WALBANK, William McLea (1856-1909) was best known in Montreal as a civil engineer and provincial land surveyor, but he also maintained a profitable business as an architect from 1878 until after 1895. Born in St. John's, Newfoundland in November 1856 he attended public schools in that city and in 1873 went to Ireland to study engineering at Queen's University, Galway. The unexpected death of his father in 1874 necessitated his return to Canada and in that year he enrolled in Civil and Mechanical Engineering courses at McGill University in Montreal from where he graduated in 1877. The following year he became a qualified Land Surveyor and entered a partnership with the architect J.A. Proudfoot Bulman, with whom he remained in business until late 1881 (see list of works under Bulman & Walbank). He opened his own office in 1882 and carried on a successful practise as architect, engineer and surveyor for more than a decade, specializing in residential, commercial and industrial building designs.
Walbank employed an urbane and subtle Romanesque Revival style for much of his residential work, and shunned the more flamboyant and ornate forms employed by other Montreal architects who had been trained in the Beaux Arts tradition. In 1889 he submitted an entry in the competition for the Sun Life Building in Montreal, and was awarded Third Premium for a design described by the jurors to be 'very imposing, although the three tiers of arches... are somewhat monotonous' (C.A.B., iii, Jan. 1890, 5). The First Premium was awarded to Robert Findlay. That same year he entered the competition for the Main Building at the Montreal Insane Asylum, but was forced to sue the Governors of the Asylum when John W. Hopkins, the Asylum Architect since 1881, disputed the requirement to compensate Walbank and other competitors for their submissions. The Court awarded the judgment in favour of Hopkins and the Asylum (Montreal Daily Star, 2 Dec. 1889, 4; C.A.B., iii, Jan. 1890, 9-10).
It was Walbank's engineering skills, however, which were highly regarded by his peers and by prominent businessmen in Montreal, and after 1890 he became preoccupied with schemes to harness the hydro electric power of the Lachine Rapids near Montreal. He took more than five years to study the problem and in 1896 he organized the Lachine Rapids Hydraulic & Land Company and became its Managing Director; within eighteen months, electric power was being delivered to downtown Montreal, and in 1903 he profitably sold the enterprise to the Montreal Light, Heat & Power Company. He became Vice-President and Chief Engineer of this company and undertook the reconstruction of the Chambly dam as well as development of the hydro electric plant on the Soulanges Canal near Montreal.
Walbank was one of the founding members of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers in 1890 and served as its President in 1907-08. He was also President of the Quebec Provincial Land Surveyors Association for thirteen years from 1887 until 1900. Walbank survived a murder attempt on his life at the hands of C.B. Paterson, who was an architect and a draughtsman in the office of Hutchison & Wood in Montreal. A full account of this incident appeared in the Gazette [Montreal], 12 Dec. 1904, 5; and the Evening Journal [Ottawa], 12 Dec. 1904, 10. Walbank later died in Montreal after a brief illness on 28 November 1909 (obituary in the Montreal Star, 29 Nov. 1909, 1 and 14; Gazette [Montreal] 29 Nov. 1909, 5; La Presse [Montreal], 29 Nov. 1909, 1; biography and port. in Engineering News [New York], lvii, 4 April 1907, 371; biog. Montreal-The Metropolis of Canada, 1894, 147, with list of works; biog. and port in Montreal Daily Star, 8 Aug. 1910, 10). A small collection of engineering and architectural drawings by Walbank is now held at the National Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Acc. 72/6103.
W. McLea WALBANK (Commercial and Industrial works in Montreal unless noted)
BELDING, PAUL & CO., Seigneurs Street at the Lachine Canal, a large 5 storey factory and silk mill, 1883-84 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2, descrip.; and 26 April 1884, 8, descrip.; Montreal Daily Star, 26 Feb. 1884, 4, descrip.). An early photographic plate of this building, c. 1885, together with a history of the company, appears in the publication called Dominion Illustrated: Special Number Devoted to Montreal, 1891, 153.
MONTREAL BLANKET CO., at the St. Gabriel Locks, Cote St. Paul, factory and mill, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2, descrip.)
CRAIG STREET, extending back to Fortification Lane, a block of warehouses for the Campbell Estate, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 9 April 1886, 3)
J.M. FORTIER CIGAR CO., St. Maurice Street, factory, 1883-86 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2; and 14 Aug. 1886, 3, descrip.)
