MANN, Eric (1848-1929) was born in Edinburgh on 18 August 1848 and educated at the Royal High School there. He served his apprenticeship with Sir David Bryce who, more than any other figure in nineteenth century British architecture, was responsible for the development of the Scottish Baronial style. After his marriage to Agnes M. Baily of Edinburgh in 1873 Mann emigrated to Canada and opened his own office in Montreal during the following year. Few references to his work during the first decade of his practice can be found, but by 1890 he was frequently sought after for designs of stone-faced blocks of row housing and industrial buildings in downtown Montreal and in the outlying suburbs.
Mann possessed a scholarly knowledge of architectural history and wrote a lengthy essay on the subject entitled 'Classic Architecture in Relation to Detail, with a few notes on Construction in Building' (C.A.B., v, Oct. 1892, 104). His 'Design for a Baronial Mansion', published in 1893, was a faithful interpretation of the Scottish Baronial style but one which was far too ambitious and costly if it had been intended for one of his Montreal clients (C.A.B., vi, June 1893, illus. plate). He was one of the founding members of the Province of Quebec Association of Architects in 1890 and, with Sir George Drummond, started the Royal Montreal Golf Club. Mann retired from practice in 1910 and returned to Scotland but then moved back to Montreal in 1920. He died there on 26 September 1929 (obituary in The Gazette [Montreal], 27 Sept. 1929, 2; obituary and port. in the Montreal Star, 27 Sept. 1929, 11; obituary in the R.A.I.C. Journal, vi, Oct. 1929, xxxii; biography and port. in The Montreal Board of Trade Souvenir, 1893, 160). A photographic portrait of Eric Mann can be found in the Notman Archive, McCord Museum, Acc. 100498.
ERIC MANN (Residential works in Montreal)
LOWER UNIVERSITY STREET, residence for William Denoon, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 2, descrip.)
MAPLE AVENUE, east of St. Denis Street, cottage for A.M. Weston, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 2, descrip.)
COTEAU ST. PIERRE, on the Monkland property, cottage for an unnamed client, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 2, descrip.)
WESTMOUNT, a group of 4 houses, two facing onto Clarke Avenue, and two facing onto Olivier Street, for an unnamed client, 1878-79 (Evening Star [Montreal], 12 Dec. 1878, 2, descrip.)
METCALFE STREET, near Sherbrooke Street West, a large residence for Andrew Burns, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2, descrip.)
ST. MARK STREET, at Dorchester Street West, a large three storey villa for James W. Tester, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 5 May 1884, 7, descrip.)
LATOUR STREET, residence for A. McLean, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 5 May 1884, 7)
DORCHESTER STREET WEST, opposite St. Mark Street, pair of houses for James W. Tester, 1884-85 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1885, 2, descrip.)
DORCHESTER STREET WEST, at Sussex Street, row of four houses for John W. Shotton, 1884-85 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1885, 2)
MANSFIELD STREET, major additions and alterations to residence for Dr. Thomas Nichol, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1885, 2)
BUSBY STREET, residence for D. McLean, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1885, 2)
CAMPEAU STREET, at Rousseau Street, a four storey block of 12 tenement flats, for Daniel Hatton, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 7 Aug. 1886, 5, descrip.; 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
STE. CATHERINE STREET WEST, opposite the Shamrock Lacrosse Club grounds, a row of three houses for Henry Morton, 1886 (Montreal Daily Star, 1 Sept. 1886, 3; Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
STE. CATHERINE STREET WEST, at McGill College Avenue, four stores with dwellings above, for Dr. Godfrey, 1886 (Montreal Daily Star, 1 Seot. 1886, 3)
McGILL COLLEGE AVENUE, block of three row houses with 'each house containing about ten apartments', for an unidentified client, 1886-87 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
ST. PHILLIPE STREET, row of three houses for George Wait, 1886-87 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
SHERBROOKE STREET WEST, near Peel Street, two houses for Mrs. Samuel Wadell, 1887-88 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2, descrip.)
