RHIND, James Robert (1853-1918) was born in Inverness, Scotland and trained in the office of his brother John Rhind (1836-1889) in that city. He later went to London and was principal assistant to Isaacs & Florence, Architects, then worked as assistant superintendent for Boulnois & Warner, Architects. He opened an office in London in 1880, but moved to Canada in 1888 and settled in Montreal where he was the 'local architect in charge' of the Royal Victoria Hospital (1890-93), an institutional landmark designed by H. Saxon Snell (Montreal Daily Star, 9 Sept. 1889, 4, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 12 Nov. 1891, 2, descrip.). After completion of this project in 1893 Rhind remained in Montreal until May 1895, then returned to Scotland where he succeeded in obtaining several commissions for Carnegie library buildings in Glasgow in 1903-06. His essay entitled 'The Architect as a Business Man and Artist' appeared in the Canadian Architect & Builder, v, Nov. 1892, 111. Rhind died in Inverness, Scotland on 10 January 1918 (obit. Building News [London], cxiv, 20 Feb. 1918, 155; biog. Montreal: The Metropolis of Canada, 1894, 205; R.I.B.A., Directory of British Architects 1834-1914, 2001, ii, 459; inf. Strathclyde Regional Archives, Glasgow)
MONTREAL, QUE., powerhouse for the Montreal Street Railway, William Street, 1893 (C.R., iv, 27 July 1893, 1, t.c.)
MONTREAL, QUE., powerhouse for the Montreal Street Railway at Cote St. Louis, 1894 (C.R., v, 14 June 1894, 2)
SENNEVILLE, QUE., major addition to house for Arthur E. Abbott, 1894 (dwgs. Nobbs Room, McGill Univ.)
MONTREAL, QUE., exhibition building for the proposed Montreal International Exhibition in 1896 (Gazette [Montreal], 2 May 1895, 3; C.R., vi, 9 May 1895, 2)
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, Maryhill Public Library, 1903 (Builder's Journal & Architectural Engineer [London], xxiv, 28 Nov. 1906, 270, illus.; dwgs. Strathclyde Archives, Glasgow)
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, Hutchesontown District Library, 1904 (Builder's Journal & Architectural Engineer [London], xxiv, 28 Nov. 1906, 270, illus.; dwgs. Strathclyde Archives, Glasgow)
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, Parkhead District Library, 1906 (Builder's Journal & Architectural Engineer [London], xxiv, 22 Aug. 1906, 88; dwgs. Strathclyde Archives, Glasgow)
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, Woodside Public Library, 1905 (Builder's Journal & Architectural Record [London], xxii, 27 Dec. 1905, 8, illus.; dwgs. Strathclyde Archives, Glasgow)
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, Crosshill & Govanhill District Library, 1905 (Builder's Journal & Architectural Record [London], xxiii, 17 Jan. 1906, 33, descrip., with full page Plate illus.; dwgs. Strathclyde Archives, Glasgow)
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, Dennistoun District Library, Craigpark Street, 1905-06 (The Builder [London], xc, 27 Jan. 1906, 99, descrip.; dwgs. Strathclyde Archives, Glasgow)
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, Bridgeton District Library, 1905-06 (The Builder [London], xc, 26 May 1906, 594; dwgs. Strathclyde Archives, Glasgow)
COMPETITIONS
TORONTO, ONT., Board of Trade Building, Yonge Street at Front Street, 1889. Rhind was among eighteen competitors who prepared designs for this office block (C.A.B., ii, April 1889, 42). His scheme was not among the four finalists; the proposal by James & James was eventually built.
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y., Cathedral of St. John The Divine, Amsterdam Avenue at 112th Street, 1890. Rhind was the only Canadian architect to submit a design in this major architectural competition (Montreal Daily Star, 10 April 1890, 6). He prepared a sprawling neoclassical design, but it is uncertain if he was a finalist or a semi-finalist (American Architect & Building News [Boston], xxvii, 22 March 1890, plate illus.; C.A.B., iii, Feb. 1890, plate illus.). Rhind exhibited his architectural drawings for this project at the Montreal Art Association Autumn Exhibition in 1894 (Montreal Daily Star, 5 Oct. 1894, 6, list of exhibitors)
MONTREAL, QUE., Board of Trade Building, 1891. Rhind was one of a group of Canadian architects whose plans were rejected for consideration by the Building Committee who would only accept plans by six invited American architects (Montreal Daily Star, 3 March 1891, 8). Many other Canadian architects strongly objected to being excluded from submitting a design. The winners were Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge of Boston.
MONTREAL, QUE., Protestant Orphan Asylum, Cote des Neiges Road, 1894. Rhind prepared a High Victorian scheme for this project, but it is unclear if his 'premiated design' was ever built (C.A.B., vii, Oct. 1894, 127, descrip. & plate illus.). Rhind exhibited his architectural drawings for this project at the Montreal Art Association Autumn Exhibition in 1894 (Montreal Daily Star, 5 Oct. 1894, 6, list of exhibitors)
MONTREAL, QUE., Masonic Temple 1895. Rhind received Second Prize for his elaborate Victorian design, which he proposed could be executed in brick, rather than the traditional Montreal grey stone (C.A.B., viii, February 1895, plate illus.). Rhind exhibited his architectural drawings for this project at the Montreal Art Association Autumn Exhibition in 1894 (Montreal Daily Star, 5 Oct. 1894, 6, list of exhibitors)
HAMILTON, ONT., Carnegie Library, 1910. Rhind was one of 20 architects from Canada and the United States who submitted a design in this important competition. He was not one of three finalists, and the winners were Stuart Pavey of London, Ont. with Harold E. Shorey and Atwell J. King of Montreal. However, their winning design was rejected because it was mistakenly assumed they were Americans who had submitted their entry from a New York City address. The commission was later awarded to A.W. Peene of Hamilton (inf. Robert Hamilton).
WINNIPEG, MAN., City Hall, 1913. Rhind was one of 39 architects from across Canada who submitted plans in this national competition, but he was not among the five finalists (City of Winnipeg Archives, Council Communications, 1913, Box A169, Item 9741, list of entrants). The winners were Clemesha & Portnall of Regina, but their scheme was never built.