WARREN, Frederick Wilson (1887-1959) was born at Hamilton, Ontario on 8 October 1887 and attended public school and the Hamilton Art School in that city. He was not formally educated in architecture at a university but instead obtained his practical experience with several Hamilton architects, including E. B. Patterson, with whom he was employed, at first as an apprentice, and then as a draftsman, between 1902 until 1908. He worked for Stewart & Witton for three years and with Mills & Hutton for two years before commencing his own practice in Hamilton in 1912. In 1922 he formed a partnership with Reginald E. McDonnell but this was dissolved in early 1929 and Warren then maintained his own office until his retirement in 1951. His residential works drew inspiration from Tudor and Elizabethan sources, and with R.E. McDonnell he planned many of the homes in Roseland Park in neighbouring Burlington, Ont. Their most distinctive and accomplished work was that for W.H. Ballard School (1922-23), a modern interpretation of sixteenth century English Renaissance architecture with impeccable details executed in carved Indiana limestone. It was, at the time of its completion, the largest public school in Canada, accommodating nearly two thousand students.
Warren was a nationally known horticulturist and active in provincial politics, serving with the C.C.F. party in the Ontario Legislature from 1943 until 1945. He died in Hamilton on 12 December 1959 and his practice was taken over by William W. Allen (obituary in the Spectator [Hamilton], 12 Dec. 1959, 7; inf. from Ontario Association of Architects). The Ontario Archives hold a small collection of his drawings and photographs (OA, Acc. 13834). A photographic portrait of Warren was published in the Daily Commercial News [Toronto], 16 Feb. 1936, p. 4.
F.W. WARREN (works in Hamilton unless noted)
METHODIST CHURCH, at 279 Grosvenor Avenue North, near Auburn Street, 1913-14, still standing in 2024 (Spectator [Hamilton], 11 March 1913, 1, detailed descrip., and 22 April 1913, 4)
LEINSTER AVENUE, near King Street East, residence for F.W. Warren, architect, 1917 (Const., x, May 1917, 178, illus. & descrip.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
ALLENBY PUBLIC SCHOOL, Hunter Street West near Locke Street South, 1919-20 (inf. Hamilton Board of Education)
PRESTON, ONT., Braeside Lodge Sanatarium, 1919-20 (Const., xxi, Aug. 1919, 246-47, illus. & descrip.)
ROYAL MARKET BUILDING, James Street North, stores and apartments, 1919-20 (C.R., xxxiii, 29 Oct. 1919, 48, t.c.)
ORANGEVILLE, ONT., Public Hospital, 1920 (C.R., xxxiv, 18 Feb. 1920, 48, t.c.)
BRANTFORD, ONT., Brantford Golf & County Club, a large club house, Hardy Road at Ava Road, 1920 (Brantford Daily Expositor, 6 March 1920, 21, illus. & descrip., Canadian Golfer [Brantford], vi, Nov. 1920, 493-500, illus. and detailed descrip.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
PRESTON, ONT., Presbyterian Church, 1920 (dwgs. at OA, Raymond Hall Collection)
PRESTON, ONT., Grand View Public School, Duke Street, 1922; and major addition of classrooms, 1934 (C.R., 3 May 1922, 54, t.c.; Kitchener Daily Record, 9 March 1934, 3)
PRINCESS ELIZABETH PUBLIC SCHOOL, Bowman Street at First Avenue, addition of classrooms and auditorium, 1922; addition, 1930 (inf. Hamilton Board of Education)
WARREN & McDONNELL (works in Hamilton unless noted)
BURLINGTON, ONT., residence for John William Duggan, South Drive, opposite Hart Avenue, in Roseland Park, c. 1922 (dwgs OA, McDonnell Coll.; inf. Burlington Historical Society; inf. Robert Hamilton)
W.H. BALLARD PUBLIC SCHOOL, Dunsmure Road at Weir Street, 1922-23 (C.R., xxxvi, 15 March 1922, 52; and 26 Dec. 1923, 1234-37, illus. & descrip.; Const., xvii, Jan. 1924, 2-9, illus. & descrip.)
ST. JOHN'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, King Street East at Emerald Street North, new Sunday School, 1922-23 (C.R., xxxvi, 29 Nov. 1922, 46)
TORONTO-HAMILTON HIGHWAY, residence for Garfield I. Evans, 1923 (dwgs. at OA, McDonnell Coll.)
