Watkins, Charles Elwood

WATKINS, Charles Elwood (1875-1942) was born at Victoria, British Columbia on 3 October 1875 and received his early education there and in Ontario. He entered the office of Thomas Hooper, a successful Victoria architect, in 1890 where he worked as an apprentice and later as an assistant. In early 1902 he established a formal partnership with Hooper and collaborated on many projects in Victoria and Vancouver during the next seven years (see works under Hooper & Watkins). The partnership was dissolved by mutual consent on 1 June 1909 and Watkins opened his own office in Victoria. In October 1910 his office in the Five Sisters Block in downtown Victoria was destroyed in a major fire, and this may explain why virtually no architectural drawings by Watkins have survived from the period before 1910.

In 1912 he received the appointment of School Architect for the Victoria Board of Education and during the next decade he prepared virtually all designs for new school buildings and extensions to existing facilities intended to accommodate the growing number of school children in the Victoria and Oak Bay regions (Colonist [Victoria], 28 Jan. 1912, 7). His designs were frequently stolid and marked by a conservative classicism from which he rarely deviated. His style matured early, and once established, it changed little, making his later works such as St. Joseph's Hospital appear dated and somewhat retardataire. He was a competent practitioner who remained active in the profession until after 1935, and he held a continuing interest in the affairs of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia. He died in Victoria on 14 August 1942 (obituary and port. in the Colonist [Victoria], 15 Aug. 1942, 2; Daily Times [Victoria], 15 Aug. 1942, 16; D. Luxton, Building the West: The Early Architects of British Columbia, 2003, 188-89, 523; inf. from Architectural Institute of British Columbia)

C. Elwood WATKINS (Institutional & Ecclesiastical works in Victoria)

SPRING RIDGE WARD SCHOOL, Chambers Street, 1908-09 (C.R., xxii, 18 Nov. 1908, 24-5; D. Franklin, Early School Architecture in British Columbia, 1980, 89, 99, illus.)
LEE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, Government Street at Fisguard Street, commercial block, 1910-11 (Colonist [Victoria], 22 Sept. 1910, 11, illus. & descrip.; M. Segger & D. Franklin, Exploring Victoria's Architecture, 1996, 117, illus.; John Adams, Chinese Victoria, 2022, 203, illus.)
HOOK SING TONG CHARITY ASSOCIATION BUILDING, Herald Street below Douglas Street, 1911 (Colonist [Victoria], 29 Oct. 1911, 22, illus. & descrip.; M. Segger & D. Franklin, Exploring Victoria's Architecture, 1996, 117-18, illus.; John Adams, Chinese Victoria, 2022, 168-70, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at BCPA)
VICTORIA HIGH SCHOOL, Fernwood Road at Grant Street, 1911-12 (Colonist [Victoria], 23 May 1911, 11, illus. & descrip.; and 20 Sept. 1911, 18, illus.; C.R., xxv, 6 Dec. 1911, 42-3, illus. & descrip.; P. Smith, One Hundred Years of Victoria High School, 1976, 62, illus.; Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 1, 2013, 90-91, illus. & descrip.; John Adams, Chinese Victoria, 2022, 179, illus.)
BURNSIDE SCHOOL, Jutland Road at Cecelia Road, 1912 (Colonist [Victoria], 31 Aug. 1912, 14, illus. & descrip.; Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 47-48, illus. & descript.)
OAKLANDS SCHOOL, Lionel Street at Victor Street, 1912 (Colonist [Victoria], 31 Aug. 1912, 14, illus. & descrip.; Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 140-41, illus. & descript.)
OAK BAY, Monterey School, Monterey Avenue, 1913 (Colonist [Victoria], 7 Dec. 1912, 11)
QUADRA SCHOOL, Quadra Street at Finlayson Street, 1913-14 (D. Franklin, Early School Architecture in British Columbia, 1980, 92, 106, illus.; Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 91-92, illus. & descript.)
KINGS ROAD PUBLIC SCHOOL, 1916 (Victoria Daily Times, 20 April 1916, 7)
SAANICH, B.C., Tillicum Public School, 1916-17 (Donald Luxton & Jennifer Barr, Saanich Heritage Structures, 2008, 184, illus. & descrip.)
OAK BAY, Willows Public School, Musgrave Street, 1919 (dwgs. at BCPA)
OAK BAY HIGH SCHOOL, Cranmore Road at Oak Bay Avenue, 1923-24 (Victoria Daily Times, 31 Oct. 1923, 2, t.c.; and 9 Nov. 1923, 14, illus. & detailed descrip.; C.R., xxxvii, 7 Nov. 1923, 51, t.c.)
FORESTERS BLOCK, for the Ancient Order of Foresters, Cormorant Street, between Douglas Street and Blanshard Street, 1925 (Nanaimo Free Press, 5 Sept. 1925, 1)
YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOC., Blanshard Street at Courtney Street, 1927 (Victoria Daily Times, 4 March 1927, 8, descrip.; and 9 March 1927, 5, illus.)
OAK BAY, Victoria Golf Club, Beach Drive near Margate Avenue, a new Clubhouse on Gonzales Point, 1927-28 (Parks Canada, Canada's Historic Places [website], designation statement 25 February 2008; inf. Jennifer Barr, Victoria)
ST. JOSEPH'S ROMAN CATHOLIC HOSPITAL, Collinson Street at Rupert Street, new extension for Maternity and Surgical Department, 1927-29; Nurses Home, 1929 (Victoria Daily Times, 29 Jan. 1927, 1; Colonist [Victoria], 18 March 1928, 44, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xlii, 30 May 1928, 556, illus.; and xliii, 20 March 1929, 68, t.c.)
ROYAL JUBILEE HOSPITAL, Richmond Street at Fort Street, addition of the David Spencer Tuberculosis Clinic, 1927-28; Nurses Home, 1929; Administration Building and West wing, 1930; extension, 1940 (Victoria Daily Times, 21 March 1928, 8, descrip.; and 12 March 1929, 12, t.c.; C.R., xliii, 17 April 1929, 68; and liii, 20 March 1940, 22; Const., xxiii, March 1930, 100; M. Segger & D. Franklin, Exploring Victoria's Architecture, 1996, 195-6, illus.; Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 4, 2009, 210-11, illus. & descrip.)
SAND'S FUNERAL CHAPEL, Quadra Street, 1932 (M. Segger & D. Franklin, Exploring Victoria's Architecture, 1996, 77-8, illus.)
(with J. Graham Johnson) MARINE BUILDING, Wharf Street, for the Dept. of Public Works, Ottawa, 1935 (C.R., xlix, 17 April 1935, 347; Victoria Daily Times, 15 June 1935, 1, descrip.)
ROYAL OAK BURIAL PARK & CEMETERY, Crematorium Chapel, Falaise Drive, 1937 (Donald Luxton & Jennifer Barr, Saanich Heritage Structures, 2008, 118, illus. & descrip.; Tim Morawetz, Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, 2017, 93, illus. & descrip.)

