Street, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 36392, 30 July 1912)
AUDLEY COURT APARTMENTS, Kendal Avenue, 1912 (inf. from Toronto Historical Board)
ABERNETHY APARTMENTS, Howard Street, 1913 (Toronto b.p. 2839, 3 April 1913)
ST. CHARLES COURT APARTMENTS, Charles Street East near Yonge Street, 1914 (Toronto b.p. 13660, 31 July 1914)
MOUNTCLAIR COURT APARTMENTS, St. Clair Avenue West at Kendal Avenue, 1920 (Toronto b.p. 30231, 22 April 1920)
COTSWOLD COURT APARTMENTS, Cumberland Street at Avenue Road, 1920; demol. c. 1966 (Toronto b.p. 34708, 12 Oct. 1920)
GLEBE MANOR APARTMENTS, Yonge Street at Belsize Drive, 1922 (Toronto b.p. 55561, 17 Oct. 1922)
ELLIS PARK APARTMENTS, Bloor Street West at High Park Boulevard, 1924-25 (C.R., xxxviii, 1 Oct. 1924, 64; xxxix, 27 May 1925, 536-7, illus. & descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, ii, July-Aug. 1925, xi, illus. in advert.)
ST. CLAIR AVENUE WEST, at Hilton Avenue, four apartment blocks for W.J. O'Rielly, 1925 (Toronto b.p. 79021, 14 April 1925)
BLOOR STREET WEST, at St. George Street, proposal for a 10 storey apartment hotel, "...to be the largest apartment hotel in Canada", 1926, but not built (Toronto Daily Star, 20 Feb. 1926, 21, illus. & descrip.)
KING STREET WEST, at Dowling Avenue, apartment block for Mrs. E. King, 1926 (Toronto b.p. 87562, 25 March 1926)
ROYAL OAK APARTMENTS, Queen Street East at Willow Avenue, 1927-28 (Toronto b.p. A4689, 16 Dec. 1927)
ACTON COURT APARTMENTS, Bathurst Street near Barton Avenue, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 28 March 1928, 52)
VICTORIA PARK APARTMENTS, Queen Street East at Willow Avenue, 1929 (inf. from Toronto Historical Board)
VICTORIA GARDEN APARTMENTS, Queen Street East at Victoria Park Avenue, 1931 (C.R., xlv, 25 March 1931, 70)
J.H. STANFORD (Commercial & Industrial works in Toronto unless noted)
WRIGLEY BROTHERS, Bloor Street West at Markham Street, store and apartments, 1906 (Toronto b.p. 4021, 30 May 1906)
GARDEN THEATRE, College Street near Spadina Avenue, 1909 (inf. from Toronto Historical Board)
NATIONAL FURNITURE CO., Bloor Street West near Delaware Avenue, store, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 33059, 3 April 1912)
BLOOR STREET WEST, at Bartlett Avenue, stores and apartments for Spanner & Grunfield, 1914 (Toronto b.p. 11024, 30 April 1914)
HOME BANK OF CANADA, with apartments above, Queen Street East at Kenilworth Avenue, 1921 (Toronto b.p. 37245, 17 March 1921)
DANFORTH AVENUE, at Chester Avenue, row of four stores and apartments, 1921 (Toronto b.p. 45458, 2 Dec. 1921)
BLOOR STREET WEST, at Brock Street, stores and apartments for W.H. Bell, 1922-23 (Toronto b.p. 57086, 18 Dec. 1922)
PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE, Danforth Avenue at Woodbine Avenue, 1923-24; demol. (Toronto b.p. 66971, 19 Nov. 1923)
WILLYS-OVERLAND AUTO CO., Bay Street at Bredalbane Street, showroom and garage, 1924; demol. 1990 (Toronto b.p. 75240, 13 Oct. 1924)
CAULFIELD'S DAIRY, Howard Park Avenue near Roncesvalles Avenue, 1927 (Daily Commercial News (Toronto), 18 June 1927, 5)
BAKER BROTHERS, Vaughan Road near St. Clair Avenue West, factory, 1927 (Daily Commercial News (Toronto), 22 Aug. 1927, 5)
KINGSTON, ONT., Jackson Motor Sales Co., Queen Street at Bagot Street, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 29 Aug. 1928, 53)
WINDSOR, ONT., British American Oil Station, Wyandotte Street East at Hall Avenue, 1929 (C.R., xliii, 21 Aug. 1929, 97)
QUEBEC CITY, QUE., British American Oil Station, Canardiere Road, 1929 (Quebec City b.p. 3192, 13 June 1929)
CLAPPISON'S CORNERS, ONT., British American Oil Station, 1929 (Telegram [Toronto], 1 Oct. 1929, 26, illus.)
GRIMSBY, ONT., British American Oil Station, 1929 (Telegram [Toronto], 1 Oct. 1929, 26, illus.)
MONTREAL, QUE., British American Oil Station, Sherbrooke Street at Draper Street, 1929 (Telegram [Toronto], 1 Oct. 1929, 26, illus.)
BRITISH AMERICAN OIL STATION, Jarvis Street at Richmond Street East, 1929 (Telegram [Toronto], 1 Oct. 1929, 26, illus.)
BRITISH AMERICAN OIL STATION, Avenue Road at Lowther Avenue, 1932 (C.R., xlvi, 2 March 1932, 45)