(biography prepared by Sharon Vattay, Toronto)
BROWN, Murray (1885-1958), active in Toronto from 1920 to the 1950s, designed a wide range of building types including commercial buildings, public buildings, and banks, but with the bulk of his commissions being residences and theatres. While based in southern Ontario, Brown’s commissions spanned the country, including work in the Prairies, in the Maritimes and in British Columbia. Born 10 November 1884 in Broughty Ferry, Scotland, Brown articled to Johnston & Baxter of Dundee and subsequently attended University College in Dundee. Further training took place in the London offices of Emanuel Vincent Harris, OBE, RA and of Walter R. Davidson, before attending the Royal Academy in London. Upon emigrating to Toronto in 1914, Brown worked briefly as a draftsman for architect Charles Sherman Cobb at a time when that firm was constructing the impressive Beaux Arts design for the Registry Office for the municipality of Toronto.
In 1918, he set up his own practice in Toronto. Brown’s numerous residential commissions throughout the 1920s and 1930s were for fashionable houses for the upper-middle classes in a range of styles. Neo-Tudor style houses gave way to stripped classicism and to cutting-edge modern designs, such as the 1945 house for Dr. Percy G. Anderson on Old Yonge Street. His early practice also benefitted from the popularity of movie theatres in the 1920s and he became known in Toronto (and across Canada) for his theatre designs, many of which were for the Famous Players Canadian Corporation. While Brown was trained in the classical tradition, he was described in his obituary in the RAIC Journal in 1958 as one who “... had a love of the work of the Renaissance and Georgian periods, and he kept abreast of the times, imparting a freshness to his buildings, no matter what style was used.” A notable example of this modernity is found in the 1930 J. Frank Raw Building in Toronto. This five-storey office building, whose architectural details were awarded an honorable mention by the Ontario Association of Architects in 1931, was notably distinctive in its context of Toronto at the time, and is still standing in 2025.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Brown was one of the many architectural practitioners chosen by the Chief Architect’s Branch of the federal Public Works Department to help design small-scaled public works. This was a period of change in architectural design with a fusion of academic traditions and modernity, and Brown’s Postal Station K on Yonge Street in Toronto (1936-1937) was a forerunner of the Modern Classicist style that was developing at the time – a style that would come to characterize much of federal architecture of the following decades. Brown’s original rendering of Postal Station K was used for his submission to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts as his diploma piece (1948) and is now he3d in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.
Brown was a member of the Royal Architectural Institute of British Architects in London, and a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. He was an active member of the Ontario Association of Architects holding various office in that association ultimately serving as President from 1935 to 1936. After WWII Brown expanded his practice to include the younger Ambrose Gresley Elton (1898-1976). Elton had worked briefly as an assistant in Brown’s office in 1924 and re165ned h50 in 1928 as an associate and chief draftsman. In 1945 Brown invited Elton to become a full partner and the firm’s name was changed. The joint practice shifted to a focus on schools in and around Toronto. Post-war school construction was a major challenge for architects in the mid-century and Brown and Elton were considered experts with this building type. Murray Brown died in 1958 at the age of 73 in Toronto. Following his death, the firm of Brown and Elton dissolved.
MURRAY BROWN (works in Toronto)
NORTH YORK MUNICIPAL OFFICE, Yonge Street near Burnett Avenue, 1923-24 (Const., xvii, Sept. 1924, 286-7, illus. & descrip.)
GLENCAIRN AVENUE, residence for Edmond S. MacFarlane, 1924 (Const., xvii, Sept. 1924, 292, illus.)
DAWLISH AVENUE, residence for Charles A.G. Matthews, 1924 (Const., xvii, Sept. 1924, 293-5, illus.; C.H.G., ii, Oct. 1925, 28-30, 52, illus.)
DAWLISH AVENUE, residence for G. Mansen Mulholland, 1924 (Const., xvii, Sept. 1924, 296-7, illus.; C.H.G., ix, Aug. 1932, 30, illus.)
BELSIZE THEATRE, Mount Pleasant Road near Belsize Avenue, 1926-27 (Toronto Daily Star, 18 March 1927, 22, descrip.; Const., xx, May 1927, 141-56, illus. & descrip.)
BEDFORD THEATRE, Yonge Street at Glenforest Road, 1927 (Const., xx, May 1927, 141-56, illus. & descrip.)
SHELDRAKE BOULEVARD, at Mount Pleasant Road, residence for Murray Brown, architect, 1927; demol. c. 2008 (C.H.G., iv, Aug. 1927, 22, illus.)