C. Elwood WATKINS (Commercial & Industrial works in Victoria)

SAWYER BLOCK, Fort Street, for Walter E. Staneland, 1909 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 65, illus. & descrip.)
LEE BLOCK, Government Street at Fisguard Street, commercial block for Lee Chung, Lee Wong and Lee Y. You, 1910 (Colonist [Victoria], 2 March 1910, 2; and 23 March 1910, 16, illus.; M. Segger & D. Franklin, Exploring Victoria's Architecture, 1996, 116-17, illus.; John Adams, Chinese Victoria, 2022, 203, illus.)
SAWYER BLOCK, Fort Street, for Walter E. Staneland, 1909 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 65, illus. & descrip.)
FORT STREET, near Douglas Street, commercial block for John S. Bowker, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 6 April 1910, 29)
MELLOR BROTHERS, View Street, commercial block, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 5 Oct. 1910, 29)
WOODS MOTOR CO., Broughton Street, commercial block, 1910-11 (C.R., xxiv, 14 Dec. 1910, 26)
SMITH & CHAMPION LTD., Douglas Street near Pandora Avenue, large addition to commercial building, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 8 March 1911, 138, t.c.)
MELLOR BROTHERS BLOCK, Broughton Street, 1912 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 4, 2009, 26, illus. & descrip.)
FORT STREET, at Government Street, row of six stores for Heisterman, Foreman & Co., 1914 (C.R., xxviii, 8 July 1914, 80)
McCANDLESS BROTHERS LTD., north side of Yates Street, between Douglas Street and Blanshard Street, commercial block, 1921 (Victoria Daily Times, 25 June 1921, 1)
FLETCHER BROTHERS PIANO CO., Douglas Street near Fort Street, a 3 storey commercial block, 1922 (Victoria Daily Times, 22 July 1922, 1, descrip.; C.R., xxxvi, 16 Aug. 1922, 52)
CUSACK BLOCK, Douglas Street at Fisgard Street, 1922 (Victoria Daily Times, 22 July 1922, 1)
CRANE PLUMBING FIXTURE SHOWROOM & EXHIBIT HALL, Government Street, 1926 (Victoria Daily Times, 10 April 1926, 8 & 20, descrip.)
FLETCHER BROS. MUSIC STORE, Douglas Street near View Street, large retail store and showroom, 1927 (Victoria Daily Times, 19 April 1927, 12, illus. & descrip.)
B.C. PIANO CO. LTD., a conversion and refitting of the old Dallas Hotel into a factory, 1928 (Victoria Daily Times, 15 June 1928, 1, descrip.)
MOTOR HOUSE LTD., Vancouver Street at Yates Street, a 2 stoey auto showroom and garage, 1928 (Victoria Daily Times, 25 July 1928, 16, descrip.)
LAKE HILL WINERY, for the Growers Wine Co. Ltd., a large warehouse addition for the storage of wine, 1929 (Victoria Daily Times, 3 May 1929, 1, descrip.)
CITY HALL NEWS BUILDING, Douglas Street at Pandora Street, 1930 (dwgs. at City of Victoria, Plumbing Dept. Records; inf. Mr. D. Luxton)
OLYMPIC BOWLING ALLEY, Yates Street, near Quadra Street, 1930 (Victoria Daily Times, 6 May 1930, 8, descrip.; C.R., xliv, 21 May 1930, 61)
ROYAL BANK, Douglas Street at Cormorant Street, with block of stores, for J.H. Todd & Sons, 1930; demol. (Victoria Daily Times, 25 June 1930, 15)