WEST HAMILTON SCHOOL, Main Street West near Longwood Road, 1923, and major addition, 1930 (Const., xvii, Jan. 1924, 14-16, illus. & descrip.; Spectator [Hamilton], 30 Aug. 1930, School Supplement, 14, illus. and detailed architectural descrip.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
FREEPORT, ONT., Nurses' Home at the Freeport Sanatorium, Waterloo County, 1926 (Daily Record [Kitchener], 26 June 1926, Section Two, 1, illus. & descript.)
STONEY CREEK, ONT., High School, 1926 (C.R., xl, 1 Dec. 1926, 51)
RAVENSCLIFFE AVENUE, residence for Dr. Frederick L. Williamson, 1926 (dwgs. at OA, McDonnell Coll.)
PRESTON, ONT., Rock Brewery Co., factory and warehouses, Brown Street near Hamilton Street, 1927 (Daily Commercial News, 19 June 1927, 5)
HAMILTON, ONT., Public Market Building, 1927-28, but not built (Mark Osbaldeston, Unbuilt Hamilton, 2016, 90, illus. & descrip.)
BRANTFORD, ONT., Strobridge Motor Sales Co., Darling Street at Bridge Street, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 1 Feb. 1928, 49, t.c.; Brantford Expositor, 1 Aug. 1928, 18, detailed descrip.; and 21, perspective illus., and 23, descrip.; dwgs. at OA, McDonnell Coll.)
MOUNT PLEASANT, ONT., Continuation School, 1928-29 (Brantford Expositor, 30 July 1928, 7, descrip.; and 12 Feb. 1929, 13, descrip.)
CARTER'S LTD. SERVICE GARAGE, Main Street East near Catharine Street, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 31 Oct. 1928, 63, illus. in advert.)
INNERKIP, ONT., Continuation School for S.S. 10, East Zorra Township, Oxford County, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 18 April 1928, 69, t.c.)
BURLINGTON, ONT., residence for W.G. Marriott, Rossmore Boulevard at Princess Boulevard, in Roseland Park, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 25 July 1928, 66; inf. Robert Hamilton)
F.W. WARREN (works in Hamilton unless noted)
MONTREAL, QUE., Canadian Carriage & Body Co., St. Hubert Street at St. Gregoire Street, large warehouse, 1930 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Jan. 1930, 3)
BURLINGTON, ONT., residence for Earl W. BeSaw, Hampton Court at Rossmore Boulevard, 1930 (McLean Builder's Guide [Toronto], 1930, Design No. 230, illus. & descrip.; Glengarry News, 6 June 1930, 6, descrip.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
TORONTO, ONT., major addition to warehouse for Hill The Mover, Spadina Avenue near Cecil Street, for Rowland M. Hill, of Hamilton, 1930 (C.R., xliv, 16 April 1930, 67-68; Toronto Star, 7 Nov. 1930, 31; inf. Robert Hamilton)
WATERLOO, ONT., Elizabeth Zeigler Public School, Moore Avenue, 1931 (C.R., xlv, 28 Jan. 1931, 55)
PRESTON, ONT., Community Arena and Hall, 1931 (C.R., xlv, 1 April 1931, 59)
COBOURG, ONT., House of Refuge, for the United Counties of Northumberland & Durham, 1935 (Canadian Statesman [Bowmanville], 16 May 1935, 12, t.c.; and 19 Dec. 1935, 3; and 26 Dec. 1935, 1, illus.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
KEMPTVILLE, ONT., rebuilding of the High School after a fire, Prescott Street, 1936-37 (Weekly Advance [Kemptville], 16 Jan. 1936, 1; and 8 April 1937, 6, detailed descrip.; and 29 July 1937, 8; C.R., vol. 50, 11 March 1936, 33, t.c.; Ottawa Journal, 17 Aug. 1936, 18, descrip.)
WEST FERRIS TOWNSHIP, ONT, [near North Bay], major addition and alterations to existing school, 1936 (The Nugget [North Bay], 1 April 1936, 3, t.c.; and 27 April 1936, 7, descrip.)