SAMSON & MATHEWS LTD., Yonge Street at Summerhill Avenue, 1927 (Toronto Star, 12 Feb. 1927, 3, illus. & descrip.; Const., xx, May 1927, 160, illus.; and xxi, Jan. 1928, 17-20, illus. & descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, vi, March 1929, 104-5, illus.)
MACLEAN PUBLISHING COMPANY OFFICE AND PRINTING PLANT BUILDING, 210 Dundas Street West at University Avenue, a 10 storey tower, 1928, still standing in 2025 (City of Toronto Designation by-law 1393-2017; dwgs. at Maclean-Hunter Collection, Archives of Ontario, Fonds F-138-1-5; C.R., xlii, 28 March 1928, 49; and xlii, 22 August 1928, 94; and xlii, 29 August 1928, 55; Toronto Star, 11 July 1929, 16, perspective illus.; inf. Sharon Vattay, Toronto)
A.D. GORRIE AUTO SHOWROOM & GARAGE, Gerrard Street East near Yonge Street, 1928; demol. (Const., xxi, Sept. 1928, 308-12, illus. & descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, vi, March 1929, 87, 102, 105, illus. & descrip.)
A.D. GORRIE AUTO SHOWROOM & GARAGE, Yonge Street near Montgomery Avenue, 1928-29 (C.R., xlii, 11 April 1928, 58; Toronto Daily Star, 5 April 1929, 32, descrip.)
BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, Spadina Avenue at Dundas Street West, 1928; still standing in 2022 (C.R., xlii, 21 March 1928, 68)
NORTH YORK, proposal for an 850 foot long viaduct spanning the Don Valley, leading to the new Bayview Heights subdivision, by consulting architect Murray Brown, 1928, demol. (Toronto Daily Star, 16 November 1928, 2, illus. & descrip.; inf. Sharon Vattay, Toronto)
THIRD CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST, High Park Avenue, 1928-29; demol. 2003 (Globe [Toronto], 20 Dec. 1928, 9; Const., xxvii, May/June 1934, 81, illus.)
BABAYAN CARPET LTD., Adelaide Street East at George Street, 1929 (Const., xxv, Jan. 1932, 15-16, illus. & descrip.)
NORTH YORK, 'Armavir', a residence for Levon Babayan, Highland Crescent, 1929 (C.H.G., vi, Nov. 1929, 33-40, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, vii, Feb. 1930, 51, 53, illus.)
J. FRANK RAW BUILDING, Church Street at Richmond Street East, a 5 storey office block, 1930; still standing in 2022 (Toronto Star, 3 Jan. 1930, 29, descrip.; and 24 Jan. 1930, 32, illus. & descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, vii, Dec. 1930, 439, 441, illus.; and viii, and March 1931, 80, descrip.)
BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, Gerrard Street East at Woodbine Avenue, 1930; still standing in 2022 and converted to a commercial office (Toronto Star, 25 April 1930, 34; dwgs. at City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 410, File 211)
BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, Danforth Avenue at Greenwood Avenue, at the southwest corner, 1931; demol. after 1950 (Weekly Building Reporter [Toronto], vii, 4 April 1931, 7)
KEW BEACH, Eastern Beaches Boat House, on The Boardwalk, between the foot of Lee Avenue and Leuty Avenue, for the Balmy Beach Canoe Club and the City of Toronto, 1932 (Const., xxv, July 1932, 156-8, illus. & descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xxi, Oct. 1935, 158, illus.; M. Campbell & B. Myrvold, Historical Walking Tour of Kew Beach, 1995, 46-47, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at CTA, Fonds 200, Series 410, File 341)
OLD FOREST HILL ROAD, next to the viaduct at Bathurst Street, large residence for an unidentified owner, located beside the residence for Ruthven Hay, 1933-34 (Toronto Star, 17 Nov. 1933, 16)
ARDMORE ROAD, residence for Thomas J. Abbott, 1934 (C.H.G., xii, Jan.-Feb. 1935, 40-1, illus.; and April 1935, 24-5, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xiii, Oct. 1936, 182, illus.)
NORTH YORK, residence for Joseph E. Sampson, Forest Glen Crescent, 1936 (C.H.G., xiv, March 1937, 28-9, illus.)
