THOMPSON, Grattan Dalrymple (1895-1971) gained much of his knowledge of, and experience in, designing industrial and commercial buildings from the Montreal firm of Ross & MacDonald for whom he worked in 1919 to 1922. Born in Toronto on 2 January 1895 he was educated as public schools in Montreal and graduated from Lower Canada College in 1912. He later studied architecture at McGill University and graduated in 1919. Many of his industrial commissions are competent and unpretentious buildings housing assembly or production facilities. Yet he was also capable of exploring new themes of the emerging Art Deco style, as evident in his scheme for the multi-storey Zeller's Department store in Halifax, N.S. (1938-39). He can also be credited with the design of a symbolic landmark in Montreal, the sweeping curved colonnade of the Roddick Gates at the entrance to McGill University facing Sherbrooke Street West (1924).
Thompson frequently exhibited his paintings and architectural work at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and was awarded an OBE for his services during WW1 and as administrator of the Montreal War Services Council. He died in Montreal on 18 September 1971 (death notice Gazette [Montreal], 22 Sept. 1971, 25; biog. and port. National Reference Book, ix, 1951, 582-4; inf. Province of Quebec Assoc. of Architects)
GRATTAN D. THOMPSON (works in Montreal)
LOWER CANADA COLLEGE, Memorial Gymnasium, Royal Avenue, 1921 (Dr. D. Penton, Non nobis solum: The History of Lower Canada College, 1972; inf. Jane Martin, Lower Canada College, Montreal)
WESTMOUNT, residence for Dr. F.A.C. Scrimger, Redpath Crescent, 1922 (C.R., xxxvi, 10 May 1922, 58)
MONTREAL WEST, residence for John Smyth, 1922 (E. McMann, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Spring Exhibitions 1880-1970, 1988, 374)
McGILL UNIVERSITY, the Roddick Gates, forming an entrance and gateway to the University campus, facing Sherbrooke Street West at McGill College Avenue, 1924; still standing in 2023 (inf. McGill University Archives)
COTE DE NEIGES ROAD, north of Remembrance Road, alterations to a historic house originally built in 1713, and to now serve as a residence for the architect Grattan D. Thompson, 1924; house dismantled February 1957 and moved to Cote des Neiges Cemetery, and restored by Victor Decopas, architect (C.H.G., ix, March 1932, 30, illus.; Gazette [Montreal], 15 April 1957, 23, descrip.)
REDPATH PLACE, residence for Ross Emmans, 1924 (E. McMann, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Spring Exhibitions 1880-1970, 1988, 374)
TRAFALGAR AVENUE, residence for Dr. W.G. Turner, 1924 (E. McMann, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Spring Exhibitions 1880-1970, 1988, 374)
OUTREMONT, residence for A.C. Pratt, 1926 (Outremont b.p. 2098, 16 July 1926)
FILM TRADES BUILDING, Monkland Avenue at Hampton Avenue, office building for Ideal Investments Ltd., 1929-30 (Montreal Daily Star, 6 Jan. 1930, 3; and 13 Jan. 1930, 3, descrip; R.A.I.C. Journal, Sept. 1930, xliv, illus. in advert.)
WESTMOUNT, residence for A.A. Bowman, Sunnyside Avenue, 1929 (C.H.G., vii, July 1930, 53-5, illus.)
POINTE CLAIRE, QUE., Edge Water Beach Inn, Tellier Point, 1932 (C.R., xlvi, 30 March 1932, 47)
OUTREMONT, St. Raphael's Roman Catholic Church and rectory, Lajoie Avenue at West End Avenue, 1932-33 (C.R., xlvii, 11 Jan. 1933, 35; Gazette [Montreal], 27 March 1933, 2, descrip.)
CRIPPLED CHILDREN'S SCHOOL, Cedar Avenue, major addition, 1935 (Gazette [Montreal], 18 June 1935, 4; inf. Scott Edwards)
WESTMOUNT, residence for Walter P. Zeller, Lexington Avenue at Sunnyside Avenue, 1936 (C.R., vol. 50, 12 Feb. 1936, 28)
OUTREMONT, residence for Leo de Grouwe, Maplewood Avenue, 1938 (Outremont b.p. 3282, 29 Dec. 1937)
(with Archibald & Illsley) MONTREAL CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL, Kent Avenue, major extension, 1938 (C.R., li, 19 Jan. 1938, 28; R.A.I.C. Journal, xx, June 1943, 88-9, illus.)
OUTREMONT, addition to Pepsi-Cola factory, Querbes Avenue, 1938 (C.R., li, 4 May 1938, 37)
HOMEOPATHIC HOSPITAL, Northcliffe Avenue near Sherbrooke Street West, Nurses Residence, 1939; extension 1944 (Montreal Daily Star, 21 Feb. 1939, 25; C.R., lii, 18 Jan. 1939, 35; and lvii, 26 April 1944, 33)
FRANKE, LEVASSEUR & CO., Craig Street West at St. Alexander Street, a 4 storey warehouse & office building, 1941-42; and addition, 1950 (Montreal Daily Star, 1 March 1941, 26, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 14 March 1942, 12, illus.; C.R., lxiii, Aug. 1950, 241)
MUNITIONS PLANT, for Robert Mitchell Co., Belair Avenue, c. 1942 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xix, Aug 1942, 164-5, illus.)
SALVATION ARMY MATERNITY HOSPITAL, Walkley Avenue, addition, 1943 (C.R., lvi, 20 Jan. 1943, 38)
ORANGE CRUSH BOTTLING PLANT, Decarie Boulevard at Cote de Liesse Road, 1946 (Financial Post [Toronto], 20 April 1946, 11; and 19 Oct. 1946, 8)
FRY-CADBURY LTD., Masson Street, storage building, 1946; milk plant, 1950 (C.R., lix, June 1946, 140; and lxiii, Nov. 1950, 126)
EAST END BOY'S CLUB, for the Montreal Boy's Association, Hochelaga Street near Bennett Avenue, 1949 (C.R., lxii, July 1949, 136)
WELFARE FEDERATION OF MONTREAL, office building, 1950 (C.R., lxii, Dec. 1949, 92)
ST. LAWRENCE SUGAR REFINERIES LTD., Notre Dame Street East near Pie IX Boulevard, new warehouse and office building, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, July 1950, 126)
AUTO FABRIC PRODUCTS LTD., major addition to manufacturing plant, 1950 (Financial Post [Toronto], 12 Aug. 1950, 19)
GRATTAN D. THOMPSON (works elsewhere)
OTTAWA, ONT., garage for Bremner Norris & Co., Laurier Avenue, 1929 (C.R., xliii, 3 Oct. 1929, 64)
DIXIE, QUE., residence for E.R. Cooper, 1929 (C.H.G., vii, July 1930, 32, illus.)
HALIFAX, N.S., Zeller's Department Store, Barrington Street at Sackville Street, 1938 (C.R., liii, 7 Feb. 1940, 7-9; Tim Morawetz, Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, 2017, 184, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at PANS, Halifax, A1-8804)
TORONTO, ONT., Orange Crush Bottling Plant, Queen's Quay East at Jarvis Street, 1946-47 (Financial Post [Toronto], 19 Oct. 1946, 8; C.R., lix, Nov. 1946, 98)
OTTAWA, ONT., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Plant, Coventry Road, 1949 (C.R., lxii, May 1949, 170)
LACHUTE, QUE., major addition to High School, 1949 (C.R., lxii, Aug. 1949, 223)