POWELL, Harry J. (1863-1902) of Stratford, Ont. was a remarkably prolific architect whose work can be found in more than thirty towns and cities throughout western Ontario. Born in England on 31 March 1863 he emigrated to Canada in 1873 and likely trained with Joseph R. Kilburn of Stratford, Ont. When Kilburn died unexpectedly in December 1890, Powell was named his successor, and opened an office in Stratford under his own name. In the following ten years, he built up a successful practise and by 1898 he had opened branch offices in Chatham (in partnership with W.J. Carswell) and another office in Guelph (in partnership with L.C. Wideman). His major works included ecclesiastical, commercial and institutional commissions designed in a robust Romanesque Revival style evident in his buildings such as the Perth County House of Refuge (1896), and the Opera House in Guelph (1893). In December 1897 he was one of ten competitors who submitted designs for the new City Hall in Stratford, Ont. His proposal received First Prize (C.R., viii, 27 Jan. 1898, 1) and the contract for the construction of his design was awarded, but the local City Council could not obtain a quorum to vote on acceptance of his plan, and the proposal of King & Siddall was chosen.
Undeterred by this event, Powell continued to work until November 1900 when, for unknown reasons, he left Stratford and moved to Sault Ste. Marie where he took a position with the Clergue Steel Co., perhaps as a company architect. He may have been the author of the design for several remarkable industrial buildings erected by the steel baron Francis H. Clergue of the Clergue Co. in 1900-01, and for whom an architect has not been found. In late 1901 Powell took up the contracting business in Sault Ste. Marie, and died there suddenly on 14 October 1902 at the age of thirty-eight years. He was buried at Avondale Cemetery in Stratford (obit. Stratford Evening Herald, 14 Oct. 1902, 1; 15 Oct. 1902, 4). A photographic portrait of Powell can be found in National Archives of Canada (PA 72746). One of his students was Hugh G. Holman.
Harry J. POWELL (works in Stratford)
ST. JAME'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, St. George Street, Sunday School, 1891 (C.R., ii, 11 July 1891, 2, t.c.)
ONTARIO STREET, near Front Street, residence for Mrs. Mary Glynn, 1891 (Stratford Beacon, 15 Oct. 1891, 1)
ELIZABETH STREET, residence for William Ireland, 1891 (Stratford Beacon, 15 Oct. 1891, 1)
WILLIAM STREET, residence for Dr. Edward H. Eidt, 1891 (Stratford Beacon, 15 Oct. 1891, 1)
JOHN STREET, at Norman Street, residence for Sheriff John Hossie, 1891 (Stratford Beacon, 15 Oct. 1891, 1)
JOHN STREET, at Douglas Street, residence for James Stamp, 1891 (Stratford Beacon, 15 Oct. 1891, 1)
AGRICULTURAL GROUNDS, a Grand Stand, Poultry Building, and cattle and horse sheds, 1891 (Stratford Beacon, 15 Oct. 1891, 1)
WATERLOO STREET METHODIST CHURCH, major additions and alterations, 1891 (Stratford Weekly Herald, 23 Dec. 1891, 5, descrip.)
CHURCH STREET, residence for Thomas Ballantyne,1892 (C.R., ii, 16 Jan. 1892, 2; dwgs. at the Stratford-Perth Archives)
CHURCH STREET, residence for Frank D. Hamilton, 1892 (C.R., ii, 16 Jan. 1892, 2)
CHURCH STREET, residence for John Morris, 1892 (C.R., ii, 16 Jan. 1892, 1)
CHURCH STREET, at Cambria Street, residence for John A. Davidson, 1892 (C.R., ii, 16 Jan. 1892, 1)
CHURCH STREET, residence for Dr. John G. Yemen, 1892 (C.R., ii, 16 Jan. 1892, 1)
CAMBRIA STREET, at Church Street, residence for Thomas Newton, 1892 (C.R., iii, 13 Feb. 1892, 2)
CAMBRIA STREET, near Birmingham Street, residence for Joseph Salkeld, 1892 (C.R., iii, 13 Feb. 1892, 2)
BRUNSWICK STREET, residence and office for Dr. James A. Devlin, 1892 (C.R., iii, 12 March 1892, 2, t.c.)
