HARRIS, James Edward (1886-1954) was a nephew of William C. Harris, the prominent Charlottetown architect. James was born there on 2 July 1886 and moved to Halifax in 1906 to train in the architectural office of his uncle, who was then in partnership with W.T. Horton (see list of works under Harris & Horton). There, he was encouraged to take up the study architecture and to attend classes at McGill University in Montreal, where he graduated with a degree in both architecture and mechanical engineering in 1912. Upon the death of his uncle in July 1913, James returned to Halifax and took his place in the successor firm of Harris & Horton. After serving during WW1 with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, he returned to Halifax, worked briefly as a mechanical engineer with Foley Brothers, then moved back to his home town of Charlottetown where he practised until his death in 1954.
Harris can be credited with designs for a variety of ecclesiastical, commercial, institutional and residential works, but the character of his work never matched the picturesque quality and elegant charm of that of his uncle, and he rarely deviated from the conservative tradition of conventional revivalist styles. He was a competent, but not a particularly innovative designer; his best known work was that of the Charlottetown Public Library (1930; demolished 1962). Harris died in Charlottetown on 4 May 1954 (obit. Charlottetown Patriot, 4 May 1954, 1, with Editorial 5 May 1954, 4; Guardian [Charlottetown], 5 May 1954, 1 & 2; biog. Prominent Men of Canada, 1931-32, 467; M. Rosinski, Architects in Nova Scotia: A Biographical Dictionary, 1994, 243; inf. Miss Mary Beth Harris, Charlottetown; inf. Garry Shutlak, PANS, Halifax). The Provincial Archives of Prince Edward Island holds a small collection of architectural drawings by J.E. Harris (Acc. 2849/294), as well as a series of his sketches “Notes on Church Architecture” (Acc. 2894/295).
(works in Charlottetown)
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, Church Street, facing Queen Square, addition of new stone Memorial vestries, 1919 (Charlottetown Guardian, 5 July 1919, 6, t.c.; 22 Nov. 1919, 1, illus. & descrip.)
ST. JAMES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Pownal Street at Fitzroy Street, additions to the church, 1919 (Charlottetown Guardian, 30 June 1919, 5; desrip.; 3 Jan. 1920, 9)
ST. PETER'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, Rochford Square, a new font in the nave, in honour of the late Canon Simpson, 1922 (Evening Mail [Halifax], 27 March 1922, 14)
PRINCE STREET PUBLIC SCHOOL, major addition to existing building, 1922 (Charlottetown Guardian, 12 Sept. 1922, 1; inf. Harry Holman, Charlottetown)
ST. PETER'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, Rochford Square, new facade for the church, 1923 (Charlottetown Guardian, 22 Sept. 1923, 1, descrip.; inf. Harry Holman, Charlottetown)
CENTRAL CREAMERIES LTD., Fitzroy Street, 1924 (Charlottetown Guardian, 1 Jan. 1925, 2, descrip.)
FOSTER'S GROCERY STORE, Euston Street, addition, 1925 (Charlottetown Guardian, 1 Jan. 1925, 1; inf. Harry Holman, Charlottetown)
PUBLIC LIBRARY & ART GALLERY, on the north side of Market Square, erected to house the Robert Harris Art Collection, 1928-30; demol. 1962 (Evening Patriot [Charlottetown], 19 Oct. 1928, 1, descrip.; 28 Nov. 1928, 1, t.c.; 29 May 1929, 1, descrip.; Charlottetown Guardian, 30 May 1929, 3, illus.; C.R., xliii, 8 May 1929, 58; Guardian [Charlottetown], 6 Feb. 1930, 1 & 3)
FITZROY STREET, residence for Dr. R.F. Seaman, 1930 (Charlottetown Guardian, 3 July 1930, 11)
OLD LADIES HOME, Pownal Street at Rockford Street, 1932 (Charlottetown Guardian, 10 May 1932, 9, descrip.; C.R., xlvi, 18 May 1932, 44)
(with Govan & Ferguson, Toronto) PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND HOSPITAL & NURSES HOME, Brighton Road, 1932-33; addition of the Veteran’s Wing, 1945-46; addition of Private Patients Pavilion, 1948-49 (Guardian [Charlottetown], 11 Oct. 1932, 1 & 6 & 9, descrip.; 22 Oct. 1947, 1, illus. & descrip.; 25 Nov. 1947, 9, illus. & descrip.; 12 April 1949, 5, descrip.; C.R., lviii, Oct. 1945, 133; Canadian Hospital, xxiii, Dec. 1946, 42-4, illus. & descrip.)
