NELSON, James (1830-1919) was an important figure in the architectural evolution of Montreal in the nineteenth century. His long career spanned more than fifty years, beginning in August 1853 and ending with his retirement in 1908. He practised alone under his own name, and in several partnerships including
Hopkins & Nelson (1853-54) , with John W. Hopkins
Hopkins, Lawford & Nelson (1855-59), with John W. Hopkins and Frederick Lawford
Lawford & Nelson (1860-66), with Frederick Lawford
James Nelson (1867-68)
Nelson & Ballard (1868-69), with Charles T. Ballard
James Nelson (1870-80)
Nelson & Ballard (1881-83), re-establishment of earlier partnership with Charles T. Ballard
Nelson & Clift (1884-Dec. 1890), with Christopher Clift
James Nelson (Jan. 1891-93)
James & H.C. Nelson (1894-98), with his son H. Charles Nelson
James Nelson (1899-1904)
He was born in Belfast, Ireland, son of Thomas Nelson and Elizabeth Nicholson, and was brought to Montreal by his parents in 1840. After receiving his education there he formed a partnership with John W. Hopkins in August 1853 (Montreal Transcript, 30 Aug. 1853, 2) and two years later they invited Frederick Lawford, a talented young designer from London, England, to join them. Their firm can be credited with some of the outstanding examples of Gothic Revival and Renaissance Revival work erected in Canada (see list of works under Hopkins, Lawford & Nelson and under Lawford & Nelson). For more than ten years Nelson collaborated with Lawford, but the untimely death of Lawford in August 1866 brought an end to their partnership, and Nelson continued to work alone or with Charles T. Ballard. During this period he was frequently called upon by the Montreal Building Association to design several of their speculative row housing projects on Cadieux Street, St. Antoine Street, St. George Street, St. Matthew Street, Mansfield Street, St. Famille Street and elsewhere (ANQM, W.F. Lighthall, Notaire, records from 1868 to 1877).
In 1884 Nelson formed a partnership with Christopher Clift; one of their employees was H. Charles Nelson, son of James, who worked in their office as a draftsman. The firm was dissolved on 1 December 1890 (Gazette [Montreal], 4 Dec. 1890, 5, advert.; C.A.B., iv, Feb. 1891, 23) and Nelson worked under his own name until 1894 when his son joined him in a new partnership. That same year Nelson was elected as President of the Province of Quebec Association of Architects and remained active in the profession until 1909 when he moved to Arundel, Que. He died there on 18 February 1919 and was buried at Mount Royal Cemetery (death notice in The Gazette [Montreal], 19 Feb. 1919, 7; biography in H. Morgan, Canadian Men and Women of the Time, 1912, 847). His portrait can be found in the Canadian Architect & Builder, vi, Nov. 1893, 115.
JAMES NELSON (works in Montreal unless noted)
ST. ANTOINE STREET, residence for Henry Millen, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Supplement, 6)
J.C. SPENCE CO., Jurors Street at Bleury Street, major addition to commercial block, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Supplement, 6)
ST. JAMES SQUARE, conversion of building belonging to Mr. Cooper into two dwellings, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Supplement, 1)
DUNDEE CENTRE., QUE., Presbyterian Church [now called Dundee Zion United Church], 1868-69; still standing in 2021 (Gazette [Montreal], 4 July 1868, 2, descrip.)
ST. DENIS STREET, 'adjacent to Trinity Church', residence for Charles Garth, 1870 (Montreal Herald, 28 Nov. 1870, 1, descrip.)
ST. GEORGE STREET, six houses for W.A. Merry, secretary of the Montreal Building Association, 1871 (Evening Star [Montreal], 24 Oct. 1871, 4, t.c.)
METCALFE STREET, three houses for W.A. Merry, 1871 (Evening Star [Montreal], 26 Oct. 1871, 4, t.c.)
SHERBROOKE, QUE., Eastern Townships Bank, Dufferin Street, 1874-76 (Gazette [Montreal], 31 March 1874, 2, t.c.; 1 Feb. 1877, 1, descrip.; C. Cameron & J. Wright, Second Empire Style in Canadian Architecture, 1980, 102-05; Susan Wagg, 'The Eastern Townships Bank: An Architectural History' in Journal of Eastern Townships Studies, No. 10, Spring 1997, 55-70, illus. & descrip.)
METCALFE STREET, row of 4 houses for the Montreal Building Association, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 1, descrip.)
METCALFE STREET, school and private residence for Mr. Haight, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 1, descrip.)
MANSFIELD STREET, between Ste. Catherine Street West and Burnside Street, row of 5 houses for the Montreal Building Association, and, on the opposite side of the street, 6 houses for the same client, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 1, descrip.)
MANCE STREET, a terrace of 34 brick houses, for the Montreal Building Association, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 1, descrip.)