SHERBROOK STREET WEST, near Durocher Street, two tenements for Mrs. J. Newman, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6)
ARGYLE AVENUE, in Cote St. Antoine, residence for Rev. J.H. Newnham, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6; Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2, descrip.)
MOUNTAIN STREET, near Sherbrooke Street West, major addition and remodelling of residence for Henry Morton, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6)
SHERBROOKE STREET EAST, at St. Hubert Street, a block of 14 houses for Daniel Hatton, 1888 (Montreal Daily Star, 6 April 1888, 4, t.c.; 21 April 1888, 5, detailed descrip.)
CRESCENT STREET, residence for George Wait, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
CRESCENT STREET, pair of houses for J. and J.W. Palmer, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
ST. DENIS STREET, at Rachel Street, block of seven flats for Daniel Hatton, 1889 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
ST. CHARLES BORROMEE STREET, row of five houses for Dr. James A. Bazin and row of three houses for J.N. Greenshields, 1889 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2; 3 Jan. 1890, 7)
ALBINA STREET, tenement building for Alderman Joseph Brunet, 1889-90 (Gazette [Montreal], 3 Jan. 1890, 7)
PINE STREET, opposite Park Avenue, row of six houses for William H. Knight, 1890 (C.R., i, 30 Aug. 1890, 1)
GREEN AVENUE, residence for Mrs. M. Popham, 1890 (C.R., i, 13 Dec. 1890, 2)
ST. MATTHEW STREET, residence for F.E. Phelan, 1890 (C.R., i, 13 Dec. 1890, 2)
ST. DENIS STREET, three houses for Mrs. Girard, 1892 (C.R., iii, 15 Oct. 1892, 2)
UNION AVENUE, two houses for D.A. McCaskill, 1892-93 (Le Prix Courant, xi, 2 Dec. 1892, 11)
ST. CHARLES BORROMEE STREET, row of six houses for Joseph Mulholland, 1892-93 (Le Prix Courant, xi, 2 Dec. 1892, 11)
EMILE STREET, two houses for T.A. McRae, 1892-93 (Le Prix Courant, xi, 2 Dec. 1892, 11)
FORT STREET, residence for James K. Strachan, 1894 (C.R., v, 14 June 1894, 2; Montreal Star, 3 Nov. 1894, 8)
CONCORD STREET, row of five houses for Thomas Sonne, 1894 (Montreal Star, 3 Nov. 1894, 8)
CADIEUX STREET, tenement for R. Keough, 1896 (C.R., vii, 4 June 1896, 3)
ALBERT STREET, at Cote St. Antoine Road, two houses for Robert B. Hutcheson and F.W. Hibbard, 1896 (C.R., vii, 8 Oct. 1896, 3)
DROLET STREET, residence for George C. Denman, 1897 (C.R., viii, 5 Aug. 1897, 3, t.c.)
MANSFIELD STREET, residence for Timothy Starr, 1898 (C.R., ix, 10 Feb. 1898, 4)
WESTMOUNT, residence for Charles N. Blakley, 1898 (C.R., ix, 9 Nov. 1898, 3)
MONTREAL WEST, 'Highcroft', a residence on West Avenue for C.J.W. Davies, 1906 (Le Prix Courant, Week No. 17, 1906, 44-5)
PINE AVENUE WEST, at Cadieux Street, apartment house for David Sperber, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 6 Jan. 1909, 21)
ERIC MANN (Institutional & Ecclesiastical works in Montreal)
GUY STREET POLICE & FIRE STATION, winning plans submitted by Eric Mann in a competition, and presumably built as described, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 2, descrip.)
DALHOUSIE SQUARE POLICE & FIRE STATION, 1882 (Gazette [Montreal], 1 May 1882, 3; City of Montreal, 1882, Annual Report of the City Treasurer, cash disbursements and payment of fees of $286.45 to Eric Mann; inf. Yves Guillet, Montreal)
DALHOUSIE SQUARE, Fire Hall, 1882 (Gazette [Montreal], 22 Feb. 1882, 3; 17 July 1882, 3, descrip.)
