Welsh, Michael

WELSH, Michael (1860-1949), active in Charlottetown, P.E.I. where he was credited with the design of a major addition to the Charlottetown Hospital, Dundas Esplanade, CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I., 1903-04 (Charlottetown Guardian, 13 Feb. 1904, 7, descrip.). Welsh began work as a carpenter, and was recorded as advertising his services as an architect from an office on Cumberland Street (Charlottetown Guardian, 4 April 1906, 6, advert.). In an unusual move, he took up the study of architecture after opening his own office in 1903, a reversal of the normal process of being educated and trained in architecture, and then commencing practise. It is unclear if he articled with a local architect, but he took study courses in architecture with the International Correspondence Schools of Scranton, Penn. in 1906-08, and scored highly with an average of 98%. He was, by all accounts, “a clever student” and became a qualified architect, ready to undertake “…the most difficult architectural work” (biog. Charlottetown Guardian, 23 April 1908, 6). In 1920 he was described as the ‘designer and builder‘ of the residence for J.J. Duffy, Edward Street, CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I., 1919 (Charlottetown Guardian, 3 Jan. 1920, 9). Welsh died in Charlottetown on 21 October. 1949 (death notice Charlottetown Guardian, 22 Oct. 1949, 5; inf. Harry Holman, Charlottetown)