STAVELEY, Edward Black (1877-1969), a member of the Staveley family dynasty who dominated the architectural profession in Quebec City for nearly one hundred years, serving many of the English-speaking clientele who resided there. He was the grandson of Edward Staveley (1795-1872), and the son of Harry Staveley (1848-1925). Born in Quebec City on 13 July 1877, he was educated at Quebec High School, and studied architecture at McGill University in Montreal in 1896-1900. He trained under his father, and was invited by him to form a partnership in October 1900 (see list of works under Staveley & Staveley). Their firm was very successful, designing a variety of civic, institutional, commercial and residential projects that included distinctive mansions for leading citizens such as John Burstall, Sir William Price, Colin C. Breakey, and John Hamilton. Edward B. also took an interest in professional affairs, serving as President of the Province of Quebec Association of Architects in 1916.
After the death of his father in July 1925 he continued to practise on his own, while retaining the name of his father’s firm of Staveley & Staveley until 1936. Unlike the younger generation of architects in Quebec City who embraced the emerging styles of Art Deco and Modernism, Edward continued to employ the more conservative neo-Georgian or Tudor Revival styles in his projects until at least 1940. Much of his work from this era was for minor renovations, alterations and additions to residential and commercial buildings in and around Quebec City.
Edward B. retired from the profession in February 1960 and died in Quebec City on 16 September 1969 at the age of 93 years (death notice Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph [Quebec City], 17 Sept. 1969, 12; Gazette [Montreal], 19 Sept. 1969, 43; biog. Who’s Who & Why in Canada, 1912, 419; W. Wood, The Storied Province of Quebec - Past & Present, iii, 1931, 52). A photographic portrait of E.B. Staveley can be found in A.J.H.Richardson, Quebec City: Architects, Artisans and Builders, 1984, 523.
A small collection of original architectural drawings by Edward B. Staveley, dating from 1900 to 1940, is now held by the Archives Nationales du Quebec at their headquarters on the campus of Laval University at Ste. Foy in Quebec City (Acc. P541/1447). This collection documents more than 20 projects throughout the Province of Quebec. A detailed Finding Aid to the collection is available at the Archives. The accession number for drawings relating to each building is noted below. The Musee du Quebec in Quebec City also holds a portfolio of student drawings executed by Edward B. Staveley while he was attending McGill University in Montreal.
E.B. STAVELEY
(works in Quebec City unless noted)
QUEBEC SNOW SHOE CLUB, club house, 1902 (dwgs. ANQ, Staveley Coll., Item 304, Item 535)
ST. FOY ROAD, at Holland Avenue, major addition and alterations to residence for Frank W. Ross, 1926 (Quebec City b.p. 67, 17 March 1926)
LEARMOUTH AVENUE, residence for Mrs. Robert Watters, 1926 (Quebec City b.p. 6841, 23 June 1926)
LEARMOUTH AVENUE, residence for W. Charles Jacques, 1926 (Quebec City b.p. 417, 23 June 1926)
ST. LOUIS ROAD, residence for W.Q. Stobo, 1926-27 (Quebec City b.p. 783, 13 Nov. 1926)
ST. LOUIS ROAD, residence for Gordon A. Ross, 1927 (Quebec City b.p. 998, 25 April 1927)
CANADIAN IMPORT CO., Dalhousie Street, office building and warehouse, 1928 (Quebec City b.p. 1814, 20 March 1928; C.R., xlii, 28 March 1928, 49)
MURRAY AVENUE, duplex house for Arthur C. Shaw, 1928 (Quebec City b.p. 2054, 14 May 1928)
ST. GEORGE’S SCHOOL, St. Cyrille Avenue, major addition, 1928 (Quebec City b.p. 2203, 7 June 1928)
LEMESURIERS STREET, residence for Cyril B. Bignell, 1929 (Quebec City b.p. 2961, 2 May 1929)
LEMESURIERS STREET, residence for R.C. Cream, 1929 (Quebec City b.p. 3070, 22 May 1929)
ST. JOHN STREET, two stores for B. Leonard, 1929 (Quebec City b.p. 3292, 5 July 1929)
(with Perry & Luke) MONTMORENCY FALLS, QUE., major addition to the Kent House Hotel, 1929 (Canadian Hotel Review, vii, March 1929, 31)
G. SEIFERT & SONS., Fabrique Street, retail store, 1930 (Quebec City b.p. 3871, 25 Feb. 1930)
COMMERCIAL CHAMBERS, St. Peter Street, office block, including new offices for the architect, 1932 (dwgs. ANQ, Staveley Coll., Item 448)
MAISON MAILLOU, St. Louis Street, 1934 (dwgs. ANQ, Staveley Coll., Item 454)
CRANE LTD., St. Vallier Street, major addition to factory, 1935 (Building In Canada, xv, Oct. 1935, 10)
LOUISEVILLE, QUE. renovation and restoration of St. James Anglican church, 1935 (H. Bergevin, Eglises Protestants, 1981, 63, illus.; dwgs. ANQ, Staveley Coll., Item 457)
(with Featherstonhaugh & Durnford) BATTLEFIELDS PARK, adjacent to the Plains of Abraham, residence for Hugh H. Smith, 1938 (C.R., li, 27 July 1938, 120)