Sproatt, Charles

SPROATT, Charles (1835-1895) is best known as City Engineer of Toronto from 1883 until 1889, but his knowledge and training in surveying and architecture was likely cultivated during his tenure as an assistant to John Tully from 1855 until 1860. After working on railway construction in Toronto and southern Ontario he left for Winnipeg and became a partner in the firm of Gossage, Sproatt & Thompson, Civil Engineers, Surveyors & Mechanical Draftsmen. Sproatt was their representative in Regina in 1883 and he was noted as the architect for the new Anglican Church & Parsonage, REGINA, SASK. (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 10 May 1883, 2; Regina Leader, 24 May 1883, 4, descrip.). Later that same year he prepared plans for the Canada & Northwest Land Co. Block [also known as The Scarth Block], Scarth Street at Victoria Street, REGINA, SASK., one of the first commercial buildings erected in Regina in 1883; burned 1896 (Regina Leader, 20 Sept. 1883, 4, t.c.; 8 Nov. 1883, 4, descrip.). The project was completed by "....Mr. Lunan...and after Mr. Sproatt's departure, he fulfilled the duties of architect". Sproatt returned to Toronto in late 1883 to take up the post of City Engineer. He died at Innisfail, Alberta, N.W.T. on 27 December 1895 (obituary The Globe [Toronto], 30 Dec. 1895, 8; biog. and port. in Ontario Land Surveyors Annuals Reports, 1920, 123-4; inf. Frank Korvemaker, Regina). One of his sons was the renowned Toronto architect Henry Sproatt