ST. PAUL'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Dorchester Street at Ste. Monique Street, residence for the caretaker, 1886; memorial window for John Hope, 1900 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2; C.A.B., xiii, Jan. 1900, 7)
MONTREAL THISTLE CURLING CLUB, St. Monique Street, extensive alterations, 1887 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6; Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2, descrip.)
POLICE STATION NO. 5, for St. Lawrence Ward, Chenneville Street, north of Lagauchetiere Street, 1893 (C.R., iv, 16 March 1893, 2; Montreal Daily Star, 6 May 1893, 7, illus. & descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 6 Jan. 1894, 6)
(with Perrault & Mesnard) ST. ANTOINE MARKET, Mountain Street at St. James Street, reconstruction of a portion of the market damaged by fire, 1894 (Gazette [Montreal], 20 June 1894, 2; Montreal Star, 3 Nov. 1894, 8; C.A.B., viii, Jan. 1895, 8)
(with Perrault & Mesnard) MONTREAL, two isolation hospitals for contagious disease patients, for Catholic and Protestant groups, 1894-95 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 June 1894, 6, descrip.; C.R., v, 24 May 1894, 2; C.A.B., viii, Nov. 1895, 131)
(with Maurice Perrault) CIVIC HOSPITAL, 1900 (Montreal Daily Star, 15 April 1899, 22, plans accepted)
CHAURA KADISHA JEWISH SYNAGOGUE, St. Urbain Street near Ste. Catherine Street West, 1902 (Le Prix Courant, xxxiv, 18 July 1902, 42; Gazette [Montreal], 2 Aug. 1902, 9, descrip.)
B'NAI JACOB JEWISH SYNAGOGUE, Cadieux Street, major addition and alterations, 1902 (Montreal Daily Star, 24 March 1902, 5, t.c.; C.R., xiii, 20 Aug. 1902, 3)
MONTREAL DISPENSARY, Inspector Street at St. Antoine Street, 1907 (Le Prix Courant, Week No. 17, 1907, 60)
ERIC MANN (Commercial and Industrial works in Montreal)
VICTORIA SQUARE, a five storey warehouse, to be added to existing block for Evans Bros., and occupied by Linton, Popham & Co., and J.W. Mackenzie & Co., 1881-82 (Evening Star [Montreal], 4 Feb. 1881, 1, descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 17 July 1882, 3, descrip.)
MANSFIELD STREET, additions and alterations to commercial block owned by Alderman Thomas D. Hood, 1882 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 July 1882, 3)
MILLS & HUTCHISON LTD., Victoria Square at Craig Street, a five storey wholesale warehouse, 1883-84 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2, descrip.; 5 May 1884, 7, descrip.)
J.W. MacKEDIE & CO., Victoria Square, a warehouse "...adjoining the building for Mills & Hutchison", 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2, descrip.)
CANADA SAW WORKS LTD., William Street at Dalhousie Street, a four storey warehouse for James Robertson, with frontage on both streets, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 July 1883, 2, descrip.)
MONTREAL COFFEE HOUSE ASSOCIATION, St. Paul Street at Dalhousie Square, major addition and alterations to the old " Dew Drop Inn" hotel, for the Association, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 26 April 1884, 5, descrip.; 5 May 1884, 7)
WILSON, PATERSON & CO., Young Street at Smith Street, office and warehouses, 1886-87 (Montreal Daily Star, 8 Sept. 1887, 6; Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
R.C. JAMIESON & CO., St. Patrick Street, warehouse and office, 1887 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1887, 2)
WILSON, PATERSON & CO., Young Street, Murray Street and Smith Street, several warehouses, 1887 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2)
ST. URBAIN STREET, bakery for James M. Aird, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1888, 2)
STARR & KINSELLA, Mansfield Street, livery and boarding stables, 1888 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
EVANS & SON LTD., St. Jean Baptiste Street, major addition to warehouse, 1889 (Gazette [Montreal], 17 Jan. 1889, 2)
VICTORIA SQUARE, at Craig Street, reconstruction of the Evans Block, 1892 (C.R., iii, 12 March 1892, 2)
ST. DENIS STREET, two stores and dwellings for Olivier Robert, 1892 (C.R., iii, 15 Oct. 1892, 2)
COMMON STREET, stores and dwellings for George Bury, 1894 (C.R., v, 4 Oct. 1894, 2; Montreal Star, 3 Nov. 1894, 8)
McCASKILL, DOUGALL & CO., St. Patrick Street at Manufacturers Street, factory and warehouse, 1895 (C.R., vi, 2 May 1895, 3, t.c.)
