SYMONS, William Limbery (1870-1931)
(biography in preparation)
SYMONS & RAE (Residential works in Toronto unless noted)
YORKVILLE AVENUE, major addition to residence for Nicol Kingsmill, 1899 (C.R., x, 17 May 1899, 5)
HURON STREET, near Bernard Avenue, residence for William Pakenham, 1899 (Toronto b.p. 31, 31 Oct. 1899; C.A.B., xiv, Nov. 1901, illus.)
ST. GEORGE STREET, near Bernard Avenue, residence for Charles Boeckh, 1899-1900 (Toronto b.p. 73, 25 Nov. 1899; C.A.B., xv, Jan. 1902, illus.)
BELLWOODS AVENUE, a group of Working Men's cottages, c. 1900 (C.A.B., xiii, Sept. 1900, illus.)
HURON STREET, near Bernard Avenue, two houses for William Prowse, 1901 (Toronto b.p. 114, 13 March 1901)
CRESCENT ROAD, near Yonge Street, residence for Albert Horton, 1901 (Toronto b.p. 87, 2 July 1901)
DELAWARE AVENUE, pair of houses for A.J. and M. Cockburn, 1901 (Toronto b.p. 88, 2 July 1901)
unidentified street, a 'Moderate Cost House in Toronto', 1901 (C.A.B., xiv, Nov. 1901, illus.)
ELM AVENUE, at Beau Street, residence for Stewart Gordon, c. 1902, with later addition by J. Francis Brown, 1916; all demol. 2006 (Toronto Architectural Eighteen Club Catalogue, 1902, Item 387; inf. Scott Edwards)
MADISON AVENUE, near Bernard Avenue, residence for J. Fraser MacDonald, c. 1902 (Toronto Architectural Eighteen Club Catalogue, 1902, Item 382)
HOWLAND AVENUE, residence for Rev. George R. Fasken, c. 1902 (Toronto Architectural Eighteen Club Catalogue, 1902, Item 383)
GLEN ROAD, near Elm Avenue, residence for William A. Brophy, c. 1902 (Toronto Architectural Eighteen Club Catalogue, 1902, Item 386)
CRESCENT ROAD, at Rosedale Road, residence for Fitzallan M. Ellis, c. 1902 (Toronto Architectural Eighteen Club Catalogue, 1902, Item 385)
MAPLE AVENUE, near Powell Avenue, residence for E.L. McArthur, 1902 (Toronto b.p. 297, 15 March 1902)
WINCHESTER STREET, near Sumach Street, pair of houses for Daniel Lamb, 1902 (Toronto b.p. 73, 8 April 1902)
WINCHESTER STREET, near Metcalfe Street, four houses for James L. Morrison, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 7 May 1902, 3)
WINCHESTER STREET, near Parliament Street, row of three houses for Daniel Lamb, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 11 June 1902, 3, t.c.)
RIVERDALE AVENUE, near Logan Avenue, residence for William Crichton, 1902 (Toronto b.p. 466, 12 June 1902)
SUMACH STREET, near Winchester Street, row of three houses, 1902 (Toronto b.p. 476, 17 June 1902)
SHERBOURNE STREET, near Bloor Street East, residence for Joseph Oliver, 1902 (Toronto b.p. 558, 30 Oct. 1902)
SOUTH DRIVE, at Mount Pleasant Road, residence for Richard D. Malcolm, 1902 (Toronto b.p. 514, 20 Oct. 1902)
AMELIA STREET, near Hillcrest Avenue, six houses for the Lamb Estate, 1903 (Toronto Daily Star, 17 March 1903, 5, t.c.; C.R., xiv, 30 Sept. 1903, 1, t.c.)
CRESCENT ROAD, near Scarth Road, residence for Robert G. McLean, 1903; demol. c. 1955 (Toronto b.p. 1094, 4 May 1903)
CHESTNUT PARK ROAD, residence for Henry Nerlich, 1903 (Toronto b.p. 1541, 18 Aug. 1903)
BEDFORD ROAD, near Boswell Avenue, residence for William J. Fleury, 1904 (Toronto b.p. 1002, 9 Aug. 1904)
LAMB AVENUE, two pairs of semi-detached houses, for the Lamb Estate, 1904-05 (Toronto Daily Star, 13 Dec. 1904, 6, t.c.)