MONTREAL STAR PRINTING CO., Fortification Lane at St. George Street, printing plant and office buildings, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
VALIQUETTE'S ROLLER SKATING RINK & THEATRE, St. Maurice Street, for J.S. Evans, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2; with subsequent legal case, Gazette [Montreal], 3 March 1893, 7, descrip.; Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6)
CRAIG STREET, warehouses, on a lot immediately adjacent to the R. Mitchell & Co. building, 1886 (Montreal Daily Star, 13 March 1886, 8, t.c.)
MONTREAL AXE WORKS, in Cote St. Paul, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6, descrip.)
A.W. MORRIS & BROS., St. Patrick Street, warehouse, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6; Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2)
T.J. MOCOCK & CO., in Cote St. Paul at the Lachine Canal, factory, 1887 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2)
JOHN LAURIE & BROS., Ste. Catherine Street East near Shaw Street, factory, 1887-88 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6; Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2)
BRITISH AMERICAN DYE WORKS, major additions to factory buildings at Verdun, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2; Montreal Daily Star, 30 March 1889, 6)
PORT HOPE, ONT., extensive addition to A.W. Morris Binder Twine Co., 1889 (Montreal Daily Star, 30 March 1889, 6)
McGILL COLLEGE AVENUE, major addition to private hotel for E.S. Reynolds, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
ROYAL ELECTRIC LIGHT CO., East End Generating Station, 1889 (Montreal Star, 30 March 1889, 6; and 3 Jan. 1890, 7, descrip.)
STE. CATHERINE STREET, near Du Fort Street, store and apartments for Henry F. Jackson, 1889 (Montreal Star, 30 March 1889, 6)
ROYAL ELECTRIC CO., Power House, Queen Street at Prince Street, 1892 (C.R., ii, 16 Jan. 1892, 2)
J. BLUMENTHAL & SONS, Bleury Street at Craig Street, 1892 (C.R., iii, 9 April 1892, 2)
CHRISTIE, BROWN & CO., St. Charles Borromee Street at Evans Street, warehouses, 1893; 1896 (Montreal Star, 25 March 1893, 3; C.R., vii, 14 May 1896, 3-4)
NOTRE DAME STREET WEST, at Richmond Street, commercial block for John & Richard Costigan, 1893 (Montreal, Les Magasins Les Cinemas, 1985, 302-3, illus.)
DAVID RITCHIE & CO., Ottawa Street, tobacco factory, 1893 (Montreal Star, 25 March 1893, 3)
BELDING, PAUL & CO., addition to silk mills, 1893 (Montreal Star, 25 March 1893, 3)
LYMAN & SONS BLOCK, St. Paul Street, c. 1893 (Montreal-The Metropolis of Canada, 1894, 147)
WILLIAM STREET, at Seigneurs Street, factory for Robin & Sadler, 1894 (C.R., v, 7 June 1894, 2)
BRITISH AMERICA DYEING CO., factory and warehouses for Joseph Allen, Notre Dame Street West, 1894 (C.R., v, 7 June 1894, 2)
NOTRE DAME STREET EAST, commercial block for J.G. Kennedy, 1894 (C.R., v, 21 June 1894, 2)
NOTRE DAME STREET WEST, at Richmond Street, row of stores and apartments for the Artisan Dwelling Co., 1894 (Montreal Star, 3 Nov. 1894, 8)
WILLIAM PAXTON & SONS, Richmond Street at Paxton Avenue, factory, 1896 (C.R., 23 April 1896, 4)
LACHINE RAPIDS HYDRAULIC & LAND CO., Electric Power House Receiving Sub-Station, McCord Street at Seminary Street, 1896 (Gazette [Montreal], 23 Nov. 1896, 2, descrip.; C.A.B., x, Feb. 1897, 36)
CITIZEN LIGHT & POWER CO., Electric Power House, Cote St. Paul Road near St. Ambroise Street, 1907 (Le Prix Courant, Week No. 22, 1907, 38)
W. McLea WALBANK (Institutional & Ecclesiastical works in Montreal)
THE SANATORIUM, University Street, for Samuel Strong, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1885, 2, descrip.)