POSTAL STATION "K", for the Government of Canada, Yonge Street at Helendale Avenue, 1936-37; closed 2012; altered and restored for retail use in 2018-19 (Daily Commercial News [Toronto], 29 April 1936, 1, illus. & descrip.; Toronto Star, 8 Jan. 1937, 8, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xiv, Sept. 1937, 182-3, illus.; Globe & Mail [Toronto], 18 Sept. 2020, page H 4, illus. & descrip.; dwg. at National Gallery, Ottawa, Royal Canadian Academy Coll.)
NORTH YORK, residence for George P. Speirs, Forest Glen Crescent, 1938 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvi, May 1939, 109, illus.)
NORTH YORK, residence for Murray Brown, architect, Forest Glen Crescent, 1938; altered 2021-22 (C.H.G., xvi, Jan.-Feb. 1939, 28-31, 48, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xvi, Sept. 1939, 204-5, illus.; Globe & Mail [Toronto], 9 Dec. 2022, page H 4, illus. & descrip.)
RICHMOND HILL, ONT., a country residence "...in the Cape Cod style", located in the Don Valley, on the east side of Bayview Avenue, north of Steeles Avenue East, c. 1940 (Toronto Star, 21 Oct. 1940, 25, illus. & descrip.)
NORTH YORK FIRE HALL, Yonge Street near Burnett Avenue, 1941; demol. 1989 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxii, Aug. 1945, 160, illus.)
YORK MILLS, residence for Dr. P.G. Anderson, c. 1944 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxii, Aug. 1945, 161, illus.)
KIMBARK BOULEVARD, residence for Dr. Leroy McGilvray, c. 1944 (C.H.G., xxii, March 1945, 34-5, illus.)
MURRAY BROWN (works outside Toronto)
PRESTON, ONT. Imperial Bank, 1921 (inf. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Archives, Toronto)
CALGARY, ALTA., Bank of Nova Scotia, 17th Avenue at 14th Street West, 1921 (dwgs. at Canadian Architectural Archives, Univ. of Calgary, 37A-7825)
PORT CREDIT, ONT., mansion for John P. Bickell, Mississauga Road, 1927; addition 1931 (Const., xx, May 1927, 151-55, illus. & descrip.; C.H.G., iv, Oct. 1927, 36-7, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, v, July 1928, 245, 262, illus.; and vi, March 1929, 97, illus.; Kitchener Daily Record, 9 Feb. 1931, 14, illus. & descrip.)
SASKATOON, SASK., Capitol Theatre, Second Avenue, for Famous Players Corp., 1928-29; demol. 1979 (Saskatoon Daily Star, 9 June 1928, 3, descrip.; and 29 June 1928, 7, detailed descrip.; dwgs. at Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon)
NORTH BAY, ONT., Capitol Theatre, Main Street East at McIntyre Street East, for Famous Players Corp., 1928-29; still standing in 2022 and now called The Capitol Performing Arts Centre (C.R., xlii, 10 Oct. 1928, 56; Daily Nugget [North Bay], 20 April 1928, 13; and 31 May 1929, 25-34, illus. & detailed descrip.)
GALT, ONT., Capitol Theatre, Water Street, 1929-30; theatre closed 1978; demol. 1996 (C.R., xliii, 27 Nov. 1929, 65)
SUDBURY, ONT., Capitol Theatre, Cedar Street near Durham Street, 1929-30; theatre closed 1980, and auditorium later demol.; portion of facade still standing in 2022 (Const., xxiv, Jan. 1930, 38)
HALIFAX, N.S., Capitol Theatre, Barrington Street at Spring Garden Road, for Famous Players Corp., 1929-30 (Evening Mail [Halifax], 29 Oct. 1929, 3, illus. & descrip. of 6 storey block with theatre and offices, but design later revised in 1930; R..A.I.C. Journal, vii, Jan. 1930, 15, illus.; Halifax Mail, 4 Oct. 1930, 4, descrip.; and 22 Oct. 1930, 17, descrip.; and 31 Oct. 1930, 1, with tribute to the architect Murray Brown, with port. photo; and Halifax Mail, Capitol Theatre Supplement, 31 Oct. 1930, 17-22, illus. & detailed descrip.; Halifax Herald, 31 Oct. 1930, 18-19, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at PANS, Halifax, Dumaresq Coll.)