COBOURG, ONT., rebuilding of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, after a fire in January 1937 (Weekly Advance [Kemptville], 14 Jan. 1937, 8; inf. Robert Hamilton)
SALTFLEET TOWNSHIP, School, 1937 (C.R., vol. 50, 4 Aug. 1937, 26, t.c.)
NORTH BAY, ONT., Queen's Hotel, Main Street at Fraser Street, 1937 (C.R., vol. 50, 21 April 1937, 35)
AYLMER, ONT., addition to the High School, 1937 (C.R., vol. 50, 16 June 1937, 33)
DRUMBO, ONT., addition to the Public School, and addition to the High School, 1938 (Brantford Expositor, 15 Feb. 1938, 12; inf. Robert Hamilton)
ELMIRA, ONT., High School, 1938 (C.R., li, 25 May 1938, 31; Kitchener Daily Record, 2 June 1938, 2)
ENNISKILLEN, ONT., major addition and alterations to public school, 1938 ( Canadian Statesman [Bowmanville], 12 May 1938, 12, t.c.)
PORT ELGIN, ONT., High School, Goderich Street, 1938-39; demol. (Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times, 3 Aug. 1938, 1, illus.; C.R., li, 28 Sept. 1938, 23, t.c.)
PALMERSTON, ONT., High School, 1940 (Official Opening of Palmerston High School, 23 April 1941, illus. & descrip.; Kingston Whig-Standard, 4 Sept. 1947, 4; inf. Robert Hamilton)
MASONIC GRAND LODGE, Gore Street, reconstruction, 1941 (C.R., liv, 30 April 1941, 34)
DELHI, ONT., School, 1941 (C.R., liv, 11 June 1941, 31)
NORTH BAY, ONT., City Hall & Police Station, 1945 (North Bay Nugget, 10 Jan. 1945, 1, descrip.; and 6 March 1945, 5, detailed descrip.)
NORTH BAY, ONT., addition of a second floor to Tweedsmuir Public School, Ferris Twp., 1945 (North Bay Nugget, 14 March 1945, 3, descrip.; and 7 April 1945, 2; inf. Robert Hamilton)
OWEN SOUND, ONT., major addition to Lion's Head Continuation School, 1945 (Owen Sound Sun Times, 20 Sept. 1945, 11, t.c.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
MATTAWA, ONT., High School, 1946 (North Bay Nugget, 25 May 1946, 7, illus. & descrip.; C.R., lix, July 1946, 106; inf. Robert Hamilton)
DRYDEN, ONT., High School, 1947 (Kingston Whig-Standard, 5 Sept 1947, 4; inf. Robert Hamilton)
COMLEY PUBLIC SCHOOL, Limeridge Road near Upper Gage Avenue, 1947 (Orangeville Banner, 26 Feb. 1948, 8, detailed descrip.; inf. Hamilton Public School Board)
NORTH BAY, ONT., major addition and alterations to King George Hotel, Ferguson Street at Oak Street, for Frank Scappatura, 1948 (North Bay Nugget, 2 June 1948, 4, detailed descrip.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
NORTH BAY, ONT., Belmont Hotel, Ferguson Street near Main Street, 1949 (North Bay Nugget, 29 Aug. 1949, 10 & 12, illus. & descrip.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
NORTH BAY, ONT., O'Brien Street Public School, Trout Mills Road, Widdifield Twp., 1949-50 (North Bay Nugget, 25 June 1949, 11; and 24 Nov. 1949, 3; inf. Robert Hamilton)
LORING, ONT., School, 1949 (C.R. lxii, July 1949, 134)
BURK'S FALLS, ONT., High School, 1949-50 (North Bay Nugget, 11 Aug. 1949, 15, t.c.; and 18 Nov. 1949, 1; inf. Robert Hamilton)
ESPANOLA, ONT., High School, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, July 1950, 117)
COMPETITIONS
HAMILTON, ONT., North West Entrance to the City, 1927-28. Sixteen firms submitted designs in this competition for a series of parks, gardens and a high level bridge on lands adjacent to Dundurn Castle (Hamilton Spectator, 20 March 1928, 23, list of competitors). The scheme by Warren & McDonnell was not premiated (R.A.I.C. Journal, v, April 1928, 131). Earle Sheppard of Toronto won First Prize of $2,000, but his winning design was not built.