C. Elwood WATKINS (Residential works in Victoria)

FERNWOOD ROAD, residence for Fred Parfitt, 1909; altered 1913 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 1, 2013, 61-2, illus. & descrip.)
DISCOVERY STREET, residence for James Baker, 1910 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 39-40, illus. & descrip.)
SELKIRK STREET, opposite Coventry Avenue, residence for Thomas Brown, 1910 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 1, 2013, 216-17, illus. & descrip.)
SUPERIOR STREET, near Menzies Street, apartment block for A.B. McNeil, 1912 (Colonist [Victoria], 8 Aug. 1912, 3; and 30 Aug. 1912, 2, illus.)
McCLURE STREET, residence for William G. Cameron, 1912 (Colonist [Victoria], 5 June 1912, 4)
MONTROSE APARTMENT & STORE BLOCK, View Street at Blanchard Street, for Andrew Sheret, 1912 (Colonist [Victoria], 9 April 1912, 2, illus.)
FERNWOOD ROAD, residence for Frederick Parfitt, 1912-13 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 144, illus. & descrip.)
LINDEN AVENUE, residence for Arthur Kent, 1913 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 175-76, illus. & descript.)
COOK STREET, at Collinson Street apartment block, possibly Ailsa Mansions, 1913 (C.R., xxvii, 24 Sept. 1913, 73, t.c.)
ROCKLAND AVENUE, major addition and alterations to 'Duval Cottage' for G. Harry Barnard, 1914-15 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 212-13, illus. & descript.)
FOUL BAY ROAD, residence for William Luney, 1916 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 4, 2009, 179, illus. & descrip.)
OAK BAY, residence for Walter A. Luney, Hampshire Road, 1916 (S. Stark, Oak Bay's Heritage Buildings, 1986, 88, illus.)
MOSS STREET, residence for Lee Sick Yew, 1921 (John Adams, Chinese Victoria, 2022, 214)
ROCKLAND AVENUE, residence for George W. Lemon, 1922 (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 215, illus. & descript.)
SAANICH, B.C., residence for Edwin Tomlin, Woodley Road near Richmond Road, 1922-23; still standing in 2023 (Victoria Daily Times, 22 Feb. 1923, 2, descrip.; Donald Luxton & Jennifer Barr, Saanich Heritage Structures, 2008, 177, illus. & descrip.)
ROCKLAND AVENUE, residence for Dr. W. Howard Miller, 1923-24 (Canada, Canadian Inventory of Historic Buildings, Manuscript Report 354, 371-4, illus.)
OAK BAY, large residence for William H. Squire, Newport Avenue near Island Road, 1926 (Victoria Daily Times, 15 March 1926, 2)
LINDEN AVENUE, at Oscar Street, Electric Demonstration House, 1927-28; still standing as of 2017 (Daily Colonist [Victoria], 12 Feb. 1928, 34-36, illus. & descrip.; inf. Patrick Gunn, Vancouver)

C. Elwood WATKINS (works elsewhere)

HEDLEY, B.C., General Hospital, 1905 (Hedley Gazette, 7 Dec. 1905, 1)
SAANICH, B.C., Royal Oak Crematorium Chapel, Falaise Drive, 1937 (M. Segger & D. Franklin, Exploring Victoria's Architecture, 1996, 264, illus.)

COMPETITIONS

VICTORIA, B.C., High School, Fernwood Road, 1902. Watkins was one of nearly 20 architects who submitted a design for this major educational building. His drawings, marked Design No. 13, were placed Fourth in this competition (Victoria Daily Times, 25 Jan. 1902, 4, Letter to the Editor from Thomas Hooper). The winner was F.M. Rattenbury.