TIMEWELL, Arthur Thomas (1841-1906), one of the first professional architects to work in the Canadian Prairies. He was owner or partner in the following offices:
Timewell & McCoskrie, Brandon, Man. June 1882-late 1883 (with Edward McCoskrie)
Arthur T. Timewell & Son, Brandon, Man. 1883-1884 (with his son Arthur W. Timewell)
Arthur T. Timewell & Son, Winnipeg, Man. Feb. 1885 - 1889
Arthur T. Timewell, Spokane, Wash. USA Sept. 1889- 1898
Timewell & Bakker, Spokane, Wash, USA, 1896-1898 (with Marius Bakker)
Timewell was a native of the Borough of Islington, London, England, born there on 6 March 1841. He trained in England as a civil engineer and was one of the early residents of Brandon, Man. where he was briefly in partnership with Edward McCoskrie (Brandon Daily Mail, 17 Sept. 1883, 1, advert.). He formed his own company there in association with his son Arthur W. Timewell, and he made a speciality of designing grain elevators, an architectural icon of the Canadian prairies which many historians have incorrectly assumed were designed by local builders or engineers. In February 1885 Timewell had relocated to Winnipeg (Brandon Mail, 19 Feb. 1885, 8). There, he advertised his architectural services with 'Elevators and Mills a speciality' (Henderson's Manitoba & North West Territories Directory, 1886-87, 31, advert.), A lengthy essay by Timewell on the problems of building and construction in Manitoba can be found in the Canadian Architect & Builder [Toronto], i, Nov. 1888, 6.
Timewell left Manitoba in 1889 and moved to Spokane, Washington to help rebuild the city after the Great Fire there in August 1889. He continued to work as an architect in Spokane under his own name, and briefly in partnership with Marius Bakker, as Timewell & Bakker, Architects, until 1898 when he returned to England. Timewell held patents for the Pacific Grain Sack Sewing Machine, which eliminated the task of filling grain sacks by hand (Spokane Daily Chronicle, 19 Feb. 1894, 1, descrip.) He died at Westcliff, near Southend-on-Sea, Co. Essex on 26 August 1906 (obituary Chicago Daily Tribune, 9 Sept. 1906, 5; obituary Spokane Daily Chronicle, 21 Sept. 1906, 3).
WINNIPEG
WINNIPEG ELEVATOR CO., Point Douglas Avenue at Gomez Street, 1885 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 2 Nov. 1885, 4; 6 Jan. 1886, 4)
MITCHELL BLOCK, McDermot Avenue near Vipond Street, warehouse for W.J. Mitchell Drug Co., 1886 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 11 June 1886, 1, descrip.; Winnipeg, 1985-The Year Past, 1987, 43-4, illus.)
ALL SAINTS ANGLICAN CHURCH, Broadway at Osborne Street, new Sunday School, 1886; and interior decorations for the church, 1888 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 7 June 1886, 4, t.c.; and 11 June 1886, 1; Manitoba Weekly Free Press, 27 Dec. 1888, 8, descrip.)
FOULD'S BLOCK, Main Street at Market Street, 1886 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 11 June 1886, 1, descrip.; Manitoba Daily Sun [Winnipeg], 29 Sept. 1886, 8, descrip.)
LANGSIDE STREET, residence for J.A. Shortt, 1886 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 21 June 1886, 4, t.c.)
HUDSON BAY CO. GRAIN ELEVATOR, Main Street, 1886 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 29 June 1886, 4; Manitoba Daily Sun [Winnipeg], 29 Sept. 1886, 8; descrip.)
MAYFAIR AVENUE, Fort Rouge, residence for George Young, 1886 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 6 Aug. 1886, 4, t.c.)
ROSLYN ROAD, Fort Rouge, residence for Gerald F. Brophy, 1887 (Winnipeg Sun, 21 July 1887, 4)
ROSLYN ROAD, Fort Rouge, residence for Capt. L.M. Lewis, 1887 (Winnipeg Sun, 21 July 1887, 4)
BROADWAY, residence for John F. Caldwel, 1887 (Winnipeg Sun, 21 July 1887, 4)
CAMERON BLOCK, Main Street near Portage Avenue, for A.J. Cameron, 1887 (Winnipeg Sun, 21 July 1887, 4)
EDMONTON STREET, pair of semi-detached houses for W.F. Doll, 1887 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 30 July 1887, 4, t.c.)
WINNIPEG GENERAL HOSPITAL, McDermot Avenue, new Training School, 1888 (Winnipeg Sun, 28 April 1888)
ELSEWHERE
BRANDON, MAN., Crystal Palace, at the Exhibition Grounds, 1883; destroyed during a storm in 1904 (Manitoba, Display Building Number Two, Brandon, 9, illus.)
BRANDON, MAN., Court House, 1883 (Brandon Mail, 4 Oct. 1883, 8, descrip.)
BRANDON, MAN., Central Fire Station, Princess Avenue at Seventh Street, 1882-83; demol. 1911 (Manitoba, Brandon: An Architectural Walking Tour, 1982, illus.)
BRANDON, MAN., commercial block with stores and Masonic Temple, 1883 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 30 July 1883, 3)
BRANDON, MAN., a brick commercial block for Dr. McDiarmid, Rosser Avenue, 1884 (Brandon Daily Sun, 19 March 1884, 8, t.c.)