POINT ST. CHARLES METHODIST CHURCH, Wellington Street at Charron Street, 1889 (Gazette [Montreal], 8 March 1889, 3, descrip.; Montreal Star, 30 March 1889, 6; and 3 April 1889, 2)
MOUNT ROYAL PARK INCLINE RAILWAY, 1890; station and platforms, 1895 (C.A.B., iii, July 1890, 78; dwgs. at the Canadian Centre for Architecture, DR 73:002:02)
TEMPLE EMMANUEL, Stanley Street, designed by William T. Thomas in 1891; completed after his death by Walbank in 1892 (Montreal Daily Star, 15 Sept. 1892, 4; Montreal-The Metropolis of Canada, 1894, 147)
ST. JOHN'S FRENCH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Ste. Catherine Street East near De Bullion Street, reconstruction, 1895 (C.R., vi, 2 May 1895, 4; dwgs. at NAC, 72/6103)
W. McLea WALBANK (Residential works in Montreal unless noted)
PEEL STREET, a row terrace of stone-fronted houses, for an unnamed client, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 11 April 1883, 3, descrip.)
DORCHESTER STREET WEST, near Atwater Avenue, a large villa for Allan Freeman, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2)
UPPER ST. URBAIN STREET, villa for R. Stanley Bagg, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1885, 2, descrip.)
PEEL STREET, at Burnside Place, a terrace of six houses, including two double houses, and two detached houses, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 3 March 1884, 4, advert. by Walbank)
SEIGNEURS STREET, row of four houses for William Moore, 1884-85 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1885, 2, descrip.)
PEEL STREET, at Burnside Place, residence for E. Holloway, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
OSBORNE STREET, at Mountain Street, four houses for W.S. Evans, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
ST. LAMBERT, cottage for P.M. Wickham, Victoria Avenue, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
ST. LAMBERT, two semi-detached cottages for James P. Sudbury, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
STE. CATHERINE STREET WEST, at Peel Street, conversion of houses into stores and residences for the R.S. Bagg Estate, 1886 (Montreal Daily Star, 1 Sept. 1886, 3; Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
SHERBROOKE STREET EAST, at Laval Avenue, villa for J.M. Fortier, 1887 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2, descrip.)
PEEL STREET, a row of houses, including a corner villa for Mr. Halloway, and the residence adjoining for W. McLea Walbank, architect, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6)
MANCE STREET, residence for John L. Jensen, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6; Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2)
HIBERNIAN ROAD, block of houses for Mr. St. James, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6)
SHERBROOKE STREET WEST "....opposite Mr. Linton's residence", two houses for W.H. Weir, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6)
SHERBROOKE STREET WEST, major addition to residence for F. Paul, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6)
SHERBROOKE STREET EAST, at Laval Avenue, residence for J.M. Fortier, 1888 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
CRESCENT STREET, residence for George R. Locker, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
BISHOP STREET, residence for John McD. Hains, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
BISHOP STREET, residence for John M. Inglis, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
HUTCHISON STREET, row of four houses for Beckham & Scott, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
METCALFE AVENUE, Cote St. Antoine, residence for Hugh Beckham, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
ESPLANADE AVENUE, facing Jeanne Mance Park, two pairs of villas for J. Widmer Nelles, 1889 (Montreal Star, 30 March 1889, 6)
UNIVERSITY STREET, No. 14, major alterations and conversion to double tenement for F.G. Howell, 1889 (Montreal Daily Star, 30 March 1889, 6)
UNIVERSITY STREET, No. 16, major alterations and conversion to double tenement for David S. Leach, 1889 (Montreal Daily Star, 30 March 1889, 6)
UNION AVENUE, No. 110, addition of a new storey, roof and alterations to house, for David S. Leach, 1889 (Montreal Daily Star, 30 March 1889, 6)
BLUE BONNETS, cottage for David S. Leach, 1889 (Montreal Daily Star, 30 March 1889, 6)
SHERBROOKE STREET WEST, at Cote des Neiges Road, residence for Robert S. Bagg, 1891 (F. Remillard & B. Merrett, Mansions of the Golden Square Mile, 1987, 130-1, illus.)