PORT HOPE, ONT., Capitol Theatre, Queen Street, 1930; restored 1995-96 (C.R., xliv, 22 Jan. 1930, 65, t.c.; Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, 80 for 80: Celebrating 80 Years of the A.C.O., 2013, 114-15, illus. & descrip., but lacking attribution)
HALIFAX, N.S., Bank of Nova Scotia, North Street at Agricola Street, 1936; demol. (dwgs. at Bank of Nova Scotia Archives, Toronto)
SAINT JOHN, N.B., Bank of Nova Scotia, Waterloo Street at Prince Edward Street, 1936 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xiv, Sept. 1937, 177-8, illus.; dwgs. at Bank of Nova Scotia Archives, Toronto)
PORT CREDIT, ONT., residence for Charles D. Kaeding, Mississauga Road, 1936 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xiv, Feb. 1937, 22, 24)
NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C., Bank of Nova Scotia, Columbia Street at Begbie Street, 1938 (Financial Post [Toronto], 13 Aug. 1938, 11, descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, May 1940, 79, illus.; Architectural Review [London], xci, April 1942, 100, illus.; dwgs. at Bank of Nova Scotia Archives, Toronto)
CORNWALL, ONT., Palace Theatre, Pitt Street, 1939; theatre closed c. 1984 and later demol. (C.R., lii, 8 March 1939, 35, t.c.)
ST. CATHARINES, ONT., major alterations to the Capitol Theatre, St. Paul Street, 1939; demol. 2014 (Canadian Moving Picture Digest [Toronto], 18 March 1939, 9; and 9 Sept. 1939, 4, descrip.)
RICHMOND HILL, ONT., residence for Charles F. Hill, c. 1940 (C.H.G., xix, Aug. 1942, 22-3, illus.)
BROWN & ELTON (with Ambrose G. Elton) - works in Toronto and elsewhere
ST. NORA LAKE, ONT., Forest Ranger's School, South Dormitory, 1945-46; Forestry School, 1947 (dwgs. at OA, RG 15-13-2)
SCARBOROUGH, Centennial Road School, West Hill, 1946 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxiv, Oct. 1947, 351-3, illus.)
WHITBY, ONT., Public School, 1949 (C.R., lxii, Jan. 1949, 190)
NEWMARKET, ONT., Public School, 1949 (Bradford Witness, 20 April 1949, 3; C.R., lxii, May 1949, 158)
SCARBOROUGH, major addition to Highland Creek Public School, Military Trail at Gladys Road, 1949; still standing in 2022 (Toronto Star, 9 Nov. 1949, 17, descrip.)
SCARBOROUGH, Heron Park Public School, Manse Road, 1949, demol. 2013 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxvii, May 1950, 169, illus.; inf. Sharon Vattay, Toronto)
SCARBOROUGH, J.G. Workman Public School, Birchmount Road at Danforth Road, 1949 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxviii, May 1951, 140-41, illus.)
PRINCE ALBERT, SASK., Bank of Nova Scotia, c. 1949 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxvii, Oct. 1950, 341, illus.)
TORONTO, ONT., Margesson & Co. Sporting Goods, Adelaide Street East at Victoria Street, retail store, 1950 (Globe & Mail [Toronto], 17 July 1950, 19)
ORILLIA, ONT., Bell Telephone Exchange Building, 1951 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxviii, Oct. 1951, 288, illus.)
PORT CREDIT, ONT., Bell Telephone Exchange Building, 1951 (R.A.I.C. Journal, Oct. 1951, 289, illus.)
ETOBICOKE, Long Branch Public Library, Lakeshore Boulevard West at 32nd Street, 1954-55; addition 1963-64 (dwgs. Toronto Public Library Archives; inf. Barbara Myrvold, Toronto Public Library)
TORONTO, ONT., a Bank of Nova Scotia branch, at an unknown location, 1955 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxxiii, April 1956, 131, illus.)
ETOBICOKE, St. Agnes Anglican Church, Long Branch Avenue at Marina Avenue, designed 1956; built 1958; church closed 2005; but still standing in 2022 (dwgs. at the Archives of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto)
TORONTO, ONT., Duke of Connaught Senior Public School, Woodfield Road near Queen Street East, 1958-59 (Globe & Mail [Toronto], 10 May 1958, 33; and 27 Sept. 1958, 33, illus. & descrip.)
SCARBOROUGH, St. George's Anglican Church, St. Clair Avenue East at Brimley Road, 1958-59; demol. 2015 (Globe & Mail [Toronto], 1 Nov. 1958, 30)
COMPETITIONS
REGINA, SASK., WW1 War Memorial Cenotaph, Victoria Park, 1926. Murray Brown was one of 51 architects and artists who submitted a design in this national competition (Morning Leader [Regina], 9 Feb. 1926, 1, full list of competitors). The winner was Robert G. Heughan of Montreal.