Read, Charles James

READ, Charles James (1870-1920) was active in Toronto where he trained with Joseph Connolly (in 1892-94) and took particular interest in ecclesiastical design. In 1890 he received First Prize in the Toronto Architectural Guild Competition for 'A Country Church in the Late Decorated Style' (C.A.B., iii, May 1890, 53). From 1899 to 1905 he was employed as a draftsman with The Metallic Roofing Co., one of the largest fabricators of architectural metalwork in Toronto. He then worked as assistant to Arthur W. Holmes (in 1906-07) and in 1908 commenced practise under his own name. The following year he accepted the appointment of Architect to the Roman Catholic Separate School Board and can be credited with the design of many Separate schools in the city between 1910 and 1920. He died in Milford, Mass. on 12 July 1920 while on a family visit and was buried at Springfield, Mass. (obit. Telegram [Toronto], 13 July 1920, 13). The commissions which Read had begun in 1920 were completed by J.M. Cowan who succeeded him as Catholic School Board architect.

(works in Toronto unless noted)

ST. FRANCIS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Arthur Street at Grace Street, 1902-03 (Toronto b.p. 174, 18 July 1902; Catholic Register [Toronto], 11 June 103, 1; J.R. Robertson, Landmarks of Toronto, 1904, iv, 594, illus. & descrip.)
ROWANWOOD AVENUE, near Yonge Street, residence for Michael O'Leary, 1908 (Toronto b.p. 11753, 9 July 1908)
PALMERSTON BOULEVARD, near College Street, residence for William W. Digby, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 14410, 27 March 1909)
ST. JOHN'S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Kingston Road near Walter Street, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 17007, 24 Aug. 1909)
ST. CLARE'S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, St. Clair Avenue West near Dufferin Street, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 17146, 3 Sept. 1909)
SHEA'S THEATRE, Victoria Street at Richmond Street East, 1910; demol. (C.R., xxiv, 7 Dec. 1910, 76, illus.)
MUSICIAN'S TEMPLE, University Avenue, for the Toronto Musical Protective Union, 1911 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 22 April 1911, 20)
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, Sherbourne Street at Linden Street, addition for a clubhouse, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 14 June 1911, 59; Toronto b.p. 30453, 22 Sept. 1911)
HOLY FAMILY ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Close Avenue near King Street West, 1911 (Toronto b.p 29714, 19 Aug. 1911)
ST. ANTHONY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Gladstone Avenue, 1911 (Toronto b.p. 30021, 24 Aug. 1911)
ST. JOSEPH'S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Leslie Street near Queen Street East, major addition, 1912; demol. (Toronto b.p. 33623, 26 April 1912)
HOLY NAME ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Carlaw Avenue near Danforth Avenue, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 34429, 31 May 1912)
W.E. DILLON CO., George Street near Shuter Street, factory, 1913; demol. (dwgs. City of Toronto Building Records Dept.)
YORK THEATRE, Yonge Street near Bloor Street, for Charles Dunning, 1913 (Toronto b.p. 5413, 28 June 1913; Const., viii, April 1915, 155, illus.)
HIGH PARK ROAD, near Sunnyside Avenue, residence for C.J. Read in trust, 1913-14 (Toronto b.p. 7961, 10 Nov. 1913)
ST. PAUL'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, parish hall and club house, Queen Street East at Tracy Street, 1914-15 (Toronto b.p. 12391, 11 June 1914; E. Kelly, Story of St. Paul's Parish, Toronto, 1922, 188, 192, illus.)
ST. HELEN'S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Brock Avenue at College Street, 1914 (Toronto b.p. 9553, 12 March 1914; dwgs. City of Toronto Building Records Dept.)
ST. CECILIA'S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Evelyn Avenue near Annette Street, 1914 (Toronto b.p. 9552, 12 March 1914)
(with Leon Lempert) SHEA'S HIPPODROME THEATRE, Bay Street at Terauley Street, 1915; demol. (Const., viii, April 1915, 144-50, illus. & descrip.)
(with C. Howard Crane) PRINCESS THEATRE, King Street West near York Street, 1916; demol. (C.R., xxx, 2 Feb. 1916, 43, t.c.; Const., xi, Feb. 1918, 63-7, illus. & descrip.)
ST. MONICA'S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Broadway Avenue near Yonge Street, 1916 (C.R., xxx, 5 Jan. 1916, t.c.; 15 March 1916; Const. ix, May 1916, t.c.; inf. Scott Edwards)
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Roncesvalles Avenue at Westminster Avenue, 1917 (Toronto b.p. 12837, 26 June 1917)
AUGUSTA, ONT., (3 miles east of Brockville), a Roman Catholic College for the Redemptorist Fathers, 1919 (Daily Standard [Kingston], 22 July 1919, 9)
ST. PATRICK'S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Beverly Street, 1920 (C.R., xxxiv, 3 March 1920, 59, t.c.)
EDGEWOOD AVENUE ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, 1920 (list of works in obituary)