FORT STREET, a terrace of 4 brick houses, "...a continuation of the terrace already built", likely for the Montreal Building Association, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 1, descrip.)
DORCHESTER STREET WEST, "on the Ogilvie property", four pairs of double houses, for the Montreal Building Association, 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1875, 1, descrip.)
DOUGLAS METHODIST CHURCH, Ste. Catherine Street West, 1875-76 (Gazette [Montreal], 23 Aug. 1875, 2, descrip.; Christian Guardian, 16 Feb. 1876, 54, descrip.)
UPPER BLEURY STREET, a row of 6 brick dwellings, for the Montreal Building Association, 1876 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1876, 1, descrip.)
DORCHESTER STREET WEST, a row of 4 houses, for the Montreal Building Association, 1876 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1876, 1, descrip.)
EMERY STREET, two double tenements, in brick, for the Montreal Building Associiation, 1876 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1876, 1, descrip.)
STE.CATHERINE STREET WEST, two large houses with stone fronts, for R.W. Gale, 1876 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1876, 1, descrip.)
ST. MARK STREET, at Tupper Street, residence for H. Esson Irvine, 1876 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1876, 1, descrip.)
CANNING STREET, at St. Bonaventure Street, 4 brick houses for Alex Holmes, 1876 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1876, 1, descrip.)
ST. FAMILLE STREET, two stone houses for Henry Millen, 1876 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1876, 1, descrip.)
MANCE STREET, two stone houses for Henry Millen, 1876 (Evening Star [Montreal], 20 April 1876, 1, descrip.)
MOUNT ROYAL PARK, a Refectory, 1876 (Gazette [Montreal], 5 June 1876, 3, t.c.)
LENNOXVILLE, QUE., rebuilding of Bishop's College after a fire, 1877-78 (inf. from Bishop's College, Trustees Minute Book, 24 Oct. 1877, 42)
ST. JUDE'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, Vinet Street at Coursol Street, begun in 1877 by Mann & Goodwin; completed 1878-79 by James Nelson (Evening Star [Montreal], 12 Oct. 1877, 2, descrip.; and 7 April 1879, 3, descrip.; Canadian Illustrated News, xvi, 17 Nov. 1877, 307, 316, illus. & descrip.; Montreal, Les Eglises, 1981, 296-99)
ST. MARK STREET, residence for the architect James Nelson, with 2 new houses adjacent, which "....correspond in external appearance" to his own house, 1879 (Evening Star [Montreal], 5 Sept. 1879, 3)
NELSON & BALLARD
ST. PAUL'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Dorchester Street West at St. Monique Street, addition of a bell tower, 1881; church dismantled in 1930 and rebuilt in 1931 at St. Lawrence College (Gazette [Montreal], 22 Dec. 1881, 3, descrip.)
FRENCH BAPTIST CHURCH, Mance Street, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5)
MONTREAL GAS CO., Ottawa Street, addition of a new floor above existing block, and other alterations, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5)
SAM DAVIS & SONS, McGill Street, a large block of warehouses for Jesse Joseph, running back to Grey Nun Street, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5, descrip.)
MANSFIELD STREET, residence for Thomas L. McConkey, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5)
SHUTER STREET, two houses for Henry Millen, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5)
TUPPER STREET, two houses for Henry Millen, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5)
DRUMMOND STREET, between Sherbrooke Street West and Ste. Catherine Street West, large residence for Henry Millen, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5)
DORCHESTER STREET WEST, near Drummond Street, extensive alterations to house for Edmund H. Botterell, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5)
LONGUE POINTE, complete rebuilding of a house, for Robert Hampson, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5)
POST OFFICE, CUSTOM HOUSE & EXAMINING WAREHOUSE, extensive interior alterations, begun by Nelson & Ballard in 1883; completed by Nelson & Clift in 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5, descrip.; 8 August 1883, 5, extensive descrip.; 2 May 1884, 5, extensive description)
COTE STE. ANTOINE, residence for William Simpson, Manager of Bank of Commerce, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5)
MACKAY STREET, three houses for Thomas L. McConkey, 1883 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 July 1883, 5)
NELSON & CLIFT
ST. LAMBERT, QUE., St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Lorne Avenue, 1884-86 (Gazette [Montreal], 10 Nov. 1884, 3; and 12 Jan. 1887, 2; Montreal Daily Star, 10 Nov. 1884, 3; and 19 July 1886, 4, descrip.; South Shore Press [St. Lambert], 9 Jan. 1930, 6, illus.)
UPPER PEEL STREET, north of Sherbrooke Street West, two houses for William Denoon, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 2 May 1884, 5, descrip.)
KING STREET, warehouse for the Estate of H.B. Smith, to be occupied by George Reaves, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 2 May 1884, 5, descrip.)
