Memorable Manitobans: Frank Robert Evans (1865-1949)

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Frank Robert Evans
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Architect.

Born in North Wales on 13 November 1865, son of Robert Evans and Eleanor Nye, he attended Dulwich College of England then Dublin University, graduating with an Arts degree from the latter in 1884. He then went to London and studied architecture with his father, working with him until 1888 when he emigrated to Canada and settled first at Winnipeg then at Regina, Saskatchewan. In 1901 he returned to Winnipeg and established an architectural practice with offices on Pacific Avenue. He retired in 1934.

On 28 May 1894, he married Margaret Hamilton (1869-1948) at Regina, Saskatchewan. They had five children: Victor Hamilton Evans (1895-?), Frank Robert Evans, Eleanor Marion Evans (1898-?), Harold S. Evans (1904-?), and Evelyn Margaret Evans (1907-?). He was a member of the AF & AM (King Edward Lodge), Conservative party, and Presbyterian church.

He died at Brandon on 9 May 1949 and was buried in the Brookside Cemetery.

Some of his architectural works in Manitoba included:

Building

Location

Year

Status

Foley, Lock and Carson Biscuit Company Warehouse

181-189 Market Avenue, Winnipeg

1903

Demolished (?)

Great West Saddlery Factory (addition)

112 Market Avenue, Winnipeg

1903

 

Brydon Chambers

150 Rupert Avenue, Winnipeg

1904

Demolished (?)

Hallonquist Block

402-406 Logan Avenue, Winnipeg

1904

Demolished (1970s)

Leland Hotel (expansion and renovation)

218 William Avenue, Winnipeg

1904

Destroyed by fire (January 1999)

Paulin-Chambers Building (expansion)

311 Ross Avenue, Winnipeg

1904

 

Windsor Hotel (alterations)

649-659 Main Street, Winnipeg

1904

 

Chambers House (John H. Chambers)

Kennedy Street, Winnipeg

1905

 

Elm Creek School No. 812

Elm Creek, RM of Grey

1905

Demolished (?)

Grandview School No. 1065

Grandview

1906

 

Municipal Hall

Sanford, RM of Macdonald

1905

Demolished (?)

Orris Block

305 Elgin Avenue, Winnipeg

1905

Demolished (?)

West Kildonan School No. 8

West Kildonan

1905

Demolished (1953)

Baskerville House (Charles A. Baskerville)

Donald Street, Winnipeg

1906

 

Headingley School No. 9

Headingley

1906

Demolished (?)

Robinson House (expansion) (Reuben Simon Robinson)

157 Rupert Avenue, Winnipeg

1906

Demolished (?)

Shoal Lake School No. 458

Shoal Lake

1906

Demolished (?)

Somerset Block

294 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg

1906

 

Tabernacle Baptist Church

Burrows Avenue at Charles Street, Winnipeg

1906

Demolished (?)

Ackland Wagon Factory Warehouse

Higgins Avenue, Winnipeg

1907

Demolished (?)

Kirkfield Park School (expansion)

3085 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg

1907

Demolished (circa 1949)

McOuat House (Duncan D. McOuat)

Balmoral Place, Winnipeg

1907

 

Stonewall School No. 108

Stonewall

1907

Demolished (1980)

Leslie Storage Warehouse

83 Kate Street, Winnipeg

1909

 

Clement Block

907 Rosser Avenue, Brandon

1910

Demolished (1989)

Darlingford Consolidated School

Darlingford, RM of Pembina

1910

 

Johnstone Block

209-215 Pacific Avenue, Winnipeg

1910

 

Municipal Hall

RM of St. Andrews

1910

Demolished (?)

Paulin-Chambers Biscuit Company Warehouse

Ross Avenue, Winnipeg

1910

 

Aikins House (Gordon H. Aikins)

69 Langside Street, Winnipeg

1911

Demolished (?)

Enright Block

189 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg

1911

 

McKerchar Block (addition)

600-602 Main Street, Winnipeg

1911

 

Kilmarnock Apartments

459 Balmoral Street, Winnipeg

1913

Demolished (?)

Long House

111 Middle Gate, Winnipeg

1913

 

Portage Masonic Hall

52 Tupper Street South, Portage la Prairie

1913

 

Royal George Hotel

123 Regent Avenue West, Winnipeg

1913

 

Sutherland Hotel (expansion)

785 Main Street, Winnipeg

1913

 

Brant Consolidated School No. 1703

Argyle, RM of Rockwood

1914

 

Basswood Consolidated School No. 1252

Basswood, RM of Saskatchewan

1916

Demolished (?)

Victoria School

32 Fifth Street SE, Portage la Prairie

1916

 

Brandon YWCA Building

148 Eleventh Street, Brandon

1917

Demolished (November 2023)

Exchange Hotel

Main Street, Winnipeg

1917

Demolished (?)

Manitoba Gypsum Company Warehouse

St. James Street, Winnipeg

1917

Demolished (?)

R S R Building

11 Martha Street, Winnipeg

1919

 

Gregg Building (addition)

52 Albert Street, Winnipeg

1922

 

Downing House (Miss V. Downing)

Fourth Street, Tuxedo

1926

 

American Hide and Fur Building

150 Pacific Avenue, Winnipeg

1927

 

Maple Leaf School

555 Thornhill Street, Morden

1928

 

Odd Fellows Hall (renovation)

72 Princess Street, Winnipeg

1930

 

Sources:

1901 and 1911 Canada censuses, Automated Genealogy.

“Tenders,” Manitoba Free Press, 29 August 1904, page 10.

“Tenders [Royal George Hotel],” Manitoba Free Press, 24 June 1913, page 2.

The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.

Who's Who and Why, Volumes 6 and 7, 1915-1916, page 626.

“Constructional Activity,” Contract Record and Engineering Review, 22 September 1926, page 49.

Death registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Retired architect F. R. Evans dies,” Winnipeg Free Press, 11 May 1949, page 34.

Winnipeg Building Index.

Johnstone Block (Kuo Min Tang Building), 209 Pacific Avenue, City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings and Resources Committee, May 2019.

Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.

We thank Nathan Kramer, James Kostuchuk, Jordan Makichuk, and Shaun Cameron for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 March 2024

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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