ADMIRAL ROAD, at Lowther Avenue, residence for Charles S. MacInnis, 1904 (Toronto b.p. 1456, 1 Nov. 1904)
NANTON AVENUE, at Dale Avenue, residence for Hans J. Caulfield, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 940, 25 May 1905)
SHERBOURNE STREET NORTH, near Elm Avenue, residence for James Wood, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 1162, 16 June 1905)
ROXBOROUGH STREET EAST, near Cluny Avenue, two houses for William C. Harvey, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 2540, 20 Nov. 1905)
ROXBOROUGH STREET EAST, near Cluny Avenue, residence for William C. Harvey, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 2596, 29 Nov. 1905)
PRINCE ARTHUR AVENUE, at Bedford Road, residence for Mrs. Rebecca Austin, 1906; demol. (Toronto b.p. 2792, 10 Jan. 1906)
ROXBOROUGH STREET EAST, near Yonge Street, residence for Frederick Nicholls, 1906 (Toronto b.p. 4396, 27 June 1906)
BEVERLEY STREET, at Dundas Street West, ten houses for an unidentified client, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 11 July 1906, 7)
DALE AVENUE, near Powell Avenue, residence for Dr. Lindsay F. Miller, 1906 (Toronto b.p. 4650, 18 July 1906)
CRESCENT ROAD, near Lamport Avenue, residence for Frank J. Russell, 1907 (Toronto b.p. 6816, 30 March 1907)
CRESCENT ROAD, at Lamport Avenue, house for Symons & Rae Architects (in Trust), 1907 (Toronto b.p. 8210, 22 June 1907)
ROXBOROUGH STREET EAST, at Chestnut Park Road, residence for William R. Travers, 1907 (Toronto b.p. 8087, 17 June 1907)
MAPLE AVENUE, at Glen Road, house for Symons & Rae Architects (in Trust), 1907 (Toronto b.p. 9032, 6 Sept. 1907)
WELLESLEY STREET EAST, near Jarvis Street, major additions to residence for Harry D. Warren, 1908 (P. McHugh, Toronto Architecture: A City Guide, 1985, 166)
RONCESVALLES AVENUE, at Fermanagh Avenue, apartment block for Symons & Rae Architects (in Trust), 1908 (Toronto b.p. 12128, 8 Aug. 1908)
POPLAR PLAINS ROAD, at Balmoral Avenue, residence for Beverly S. MacInnis, 1908-09 (Toronto b.p. 13581, 16 Dec. 1908)
MADISON AVENUE, near Bernard Avenue, apartment block for Harry Symons, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 14421, 29 March 1909)
DUNVEGAN ROAD, at Lonsdale Avenue, residence for the architect William L. Symons, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 15356, 19 May 1909)
GLEN ROAD, at Whitney Avenue, residence for John G. Kent, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 16526, 24 July 1909)
WARREN ROAD, near St. Clair Avenue West, residence for Ernest B. Lefroy, 1910 (Toronto b.p. 23018, 31 Aug. 1910)
BEDFORD ROAD, near Lowther Avenue, house for Symons & Rae Architects (in Trust), 1910 (Toronto b.p. 23807, 17 Oct. 1910)
CHESTNUT PARK ROAD, near Roxborough Avenue, residence for Edward Saunders, 1911 (Toronto b.p. 31284, 27 Oct. 1911)
DUNDAS STREET WEST, at St. Clarens Avenue, commercial block of stores and apartments for George Kerr, 1913 (Toronto b.p. 2562, 22 March 1913)
SYMONS & RAE (Institutional & Ecclesiastical works in Toronto unless noted)
UPPER CANADA COLLEGE, Lonsdale Road at Avenue Road, gate lodge, 1898 (C.R., ix, 3 Aug. 1898, 1, t.c.; C.A.B., xiii, Sept. 1900, illus; and xvi, April 1903, illus.)
UPPER CANADA COLLEGE, Lonsdale Road at Avenue Road, hospital, 1900 (C.R., xi, 24 Jan. 1900, 3, t.c.)
TORONTO GENERAL HOSPITAL, Gerrard Street East near Sackville Street, Nurse's Home, 1899; demol. 1955 (Toronto b.p. 74, 25 Nov. 1899)
KINGSTON, ONT., Queen's University Campus, new buildings including:
Boiler House and Steam Heating & Electric Power Plant, 1901; and
Arts Building (now called Kingston Hall), University Avenue, 1902-03; and
Fleming Engineering Hall & School of Mining, near University Avenue, 1902-03; and
Physics Building (now called Ontario Hall), University Avenue, 1902-03 (C.R., xii, 20 Feb. 1901, 2; and 27 March 1901, 1, t.c.; and 5 June 1901, 1, t.c.; and 21 Aug. 1901, 1, t.c.; C.A.B., xv, Feb. 1902, 30 and plate illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, ii, Nov./Dec. 1925, 216, illus.); and
Grant Memorial Hall, University Avenue, 1903-04 (C.R., xiv, 21 Oct. 1903, 4, t.c.; Globe [Toronto], 8 Nov. 1904, 2, illus. & descrip.; C.A.B., xviii, Jan. 1905, 7 and plate illus.; Jennifer McKendry, Architects Working in the Kingston Region 1820-1920, 2019, 107-08, illus.)