SHREWSBURY STREET, residence for Andrew Jeffrey, 1892 (C.R., iii, 26 March 1892, 2)
EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 'to take the place of the Home Memorial Church', 1892 (C.R., iii, 23 July 1892, 2)
ROMEO WARD ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, major addition for Dr. E.B. Kilroy, 1892 (C.R., iii, 28 Sept. 1892, 2; dwgs. at the Stratford-Perth Archives)
CENTRE STREET, cottage for William Jeffrey, 1893 (C.R., iv, 11 May 1893, 1)
STRATFORD OPERA HOUSE, Downie Street at George Street, 1895 (C.R., vi, 18 April 1895, 1)
PERTH COUNTY HOUSE OF REFUGE, on the Idington Farm, 1896 (C.R., vii, 9 April 1896, 1, t.c.; Evening Record [Windsor], 19 Oct. 1896, 4, illus. & descrip.; Prisoners Aid Assoc., County Paupers and Country Houses of Industry, c. 1897, 18-19, illus. & descrip.)
JOHN STREET, residence for Mrs. W.F. Workman, 1897 (C.R., viii, 27 May 1897, 2)
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, Market Square, 1897 (Stratford Weekly Herald, 13 Oct. 1897, 9, descrip.)
CHURCH STREET, residence for Rev. D. Deacon, 1899 (C.R., ix, 18 Jan. 1899, 3)
ALBERT STREET, residence for Dr. J.A. Robertson, 1899 (C.R., ix, 25 Jan. 1899, 3)
DOWNIE STREET, department store for J.A. Duggan, 1899 (C.R., x, 28 June 1899, 4)
Harry J. POWELL (works elsewhere)
LISTOWEL, ONT., residence for D.D. Hay Jr., 1892 (C.R., iii, 13 Feb. 1892, 2)
COMBER, ONT., residence for George Ainslie, 1892 (C.R., iii, 23 July 1892, 2)
COMBER, ONT., residence for F.F. Jones, 1892 (C.R., iii, 23 July 1892, 2)
TILBURY CENTRE, ONT., parsonage for Canada Methodist Church, 1892 (C.R., iii, 23 July 1892, 2)
MILVERTON, ONT., Evangelical Church, 1893 (C.R., iv, 16 Feb. 1893, 1)
PALMERSTON, ONT., Public School, 1893 (C.R., iv, 16 Feb. 1893, 1)
BERLIN, ONT., Evangelical Church, 1893 (C.R., iv, 18 May 1893, 1, t.c.)
GUELPH, ONT., Opera House, Wyndham Street at Woolwich Street, 1893-94; demol. 1954 (C.R., iv, 12 Oct. 1893, 1, t.c.; Guelph Daily Mercury, 18 Oct. 1894, 1, descrip.; Globe [Toronto], 6 Nov. 1894, 1, descrip.)
TILBURY CENTRE, ONT., St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 1893-94; burned 1895; rebuilt 1895-96 (Evening Star [Windsor], 29 Jan. 1894, 2, illus. & descrip.; Free Press [London], 30 Nov. 1895, 5)
TILBURY CENTRE, ONT., residence for W.C. Crawford, 1894 (Amherstburg Echo, 13 April 1894, 6)
GUELPH, ONT., residence for Dennis Coffee, Neeve Street, 1894 (C.R., v, 12 July 1894, 1, t.c.)
GUELPH, ONT., block of stores for Thomas P. Coffee, Upper Wyndham Street, 1894 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 18 Oct. 1894, 4, descrip.)
PRESTON, ONT., Opera House for Otto Homuth, 1895 (Galt Reporter, 25 Jan. 1895, 1; Daily Record [Berlin], 26 Feb. 1895, 2, descrip.)
BRUSSELS, ONT., Public School, 1895 (C.R., vi, 23 May 1895, 2, t.c.)
