TAFT, Andrew Barker (1816-1885) was born in Westchester, N.Y., outside New York City on 11 April 1816 and was recorded as working as an architect there in 1855-56 (D.S. Francis, Architects in Practice-New York City 1840-1900, 1980, 74). In 1858 he was brought to Montreal by his patron Harrison Stephens, and Taft began to advertise his services as architect in The Montreal Herald, where he was listed erroneously as "A.B. Saft [sic], Architect, who has long practical experience in New York, and more recently in Montreal...." (Montreal Herald, 3 July 1858, 2, advert.; inf. Yves Guillet, Montreal).
Durng the next two decades in Montreal, he executed many Gothic and Renaissance revival designs for warehouses, residences and commercial buildings. In 1869 he was recorded in partnership with James Garven, as Taft & Garven Architects (Evening Star [Montreal], 3 June 1869, 3, advert.), but this collaboration appears to have been short-lived. Taft's most ambitious work was that prepared for the Victoria Opera House, Victoria Street, 1874-75 (a collaborative effort with Alex C. Hutchison). This unusual design was one of the few Montreal landmarks to combine a distinctive Gothic Revival facade with Second Empire mansard roofs anchoring each corner of the complex.
Taft was an adept and experienced architect who was admired for his ability to transform existing landmarks such as the famous Ottawa Hotel in downtown Montreal into a major commercial success, and he was praised for his fine work so that "....we may well place him in the foremost rank of architectural magicians" (Evening Star [Montreal], 5 March 1878, 3). Taft died in Montreal on 8 June 1885 and was buried in Mount Royal Cemetery (death notice in the Montreal Star, 9 June 1885, 3; obituary in The Gazette [Montreal], 10 June 1885, 3). His son Flewelling W. Taft continued the practice.
Andrew B. TAFT (Institutional & Ecclesiastical works in Montreal)
RECEPTION HALL, for the Prince of Wales, a Grand Ball Room & Soiree Building, 1860 (Montreal Transcript, 26 June 1860, 1, descrip.)
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, Beaver Hall Hill, 1862 (Montreal Transcript, 6 Oct. 1862, descrip.)
Andrew B. TAFT (Commercial & Industrial works in Montreal unless noted)
RADEGONDE STREET, four stores for George Matthews and Andrew Wilson, 1862 (ANQM, R. Beaufield, Notaire, 11 Nov. 1862, No. 2496)
ST. URBAINE STREET, at Vitre Street, shop and house for Ann Kelly and Patrick Durack, 1863 (ANQM, J. Smith, Notaire, 1863, 20998)
ST. JOHN STREET, at Hospital Street, block of warehouses for Donald Ross, to be occupied by Henry Chapman & Co., 1863 (Montreal Transcript, 7 Dec. 1863, 2, descrip.)
STE. HELENE STREET, at des Recollets Street, row of three stores for the Mills Estate, 1865 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1; Montreal, Les Magasins Les Cinemas, 1985, 69-71, illus.)
MONTREAL HERALD CO., Great St. James Street through to Fortification Lane, renovations and new addition to newspaper offices and printing plant, 1865-66 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1; and 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 4, descrip.)
NOTRE DAME STREET, between St. Peter Street and Dollard Street, three stores for Harrison Stephens, 1865 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1)
ALEXANDER STREET, at Bernard Street, shop and two dwellings for James Clark, 1865 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1)
HENRY MORGAN & CO., Victoria Square at Great St. James Street, department store, 1866 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1, descrip.; and 2 April 1866, 2, descrip.)
QUEEN STREET, factory for Brown & Childs, to be occupied by Green & Sons, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 7)
CALEDONIA SPRINGS, ONT., Caledonia Springs Hotel, 1867; Amusement House, 1867; burned c.1874; rebuilt in 1875 by King M. Arnoldi (Montreal Herald, 13 July 1867, 2, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 15 July 1867, 2, detailed descrip.)
OTTAWA HOTEL, Great St. James Street, addition of two floors and extensive remodeling, with two stores at rear for Harrison Stephens, 1867; and later renovations, 1878 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2, descrip.; andDRUMMOND STREET, extensive additions and alterations to former residence of Peter Redpath, for the new owner Edward T. Taylor, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Supplement, 6) 2 June 1868, 1, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 15 May 1878, 3, descrip.; Montreal, Les Hotels Les Immeubles de Bureaux, 1983, 269-72, illus.)