DALY, MAN., Union School House, 1884; moved one mile to the west, 1893; closed 1951, and later renovated into a private residence (Brandon Daily Sun, 26 March 1884, 4, t.c.; inf. Dr. Gordon Goldsborough, Winnipeg)
SHOAL LAKE, MAN., grain elevator for A.H. Smith, 1886 (Daily Manitoban [Winnipeg], 14 June 1886, 4)
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, MAN., grain elevator, 1887 (Daily Manitoban [Winnipeg], 24 March 1887, 4)
RUSSELL, MAN., Training Home for Boys, for Dr. Barnardo, 1887 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 6 Oct. 1887, 4, detailed descrip.; Manitoba Weekly Free Press, 13 Oct. 1887, 9, detailed descrip.; C.A.B., i, Jan. 1888, 4)
NEEPAWA, MAN., grain elevator, 1888 (C.A.B., i, May 1888, 5)
ST. JEAN BAPTISTE, MAN., grain elevator, 1888 (C.A.B., i, May 1888, 5)
BIRD'S HILL, MAN., Public School, 1888 (Manitoba Sun [Winnipeg], 29 Nov. 1888, 5, t.c.)
DELORAINE, MAN., a church, 1889 (Manitoba Daily Free Press, 10 Aug. 1889, 4, t.c.)
BOISSEVAIN, MAN., bank for Cowan & Cowan, Bankers, 1889 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 17 Aug. 1889, 4; C.A.B., ii, Aug. 1889, 90)
MORDEN, MAN., Commercial Bank, for Mr. Dunsford, 1889 (Manitoba Weekly Free Press, 13 June 1889, 7; Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 17 Aug. 1889, 4; C.A.B., ii, Aug. 1889, 90)
VIRDEN, MAN., Presbyterian Church, 1889 (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 17 Aug. 1889, 4)
(works in Washington State)
SPOKANE, WASH., The Norman Building, a five storey commercial block for Benjamin Norman, Maine Avenue at Mill Street, 1890 (Spokane Falls Daily Chronicle, 4 Aug. 1890, 6, descrip.)
SPOKANE, WASH., a three storey commercial block for Norman Merrill, First Street at Pearl Street, 1890 (Spokane Falls Daily Chronicle, 4 Aug. 1890, 6, descrip.)
SPOKANE, WASH., The Norman Block, a six storey commercial block for Benjamin Norman, Sprague Avenue at Mill Street, 1890 (Spokane Falls Daily Chronicle, 4 Aug. 1890, 6, descrip.)
SPOKANE FALLS, WASH., residence for Chester Glass, Euclid Avenue at Mayfair Street, in Lidgerwood Park, 1890 (Spokane Falls Daily Chronicle, 4 Aug. 1890, 6)
SPOKANE FALLS, WASH., residence for John Hanel, 3rd Avenue, in Lidgerwood Park, 1890 (Spokane Falls Daily Chronicle, 4 Aug. 1890, 6)
SPOKANE, WASH., The Morris Block (later called Seven Gables Block), a three storey block for James Morris, Sprague Avenue at Post Street, 1890 (Spokane Falls Daily Chronicle, 4 Aug. 1890, 6; list of works in obituary, Spokane Daily Chronicle, 21 Sept. 1906, 3)
SPOKANE, WASH, commercial block, Wall Street at Main Avenue, later occupied by Charles M. Fassett Co. Inc. offices and laboratory, c. 1890 (list of works in obituary, Spokane Daily Chronicle, 21 Sept. 1906, 3)
SPOKANE, WASH., St. David's Episcopal Church, Garland Street at Lidgerwood Street, in Lidgerwood Park, 1891 (Spokane Daily Chronicle, 28 May 1891, 8, descrip.)
GENNESSE, WASH., a large grain elevator for the Genesee Farmer's Alliance in eastern Washington State, 1891 (Spokane Daily Chronicle, 31 July 1891, 1; 19 Aug. 1891, 8, descrip.; 20 Aug. 1891, 5)
PALOUSE CITY, WASH, a large grain elevator for the Farmer's Alliance, 1891 (Spokane Daily Chronicle, 31 July 1891, 1; 19 Aug. 1891, 8, descrip.)
SPOKANE FALLS, WASH., residence for Arthur T. Timewell, Architect, Bridgeport Avenue, in Lidgerwood Park, 1891 (Spokane Daily Chronicle, 23 Nov. 1891, 3, advert.; 28 April 1892, 7)
COMPETITIONS
TORONTO, ONT., City Hall & Court House, 1885. During the first round of this civic competition, Timewell competed against nearly 50 other architects from the United States and Canada for this important public building (Globe [Toronto], 16 March 1886, 8, list of competitors). All the entries were later set aside and a second competition of seven finalists was called in late 1886. Timewell complained publicly about the mismanagement of the first round and the flawed judging process, and threatened to sue the City if he was not compensated for his plans. The eventual winner of the second competition was Edward J. Lennox.
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, MAN., Home for Incurables, 1889. Timewell was one of several architects who submitted plans for this institution. The juror Hugh McCowan found his design to be lacking, although it appeared to be 'a well-balanced symmetrical plan, with the elevation pleasing and homelike, indicating comfort and retirement, but the interior planning is not altogether satisfactory' (MPA, RG18, A2, Box 7). The commission was later awarded to Charles H. Wheeler
SPOKANE, WASH., Exposition Building, 1890. At least three local architects from Spokane exhibited their plans for a new exposition building in 1890 (Spokane Falls Review, 31 May 1890, 5). It is unclear who won the competition.