TILBURY, ONT., Anglican Church, 1895 (Amherstburg Echo, 19 July 1895, 5; C.R., vi, 8 Aug. 1895, 1)
NORTH EASTHOPE, ONT., Salem Evangelical Church, 1895 (Waterloo County Chronicle, 19 Dec. 1895, 4, descrip.)
MILVERTON, ONT., Public School, 1896 (C.R., vii, 21 May 1896, 2)
PALMERSTON, ONT., Knox Presbyterian Church, 1896 (Canadian Engineer, iv, Oct. 1896, 180)
CHESLEY, ONT., Public School, 1897 (C.R., viii, 18 Feb. 1897, 1)
GALT, ONT., Opera House & Arcade, near the Imperial Hotel, 1897 (News-Record (Berlin), 7 April 1897, 1)
MITCHELL, ONT., Trinity Anglican Church, 1897 (Free Press [London], 14 Dec. 1897, 3)
GUELPH, ONT., commercial block for Dennis Coffee, MacDonnell Street West, 1897 (Guelph Daily Mercury, 27 Oct. 1897, 1)
WOODSTOCK, ONT., Norwich Avenue Methodist Church, 1899 (C.R., x, 8 March 1899, 2, t.c.)
PORT DOVER, ONT., St. Cecilia's Roman Catholic Church, 1898-99 (Catholic Record [London], 21 Jan. 1899, 8)
PORT DOVER, ONT., residence for R.M. Taylor, 1899 (C.R., ix, 25 Jan. 1899, 3)
THOROLD, ONT., residence for Issac Usher, 1899 (C.R., ix, 25 Jan. 1899, 3)
HARMONY, ONT., residence for A. Lupton, 1899 (C.R., x, 8 Feb. 1899, 4)
TILBURY, ONT., a commercial block of several new stores, for an unnamed client, 1899 (Evening Record [Windsor], 23 March 1899, 3)
LOGAN, ONT., St. Brigid's Roman Catholic Church, 1899 (Catholic Record [London], 10 June 1899, 8; 30 Dec. 1899, 8, descrip.)
GODERICH, ONT., Oddfellows Hall & Opera House, North Street, on Court House Square, "...adjoining The Huron Loan & Savings Bank" 1899 (Clinton New Era, 23 March 1899, 4; C.R., x, 5 April 1899, 2)
WOODSTOCK, ONT., Fire Hall, Perry Street, 1899 (C.R., x, 17 May 1899, 3)
TAVISTOCK, ONT., Post Office and bank for F. Krug, 1899 (C.R., x, 31 May 1899, 2)
COMBER, ONT., Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church, 1899; demol. c. 2008 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 28 June 1899, 1; C.R., x, 5 July 1899, 2)
KIRKTON, ONT., St. Paul's Anglican Church, 1900; demol. 2013 (C.R., xi, 21 March 1900, 2)
WOODSLEE, ONT., St. John's Roman Catholic Church, 1900 (C.R., xi, 21 March 1900, 1; Catholic Record [London], 29 Dec. 1900, 5, descrip.)
BLENHEIM, ONT., Public School, 1900 (C.R., xi, 22 Aug. 1900, 1)
ROSTOCK, ONT., School, 1900 (C.R., xi, 21 Nov. 1900, 1)
POWELL & WIDEMAN (works in western Ontario)
GUELPH, ONT., Raymond Manufacturing Co., Yarmouth Street at Suffolk Street, additions to factory, 1898 (C.R., ix, 23 March 1898, 2, t.c.)
WALKERTON, ONT., Bruce County House of Refuge, 1898; demol. 1961 (Bruce Herald [Walkerton], 14 April 1898, 1, illus.)
FERGUS, ONT., Melville Presbyterian Church, 1899 (C.R., ix, 18 Jan. 1899, 2)
GUELPH, ONT., Dominion Permanent Loan Co., Market Square at Wyndham Street, major alterations, 1899 (C.R., x, 6 Sept. 1899, 2, t.c.)
