RATTRAY, Alfred Jordan (1875-1941) was born in Toronto and attended Jarvis Collegiate but did not obtain a formal education in architecture. Instead, he gained much of his practical knowledge of the profession by articling with one of Toronto's leading architects E.J. Lennox (in 1892-97), then worked as a draftsman for F.H. Herbert (in 1898-1902). Rattray opened his own office in Toronto in 1904 (C.A.B., xvii, April 1904, 80). He was an active member of the Architecture Eighteen Club and devoted much of his practise to domestic work, often for local builders who then sold their completed buildings to new owners. He also designed two distinctive California-style residences in Port Credit and Scarboro Heights which were inspired by European rather than traditional conservative Canadian models and were described in detail in the local construction periodical called The Contract Record. Rattray retired in 1933 and died at Picton, Ont. on 24 January 1941 (obit. Telegram [Toronto], 25 Jan. 1941, 2; C.R., liv, 5 Feb. 1941, 39; inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects)
(works in Toronto unless noted)
DELAWARE AVENUE, near Dewson Street, residence for L.P. Steward, 1899 (Toronto b.p. 214, 17 Aug. 1899)
MADISON AVENUE, near Dupont Street, residence for Alfred Addison, 1904-05 (Toronto b.p. 48, 16 Nov. 1904)
SPADINA ROAD, near Bernard Avenue, residence for S.J. Graydon, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 217, 23 Jan. 1905)
LOWTHER AVENUE, at Major Street, parsonage for Trinity Methodist Church, 1905 (Toronto b.p. 1582, 25 July 1905)
ROXBOROUGH STREET WEST, near Avenue Road, residence for F.N. Nicholson, 1906 (Toronto b.p. 3547, 23 April 1906)
DUNDONALD STREET, near Yonge Street, residence for F. McMahon, 1906 (Toronto b.p. 4723, 24 July 1906)
MERCHANTS COUNTER CHECK BOOK CO., Camden Avenue at Spadina Avenue, factory, 1906-07 (C.R., xvii, 14 Nov. 1906, 5, t.c.)
AVENUE ROAD, tract of twenty-five houses for Abraham M. Orpen, 1907 (C.R., xvii, 27 Feb. 1907, 8)
SUNLIGHT PARK, two stores and dwellings for Union Trust Co., 1907 (C.R., xviii, 26 June 1907, 6)
ST. GEORGE STREET, near Bernard Avenue, residence for Richard A. Graydon, 1907 (Toronto b.p. 8429, 10 July 1907)
LOWTHER AVENUE, at Major Street, apartment house for W.B. Charlton, 1907 (C.R., xviii, 5 June 1907, 4, t.c.)
BLOOR STREET WEST, at Brunswick Avenue, residence for Dr. Edgar R. Frankish, 1908 (Toronto b.p. 9962, 21 Feb. 1908)
BEDFORD ROAD, near Davenport Road, residence for S.L. Grayson, 1908 (Toronto b.p.11235, 29 May 1908)
DUNVEGAN ROAD, at Heath Street West, residence for W. Delisle Schrieber, 1908 (Toronto b.p. 12700, 28 Sept. 1908)
BURN MEMORIAL HOME FOR WOMEN, College Street, 1909 (Evening Mail [Halifax, N.S.], 20 Feb. 1909, 10)
QUEEN STREET WEST, near Gwynne Avenue, Mission Hall for H.L. Stephens, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 14981, 30 April 1909)
QUEEN STREET WEST, near Soho Street, theatre and amusement hall for Dr. John Shane, 1910 (Toronto b.p. 22970, 30 Aug. 1910)
LOGAN AVENUE, near Withrow Avenue, four houses for Frank Bowden, 1910-11 (Toronto b.p. 24393, 14 Nov. 1910)
WITHROW AVENUE, near Logan Avenue, three houses for Beaver & Sons, 1910-11 (Toronto b.p. 24396, 14 Nov. 1910)
EMPRESS THEATRE, Yonge Street near Gould Street, for Besvinick & Fingerhut, 1910-11 (Toronto b.p. 24583, 23 Nov. 1910)
SUNNYSIDE AVENUE, residence for Charles W. Webb, 1911 (Toronto b.p. 26730, 28 April 1911)
TORONTO ISLAND, water run or water slide at Hanlan's Point, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 33307, 15 April 1912)
HARBORD STREET, at Palmertson Boulevard, apartment block for A.J. Rattray in trust, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 33424, 10 April 1912)
ROWANWOOD AVENUE, near Yonge Street, apartment block for Mr. Ireland, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 33720, 2 May 1912)
PORT CREDIT, ONT., residence for an unnamed client, 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 25 Dec. 1912, 41-2, illus. & descrip.)
SCARBOROUGH HEIGHTS, residence for C.L. Stewart, 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 25 Dec. 1912, 41-2)
QUEEN STREET WEST, near Portland Street, commercial block for H. Franklin, 1913 (Toronto b.p. 3562, 25 April 1913)
YONGE STREET, near Grenville Street, commercial block for F.T. Burgess, 1914 (Toronto b.p. 9930, 27 March 1914)
WINDSOR, ONT., Kenilworth Horse Racing Track, near Little Marais Road and Dougall Road, with grandstand, offices, jockey club house, and stables, 1916 (Evening Record [Windsor], 27 May 1916, 12, descrip.)
NEW TORONTO, Long Branch Race Track, 1924 (C.R., xxxviii, 19 Nov. 1924, 52)
ST. OLAVE'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, Windermere Avenue at Ostend Avenue, 1925 (C.R., xxxix, 25 Feb. 1925, 48)