GOEL TZEDEC JEWISH SYNAGOGUE, University Avenue near Agnes Street, 1906; demol. (Toronto b.p. 2999, 1 March 1906; S. Speisman, The Jews of Toronto, 1979, 188 ff., 199, illus & descrip.)
AVENUE ROAD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Avenue Road at Roxborough Street West, 1906-07 (Toronto Daily Star, 6 June 1906, 5, t.c.; Toronto b.p. 5040, 25 Aug. 1906; Globe [Toronto], 26 Nov. 1907, 3, descrip.)
BELLEVUE HOSPITAL, Bellevue Avenue at Oxford Street, addition, 1906 (inf. from Toronto Historical Board)
ST. MATTHEW'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, First Avenue at Degrassi Street, a new Sunday School, 1907 (Toronto Daily Star, 15 Feb. 1907, 6, t.c.; Toronto b.p. 7343, 4 May 1907)
CHRIST CHURCH (Anglican), Yonge Street at Lawton Boulevard, 1909-10; demol. 1922 (Toronto Daily Star, 6 Jan. 1909, 4, t.c.; Toronto b.p. 14505, 1 April 1909; Christ Church Deer Park: Diamond Jubilee 1870-1930, 7, 12, illus.)
NORTH BROADVIEW PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Broadview Avenue at Dearbourne Avenue, Sunday School, 1911; demol. (Toronto b.p. 26795, 1 May 1911)
ST. JOHN'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, Dundas Street West at St. John's Road, a new parish hall, 1911 (Toronto b.p. 29520, 9 Aug. 1911)
ST. ALBAN'S ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL, Howland Avenue at Barton Avenue, major addition, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 25 Oct. 1911)
ST. CATHARINES, ONT., St. George's Anglican Church, Church Street near Lyman Street, interior alterations and improvements, 1912 (Daily Standard [St. Catharines], 30 May 1912, 4)
SYMONS & RAE (Commercial & Industrial works in Toronto)
FRONT STREET EAST, near Yonge Street, new warehouse at 12 Front Street East, with alterations to warehouse at 10 Front Street East, both for the Crombie Estate, 1899; demol. (C.R., x, 26 April 1899, 1, t.c.)
GOWANS, KENT & CO., 14-16 Front Street East near Yonge Street, warehouse, 1899; demol. (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 16 Feb. 1899, 3; Toronto b.p. 58, 12 May 1899; C.R., x, 17 May 1899, 5)
COPP CLARK PUB. CO. LTD., Front Street West near Bay Street, warehouse, 1899-1900; burned 1904 and rebuilt; demol. c. 1955 (Toronto b.p. 104, 26 Dec. 1899; Toronto b.p. 695, 18 June 1904)
BAY STREET, near Wellington Street, warehouse for the J.A. Snider Estate, 1900; burned 1904 and rebuilt; demol. 1988 (Toronto b.p. 110, 8 Jan. 1900; b.p. 905, 18 July 1904)
NERLICH & CO., Front Street West near University Avenue, warehouse, 1900 (Toronto b.p. 170, 20 March 1900)
LOWNDES CO. LTD., Front Street West at University Avenue, warehouse, 1903 (C.R., xiii, 24 Dec. 1902, 1, t.c.; Toronto b.p. 715, 4 Feb. 1903)
WILLIAM JESSOP & SONS, Bay Street near Wellington Street West, warehouse, 1904; demol. (Toronto b.p. 1258, 24 Sept. 1904; Toronto Architectural Eighteen Club Catalogue, 1905, 103, illus.)
BAY STREET, near Wellington Street West, warehouse for the Joseph Estate, 1904 (Toronto b.p. 1399, 20 Oct. 1904)
WILSON BUILDING, Front Street West near Bay Street, a 7 storey warehouse for S. Frank Wilson, 1905; demol. 1958 (Toronto Daily Star, 16 May 1905, 1, descrip.; Toronto b.p. 1326, 24 June 1905; Eric Arthur, Toronto No Mean City, 1964, 213, illus. but lacking attribution). N.B. this building appears to be the first structure in Toronto constructed entirely of reinforced concrete which was built after the Great Toronto Fire of April 1904.