LEAMINGTON, ONT., Essex County House of Refuge, 1899-1900 (Detroit Free Press, 6 Aug. 1899, Section Three, p. 7; Evening Record [Windsor], 19 Sept. 1899, 1; 24 March 1900, 1, illus.; 22 June 1900, 3, illus.)
POWELL & CARSWELL (works in Chatham and western Ontario)
CHATHAM, ONT., Nurses Residence at the General Hospital, Emma Street, 1897 (C.R., viii, 6 May 1897, 2)
CHATHAM, ONT., additions and alterations to residence for S.J. Sutherland, Victoria Avenue, 1897 (C.R., viii, 27 May 1897, 2, t.c.)
CHATHAM, ONT., cooperage shop on Queen Street, for W.M. Drader, 1897 (C.R., viii, 8 July 1897, 1)
CHATHAM, ONT., residence for Samuel Glenn, Park Street East, 1897 (C.R., viii, 16 Sept. 1897, 2, t.c.)
CHATHAM, ONT., Kent County House of Refuge, 1898; demol. c. 197 (C.R., viii, 27 Jan. 1898, 2)
HARWICH, ONT., residence for Robert McNaughton, 1898 (C.R., ix, 13 April 1898, 2)
TILBURY, ONT., public school, 1898 (C.R., ix, 20 April 1898, 2)
HARWICH, ONT., residence for E.J. Toll, Ridge Road, 1898 (C.R., ix, 18 May 1898, 2)
CHATHAM, ONT., residence for W.G. Richards, Wellington Street, 1898 (C.R., ix, 25 May 1898, 2, t.c.)
CHATHAM, ONT., addition to the General Hospital, Emma Street, 1898 (C.R., ix, 10 Aug. 1898, 2)
CHATHAM, ONT., addition to the Ursuline Convent, Head Street (now called Grand Avenue West), 1898; demol. (C.R., x, 27 Sept. 1899, 4)
CHATHAM, ONT., residence for George W. Cowan, 1898 (C.R., ix, 19 Oct. 1898, 3)
CHATHAM, ONT., residence for C.C. Greening, Wellington Street at West Street, 1898 (C.R., ix, 14 Dec. 1898, 2)
HARWICH TOWNSHIP, ONT., Presbyterian Church at McKay's Corners, 1899; demol. 1973 (C.R., x, 8 Feb. 1899, 2, inf. Ian Mason)
CHATHAM, ONT., commercial block for Mrs. Gardner '......on the Royal Exchange Hotel site', King Street at Fifth Street, 1899 (C.R., x, 5 April 1899, 3)
MERLIN, ONT., drug store and bank for Dr. Bell, 1899 (C.R., x, 5 April 1899, 3)
CHATHAM, ONT., residence for James Innis, King Street West, 1899 (C.R., x, 5 April 1899, 4)
CHATHAM, ONT., commercial block for Mrs. M.D. McLean, King Street, 1899 (C.R., x, 19 April 1899, 3)
TILBURY, ONT., bank for W.C. Crawford, 1899 (C.R., x, 24 May 1899, 2)
THAMESVILLE, ONT., hotel for James Watt, 1899 (C.R., x, 24 May 1899, 2)
WALLACEBURG, ONT., Knox Presbyterian Church, Duncan Street at Elizabeth Street, 1899 (C.R., x, 27 Sept. 1899, 2, t.c.)
COMPETITIONS
CHESLEY, ONT., Public School, 1897. Powell competed against the Owen Sound architect J.C. Forster for this commission, but his proposal was set aside by the Board, and the plans by Forster were selected (Owen Sound Times, 13 May 1897, 1).
STRATFORD, ONT., City Hall, 1897. In December 1897 Powell was one of ten competitors who submitted plans for the new City Hall. His proposal received First Prize (C.R., viii, 27 Jan. 1898, 1) and the contract for the construction of his design was awarded, but the local City Council could not obtain a quorum to vote on acceptance of his plans, and the design by King & Siddall was chosen.