SAVAGE & LYMAN'S SHOP, St. James Street, rebuilding of the rear portion after a fire in early 1884, and now occupied by F.W. Mount at Temperance Dining Rooms, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 2 May 1884, 5)
ST. PETER STREET, at Hospital Street, reconstruction of the building for Estate of S. Evans, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 2 May 1884, 5)
SHERBROOKE STREET EAST, at St. Hubert Street, large residence for Alderman Raymond Prefontaine, 1884 (Gazette [Montreal], 2 May 1884, 5)
ST. GABRIEL LOCKS, factory for the John Smith Estate, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
PEEL STREET, north of Sherbrooke Street West, four houses for William Denoon, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
PEEL STREET, north of Sherbrooke Street West, residence for J.A. Gillespie, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
PEEL STREET, north of Sherbrooke Street West, pair of houses for Robert Hampson, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
PEEL STREET, south of Sherbrooke Street West, residence for Richard J. Tooke, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
UNIVERSITY STREET, south of Sherbrooke Street West, two houses for William Denoon, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
SHERBROOKE STREET WEST, two tenements for the Charles Huston Estate, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
DALHOUSIE STREET, tenement for E.G. Penny, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
MACKAY STREET, near Dorchester Street West, four houses for Henry Millen, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
MACKAY STREET, north of St. Catherine Street West, two houses for T.L. McConkey, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
ST. HUBERT STREET, north of Sherbrooke Street West, two houses for John Millen, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
SHUTER STREET, near Prince Arthur Street, three houses for Henry Millen, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
STE. CATHERINE STREET WEST, at Metcalfe Street, store on Ste. Catherine Street West with residence facing Metcalfe Street for B.A. Boas, 1886 (Montreal Daily Star, 1 Sept. 1886, 3; Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
MILLER BROS. & CO., Dowd Street, factory, 1886; addition, 1890 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2; C.R., i, 13 Sept. 1890, 2)
ELM AVENUE, near Ste. Catherine Street West, residence for Mrs. Eveleigh, and two houses for J.W. Shotton, 1887 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
ST. MARK STREET, at Baile Street, pair of houses for Thomas Shaughnessy and Charles Drinkwater of the C.P.R., adapted from plans prepared by Thomas Sorby, 1886; both houses demol. c. 1970 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
ST. LAMBERT, QUE., residence for James Bourne, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
SHERBROOKE, QUE., Public Library and Museum, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
LENNOXVILLE, QUE., addition of the Bishop Williams Wing to the School, 1886 (Gazette [Montreal], 12 Jan. 1887, 2)
DOUGLAS METHODIST CHURCH, Ste. Catherine Street West at Chomedey Street, a larger church building erected beside the smaller church designed by James Nelson in 1875-76, now converted into a Sunday School, 1889-90 (Gazette [Montreal], 2 Sept. 1889, 7, illus. & descrip.; 30 Aug. 1890, 5, descrip.)
DUROCHER STREET, residence for Karl l. Weber, 1890 (C.R., i, 24 May 1890, 3, t.c.)
JAMES NELSON
HUTCHISON STREET, two houses for E. Heuser, 1891 (C.R., ii, 11 April 1891, 2)
LONGUEUIL, QUE., rectory for St. Mark's Anglican Church, St. Charles Street, 1891 (C.R., ii, 1 Aug. 1891, 2)
J. & H.C. NELSON
STANLEY STREET, residence for James A. Gillespie, 1894 (C.R., v, 11 March 1894, 2, t.c.; C.A.B., viii, Jan. 1895, 9; L. Maitland, The Queen Anne Revival Style in Canadian Architecture, 1990, 160, illus.)
ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE ANGLICAN CHURCH, Ste. Catherine Street West at Bishop Street, new transept and Sunday School, 1895 (C.R., vi, 30 May 1895, 4)
LAVAL AVENUE, residence for Joseph Levy, 1896 (C.R., vii, 2 April 1896, 3; C.A.B., ix, Nov. 1896, illus. plate; Montreal, Les Residences, 1987, 593-5, illus.)
STE. ANNE DE BELLEVUE, QUE., summer house for John B. Abbott, Senneville Road, 1897 (C.R., viii, 3 June 1897, 4; Montreal, Les Residences, 1987, 4-7, illus.)
JAMES NELSON
ANGLICAN SYNOD HALL, University Street, extensive interior alterations, with addition of a residence for the Secretary, on Berthelot Street, 1899-1900 (C.R., x, 29 Nov. 1899, 3; Montreal Daily Star, 30 Aug. 1900, 9, descrip.)
AYLMER STREET, at Berthelot Street, block of buildings to be used as flats for the Anglican Synod, 1899 (C.R., x, 29 Nov. 1899, 3)