MOORE & McLEOD LTD., retail store, with new facade and extensive alterations, 1937 (Charlottetown Guardian, 5 April 1937, 2-3, illus. & descrip.)
CURLING ARENA, Euston Street near Longworth Avenue, 1938 (Charlottetown Guardian, 2 June 1938, 3)
WEST STREET, at Richmond Street, residence for former Lieut. Governor George D. De Blois, Richmond Street at West Street, c. 1939 (Irene Rogers, Charlottetown, 1983, 317, illus.)
ST. DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE, a new Science Hall, 1939; Student Residence, 1946; chapel, Dining Room and Convent, 1949; major addition of a gymnasium and auditorium, 1950-51 (Charlottetown Guardian, 12 April 1939, 5, t.c.; 20 Sept. 1946, 5, descrip.; 9 March 1949, 10, t.c.; C.R., lxiii, May 1950, 138; Sept. 1950, 126; Guardian [Charlottetown], 21 June 1951, 1, descrip., but lacking attribution)
PROVINCIAL SANATORIUM, major addition, 1943-44 (C.R., lvi, 1 Dec. 1943, 29)
(with E. S. Blanchard) Y.M.C.A., Grafton Street, new club house, 1944 (C.R., lvii, 5 July 1944, 21)
(with E.S. Blanchard) Y.M.C.A. Recreation Centre, Prince Street at Euston Street, 1947 (C.R., lx, Feb. 1947, 148)
QUEEN STREET, new three storey commercial block for D.S. MacLeod, 1946-47 (Charlottetown Guardian, 16 Sept. 1946, 5, descrip.)
SALVATION ARMY CITADEL, Great George Street, new facade and alterations to existing building, 1948 (Charlottetown Guardian, 22 July 1948, 5, descrip.)
CURRIE BLOCK, Queen Street at Kent Street, for Frank S. Currie, 1950-51 (Charlottetown Guardian, 9 March 1951, 9, illus. & descrip.)
(works elsewhere)
MILTON, P.E.I., a rectory for the Anglican Church, 1925 (Charlottetown Guardian, 11 April 1925, 10, t.c.)
DUNSTAFFNAGE, P.E.I., a new church, 1927 (Charlottetown Guardian, 27 July 1927, 2, t.c.)
YORK, P.E.I., extensive remodelling of York United Church, with addition of porch and octagonal tower, 1928 (N. Murray, York United Church 150th Anniversary 1824-1974, 15-16, illus.)
ALBERTON, P.E.I., St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 1929, to replace the church which burned on 5 August 1927 (inf. PAPEI)
EGMONT BAY, P.E.I., Church of St. Phillip & St. James, c. 1930-35 (PAPEI, James E. Harris Photo Album)
GEORGETOWN, P.E.I., interior design and completion of St. James Roman Catholic Church, 1931 (Charlottetown Guardian, 10 Nov. 1931, 3, descrip.)
MONTAGUE, P.E.I., Clarke Brothers General Store, 1934 (Charlottetown Guardian, 24 July 1934, 3)
ST. AVARDS, P.E.I., public school, east of St. Peter's Road, 1937 (Charlottetown Guardian, 17 June 1937, 2, t.c.; 2 Dec. 1937, 1 & 3, descrip.)
KENSINGTON, P.E.I., Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Main Street, 1937 (Guardian [Charlottetown], 1 Oct. 1937, descrip.)
MONTAGUE, P.E.I., Town Hall, 1938-39 (C.R., li, 19 Oct. 1938, 58)
WOOD ISLAND, P.E.I., a new church, 1944 (Charlottetown Guardian, 19 May 1944, 3, t.c.)
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I., General Hospital, 1944-45 (C.R., lvii, 22 Nov. 1944, 29)
SOURIS, P.E.I., General Hospital, 1945 (Charlottetown Guardian, 9 Aug. 1945, 1; inf. Harry T. Holman, Charlottetown)
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I., Island Telephone Exchange Building, 1947 (Charlottetown Guardian, 10 June 1947, 5, t.c.)
MONTAGUE, P.E.I., Kings County Memorial Hospital, 1947 (Charlottetown Guardian, 27 Oct. 1947, 1 & 8, descrip.)
WELLINGTON, P.E.I., Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, 1952 (Immaculate Conception Parish 1875-1975, 14-15, illus.)