McLAREN BOOT & SHOE CO., St. Maurice Street at Longueuil Lane, factory for James T. Evans, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
W.G. PULLAN & CO., Seigneurs Street, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
TURKISH BATHS, St. Monique Street at Sylvan Place, for Dr. David MacBean and Dr. Rogers, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1). A perspective plate of this building complex, together with a history of the company, appears in the publication called Dominion Illustrated: Special Number Devoted to Montreal, 1891, 65
SHANNON STREET, bakery for Issac F. Scripture, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
DORCHESTER STREET, at St. Lawrence Street, three shops for the Misses Scott, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1, descrip.;, dwgs. at ANQM, CO 2/543)
ST. JAMES HOTEL, Victoria Square, extensive alterations to the former Bonaventure Hall for a new hotel, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
MONTREAL OPERA HOUSE, Craig Street at Bleury Street, 1873 (Gazette [Montreal], 14 March 1873, 2; Montreal Herald, 26 March 1873, 1, descrip.)
(with A.C. Hutchison) ACADEMY OF MUSIC (later called The Royal Victoria Opera House), Victoria Street, 1874-75; demol. 1910 (Gazette [Montreal], 24 Sept. 1874, 2, t.c.; Canadian Illustrated News, xi, 16 Jan. 1875, 36, 39, illus. & descrip.; Evening Star [Montreal], 25 Aug. 1875, 1, detailed descrip.; Montreal Daily Star, 14 March 1910, 6, historical article, with illus. & descrip.)
THEATRE ROYAL, Cote Street, extension and major alterations, 1877 (Evening Star [Montreal], 11 June 1877, 3, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 30 June 1877, 4, detailed descrip.)
OTTAWA HOTEL, St. James Street, though to Notre Dame Street at the rear, major alterations and additions to the hotel for Mr. Harrison Stephens, 1877-78 (Evening Star [Montreal], 5 March 1878, 3, detailed architectural description)
COURVILLE STREET, at Cadieux Street, store and dwelling for Robert Brophy, 1882 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 April 1882, 4, descrip.)
Andrew B. TAFT (Residential works in Montreal)
McTAVISH STREET, at Pine Avenue, residence for Orrin S. Wood, 1862 (Montreal, Les Residences, 1987, 766-9, illus.; F. Remillard & B. Merrett, Mansions of the Golden Square Mile 1850-1930, 1986, 84-5, illus.)
UNIVERSITY STREET, north of Sherbrooke Street West, terrace of six houses for an unidentified client, 1862 (Montreal Transcript, 20 Aug. 1862, 2, t.c.)
UPPER UNIVERSITY STREET, four houses and a double brick cottage for Alex M. Foster, 1863 (ANQM, J. Smith, Notaire, 17 Jan. 1863, No. 9885)
MOUNTAIN STREET, three houses for Mr. Stuart, 1864 (Montreal Herald, 3 Dec. 1864, 2)
ST. DOMINIQUE STREET, residence for J.B. St. Louis, 1865 (ANQM, L. Bedard, Notaire, 21 Aug. 1865, No. 700)
OTTAWA STREET, at Prince Street, two houses for Patrick Wainfield, 1865 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1)
LAGAUCHETIERE STREET, near St. Dominique Street, three houses for the Misses Scott, 1865 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1; 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 1)
UNIVERSITY STREET, addition to a house for Bruskley Shaw, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 6)
LAGAUCHETIERE STREET, at Alexander Street, carriage house, stables, office and dwelling for E.I. Bancroft, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 6)
BLEURY STREET, near Craig Street, stable and carriage house for John Lawlor, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 6)
UNIVERSITY STREET, additions and alterations to residence for H. Cochrane, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
ST. FRANCOIS DE SALLES STREET, near St. Antoine Street, two houses for John Dyer, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2; 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
McKAY STREET, near Dorchester Street, terrace of six houses for T.M. Clark, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
ST. LAWRENCE STREET, two houses for John Bridgman, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1, descrip.)
ST. URBAIN STREET, residence for John Smardon, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
UNION AVENUE, below Dorchester Street West, two houses for George W. Stephens, M.P.P., 1882 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 April 1882, 4)