Smith, Ralph Eden | Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada

SMITH, Ralph Eden (1890-1972), one of two sons of Eden Smith who trained under his father and assisted him with the design and planning of literally hundreds of houses in the Toronto area from 1909 to 1925. In 1907 Harry Smith, eldest son of Eden, joined his father's firm as Eden Smith & Son. In 1912 they were joined by Ralph, and the firm name was changed to Eden Smith & Sons. After WW1 Harry returned to Canada in 1919 from service overseas, but chose not to rejoin the firm and instead moved to Guelph, Ont. The firm name reverted to Eden Smith & Son, with Ralph E. continuing to assist his father. When Eden Smith retired in 1925, Ralph E. moved to New York City to work with Starrett & Van Vleck, one of that city's leading architectural firms and designers of landmark department stores for Saks Fifth Avenue (1924), Abraham & Strauss (Brooklyn 1929), and Bloomingdale's (1930). Ralph E. returned to Toronto in 1961 and worked with Marani, Morris & Allan until he retired in 1969. He died in Toronto on 24 July 1972 (obit. Toronto Star, 27 July 1972, 42; inf. W. Douglas Brown, Eden Smith: Toronto's Arts and Crafts Architect, 2003, 6)