DOMINION COLD STORAGE CO., Mill Street, warehouse, 1895 (C.R., vi, 27 June 1895, 1 and 2, t.c.)
VICTORIA SQUARE, at St. James Street, warehouse for Alex MacDonald, 1895 (C.R., vi, 7 Nov. 1895, 3)
NOTRE DAME STREET EAST, at Woodyard Street, store and house for Camile Coderre, 1896 (Le Prix Courant, xviii, 29 May 1896, 624)
McCASKILL, DOUGALL & CO., St. Patrick Street, factory, 1896 (Le Prix Courant, xix, 18 Sept. 1896, 126)
JAMES CORISTINE & CO., St. Paul Street, factory, 1896 (C.R., vii, 29 Oct. 1896, 2, t.c.)
STE. CATHERINE STREET WEST, between Drummond Street and Mountain Street, row of five stores for E. Lincoln Pacaud, 1900 (C.R., xi, 28 March 1900, 2)
ST. LAURENT STREET, near Mount Royal Avenue, two stores and two houses for David Sperber, 1901 (Le Prix Courant, xxxi, 17 May 1901, 770)
VICTORIA SQUARE, at Jurors Street, warehouse for Timothy Starr, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 19 March 1902, 5)
CROKER & BOUCHER, at No. 18 O'Connell Street, rebuilding of a factory, 1905-06 (Montreal Daily Star, 1 Dec. 1905, 7; Le Prix Courant, Week No. 10, 1906, 44)
STE. HELENE STREET, reconstruction of a warehouse for A. Rudolph, 1907 (Le Prix Courant, Week No. 11, 1907, 42)
JOHN D. IVEY CO., Notre Dame Street West, office block, 1909 (Montreal Star, 6 Feb. 1909, 28, illus. & descrip.)
ERIC MANN (works elsewhere in Quebec)
TROIS RIVIERES, QUE., residence for A. Balcer, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1885, 2)
POINTE CLAIRE, QUE., villa for W.E. Shaw, 1884-85 (Gazette [Montreal], 13 Jan. 1885, 2)
HEMMINGFORD, QUE., Methodist Church, 1890 (C.A.B., iii, Nov. 1890, 127; E. Phelps, Anniversary History of the Hemmingford St. Andrew's Wesley-Knox Pastoral Charge, 1964, 23, 27, illus.)
GRANDE LIGNE, QUE., the Feller Institute, 1890 (Gazette [Montreal], 10 Oct. 1890, 5, descrip.; C.A.B., iii, Nov. 1890, 127)
LACOLLE, QUE., major additions to the Methodist Church, 1890 (C.A.B., iii, Nov. 1890, 127)
VAUDREUIL, QUE., summer residence for Michael S. Foley, 1896 (C.R., vii, 4 June 1896, 2)
HUNTINGDON, QUE., several buildings for Truro Condensed Milk Co., 1903 (Le Prix Courant, xxxv, 6 Feb. 1903, 42)
POINTE CLAIRE, QUE., clubhouse for the Beaconsfield Golf Club, 1904 (Le Prix Courant, Week No. 21, 1904, 38)
COMPETITIONS
GUY STREET POLICE & FIRE STATION, plans submitted by Eric Mann in a competition, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 2, descrip.)