HENRY DISSTON & SONS, Lombard Street, factory at the rear of their offices on Adelaide Street East, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 2285, 18 Oct. 1905)
PEASE FOUNDRY CO., Queen Street East near Victoria Street, office and factory, 1906 (C.R., xvi, 7 Feb. 1906, 5; Toronto b.p. 3159, 21 March 1906)
FARMERS BANK OF CANADA, Bay Street at Adelaide Street West, 1906 (Toronto b.p. 5699, 22 Oct. 1906)
NATIONAL MATZO & BISCUIT MFR. CO., Ontario Street, factory, 1907 (C.R., xviii, 18 Sept. 1907, 2)
WINNETT & WELLINGER CO., Sorauren Avenue at Columbus Avenue, warehouse, 1907-08 (Toronto b.p. 9672, 4 Dec. 1907)
JAMES MORRISON BRASS MFR. CO., Adelaide Street West near York Street, factory, 1908; demol. (Toronto b.p. 9829, 15 Jan. 1908)
CANADIAN SILK CO., also called Canada Label & Webbing Co., Morrow Avenue near Dundas Street West, factory, 1908 (Toronto b.p. 11809, 13 July 1908)
NASMITH CO., Richmond Street East near Sherbourne Street, factory and stables, 1910 (Toronto b.p. 22634, 8 Aug. 1910)
NEWELL CO., Ontario Street at Ontario Place, factory, 1910 (Toronto b.p. 22824, 17 Aug. 1910)
ADELAIDE STREET EAST, at Victoria Street, office building for Symons & Rae Architects (in Trust), 1911 (Toronto b.p. 30461, 22 Sept. 1911)
FARMER'S DAIRY BUILDING, Walmer Road at Bridgman Avenue, 1915 (Const., ix, March 1916, 90-3, illus. & descrip.)
W.L SYMONS (works in Toronto unless noted)
COBOURG, ONT. major alterations to the Military Hospital, 1916 (inf. from Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee, Cobourg)
HAMILTON, ONT., two hospital pavilions for the Dominion Hospital Commission, 1916-17 (C.R., xxx, 29 Nov. 1916, 41)
STE. ANNE-DE-BELLEVUE, QUE., Military Hospital, 1917-18 (C.R., xxxii, 13 Feb. 1918, 117, illus. & descrip.; Const., xiii, March 1920, 70-1, 79, illus. & descrip.)
HALIFAX, N.S., Military Hospital, on the campus of Dalhousie University, a conversion of the old college building, with a major 3 storey addition, 1917 (Evening Mail [Halifax], 3 Jan. 1917, 11, descrip.)
PORTABLE HOSPITAL RAILWAY CARS, for the Canadian Pacific Railway, to transport and treat returning Canadian soldiers from Europe to locations in central Canada, 1917 (Brantford Expositor, 19 April 1917, 13, illus. & detailed descrip.)
HALIFAX, N.S., Camp Hill Military Hospital, Summer Street at Bell Road, 1918 (Const., xiii, March 1920, 70-2, 75, illus. & descrip.)
WINNIPEG, MAN., Tuxedo Park Military Hospital, Piper Boulevard at Edgeland Boulevard, 1918 (Const., xiii, March 1920, 72, 78, illus. & descrip.)
LONDON, ONT., Psychopathic Military Hospital, Commissioners Road, 1918 (Const., xiii, March 1920, 74, 76-7, illus. & descrip.)
ORTHOPAEDIC HOSPITAL, Christie Street at Melita Avenue, 1918 (Const., xiii, March 1920, 80-2, illus.)
E. W. GILLETTE CO., Fraser Avenue at Liberty Street, worker's club, cafeteria and locker room, 1922 (Toronto b.p. 52705, 19 July 1922; Const., xvii, March 1924, 89-91, illus. & descrip.)
FRONT STREET WEST, at Bay Street, major addition to office block for the Real Estate Corp., 1924 (Toronto b.p. 74181, 11 Sept. 1924)
COMPETITIONS
KINGSTON, ONT., Queen's University, several buildings on the campus, 1900. Initially, the competition for several new buildings was awarded to Power & Son of Kingston (Daily British Whig [Kingston], 29 Dec. 1900, 8). However, the Committee later overturned this decision and awarded the commissions to Symons & Rae of Toronto.
VANCOUVER, B.C., University of British Columbia, 1912. Symons & Rae were one of nineteen firms who submitted designs in this national competition for the Master Plan and the initial buildings on the campus. Their Beaux-Arts scheme, blending Tudor and Collegiate Gothic influences, was commended for its '.....appreciation of Collegiate work of a quiet character' (Const., vi, March 1913, 112-14, illus. & descrip.). It ranked fourth among the finalists, and they received $1,000 for their effort. The First Premium was awarded to Sharp & Thompson.
TORONTO, ONT., Registry Office, Albert Street, 1913. The flamboyant and ornate Beaux-Arts design submitted by Symons & Rae received Third Prize (Const., vi, Dec. 1913, 474-6, illus. & descrip.). A classically inspired design by Charles Cobb was declared the winner.
OTTAWA, ONT., Departmental Buildings, 1914. More than 60 competitors from Commonwealth countries submitted designs for this major commission, but only six were elevated to Stage Two, and the project was never realized. The scheme by Symons & Rae was not premiated (NAC, RG11, Vol. 2952, File 5370-1B)