PINE AVENUE, residence for Hyram Reinhardt, 1892 (C.R., iii, 12 March 1892, 2)
FAVARD STREET, residence for M.S. Cuthbert, 1892 (C.R., iii, 7 May 1892, 2)
WESTMOUNT, residence for George R. Lighthall, Elm Avenue, 1893 (C.R., iv, 5 Oct. 1893, 2)
DORCHESTER STREET WEST, near St. Mark Street, residence for Alderman Richard Costigan, 1893; and later used as the headquarters of the Province of Quebec Association of Architects from 1954 to 2014 (Montreal Star, 25 March 1893, 3; Newsletter of the Order des Architectes du Quebec, 10 January 2014, illus.; inf. Yves Guillet, Montreal)
CRESCENT STREET, residence for Thomas Jordan, 1893 (Montreal Star, 25 March 1893, 3)
SHERBROOKE STREET WEST, near University Street, residence for Dr. James Perrigo, 1892-3 (Montreal Star, 25 March 1893, 3)
DRUMMOND STREET, residence for Dr. F. Buller and residence for C.H. Godfrey, 1893 (Montreal-The Metropolis of Canada, 1894, 147)
WESTMOUNT, pair of houses for John T. Lockhart, Metcalfe Avenue, 1894 (C.R., v, 19 July 1894, 2)
WESTMOUNT, residence for W.D. Lighthall, Murray Avenue, "...in the Jacobine style", 1894-95 (C.R., v, 23 Aug. 1894, 2, t.c.; Gazette [Montreal], 14 June 1895, 3)
DRUMMOND STREET, near Sherbrooke Street West, residence for Mrs. Murray, 1894 (Montreal Star, 3 Nov. 1894, 8)
PEEL STREET, residence for Dr. J.A. McPhail, 1894 (Le Prix Courant, xv, 16 Nov. 1894, 364)
SEIGNEURS STREET, residence for Andre Moore, 1897 (C.R., viii, 18 March 1897, 3)
W. McLea WALBANK (works elsewhere)
CHAMBLY, QUE., Willett's Flannel Mill, a five storey textile mill and industrial building, for O.T. Willett, 1881-83 (Evening Star [Montreal], 17 June 1881, 2, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2; Montreal-The Metropolis of Canada, 1894, 147)
CHAMBLY, QUE., Methodist Church, 1882-83 (Christian Guardian [Toronto], 20 Sept. 1882, 303, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2, descrip.)
CHAMBLY, QUE., a brick villa for J. Beattie of Montreal, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2, descrip.)
CAUGHNAWAGA, QUE., agricultural exhibition buildings, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 26 April 1884, 8, descrip.)
PEMBROKE, ONT., a stone bridge over the Muskrat River, 1887, and described as "...the largest bridge of the kind in Canada" (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2)
PORT HOPE, ONT., a rope and twine factory for A.W. Morris & Co. of Montreal, 1888-89 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
POINTE CLAIRE, QUE., residence for James E. Rendell, 1893 (Le Prix Courant, xii, 14 April 1893, 11)
MONTMORENCY, QUE., residence for Charles R. Whitehead, 1893 (Le Prix Courant, xiii, 13 Oct. 1893, 202)
DORVAL, QUE., new stables, coach house and Ice House for Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club, Lakeshore Road, facing Lake St. Louis, 1894 (C.R., v, 31 May 1894, 2)
BEACONSFIELD, QUE., summer houses for J. Widmer Nelles, Walter P. Scott, and Thomas R. McArthur, 1894 (Montreal Star, 3 Nov. 1894, 8)
THOMPSON'S POINT, QUE., residence for Charles R. Godfrey, 1894 (Montreal Star, 3 Nov. 1894, 8)
DORVAL, QUE., residence for E. Kirke Greene, 1894 (Montreal Star, 3 Nov. 1894, 8, illus.)
COMPETITIONS
OUTDOOR ICE PALACE, Dominion Square, 1888-89. Walbank was one of seven architects who submitted designs in this architectural competition (Montreal Daily Star, 9 Nov. 1888, 2). His design featured 12 towers surrounding a central tower 110 ft. high (Montreal Daily Star, 14 Nov. 1888, 1, descrip.). The winner was Wright & Findlay of Montreal.
SUN LIFE OFFICE BUILDING, 1889. Walbank was one of 15 Canadian architects who submitted a design in this competition. He received 3rd Prize of $200. for his plans (Montreal Daily Star, 10 Dec. 1889 8; C.A.B., iii, Jan. 1890, 5). The winner was Robert Findlay of Montreal.
MONTREAL, QUE., Board of Trade Building, 1891. Walbank was one of a group of Canadian architects whose plans were rejected for consideration by the Building Committee who would only accept plans by six invited American architects (Montreal Daily Star, 2 March 1891, 8). Many other Canadian architects strongly objected to being excluded from submitting a design. The winners were Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge of Boston.