The previous post (Dominion United Church) has prompted a request for more on architect H.H. Horsey. He designed public and private buildings all over Eastern Ontario from Belleville to Pembroke and here are a few.
The earliest known Horsey work in Ottawa is the Carleton County Goal (1860-61) on Daly Avenue. It appears to be one of only three surviving Horsey buildings in Ottawa.
Henry Hodge Horsey (1830-1911) was a prolific and well-connected architect active in the middle decades of the nineteenth century - as evidenced by his landing this major public works job at such a young age.
A while back someone asked if I had pictures of the Carleton County Goal's gallows. No pictures so far, but if you enlarge this Fire Insurance Atlas plate you'll see that behind the jail there's a 'Gallow's Yard', surrounded by a 20-foot high stone wall.
Here's another view of Horsey's most important civic work, the Ottawa City Hall.
Horsey designed several churches, including the Congregational Church (1862) at Elgin and Albert Streets, with its spectacular vaulted ceiling.
The church was modified after a fire in 1888, and after another fire in 1911 the congregation rebuilt at Kent and Florence Street - reinstalling the old cornerstone.
Horsey's 'Chapel Court' (1864) at Daly and Chapel was designed for George-Edouard Desbarats, the Queen's Printer. Despite threats, after the assassination of his friend Thomas Darcy McGee Desbarats placed a plaque on his Sparks Street printing works which was promptly burned by alleged Fenians. The Desbarats sold their house to Sanford Fleming for $10,000 and left town. Fleming re-named it 'Winterholme' and although much altered by later additions it's still there.
The George Perley House (1875, with Sheard) stood at Wellington and Bay Streets. It was demolished after 1912 for future federal buildings, but the stone fence remained until the 1940s. Horsey designed houses for other lumber barons such as the Allan Gilmour House (1864) at Bank and Vittoria Streets.
Another penal commission for Horsey was an addition to the Kingston Penitentiary and the Entrance Lodge (1870-71).
Horsey also designed the Warden's Residence, across the street from the jail.
It's been converted to a museum - still open?.
Horsey's commercial projects included several hotels like the Union House Hotel (1874) across from the City Hall.
The Union House at the corner of Queen and Elgin was on site of the British High Commission - although Horsey probably didn't design that addition on the left, above the streetcar.
An aerial view of the Union House from across Queen Street - again not Horsey but I have been wanting to use this picture for ages.
Prior to the opening of the Chateau Laurier the Russell House was Ottawa's biggest and best hotel. It's seen here just before a massive alteration and expansion by Horsey and Sheard (1875). Matthew Sheard, who was based in Toronto, was an occasional partner with H.H. Horsey.
The Russell House filled the south side of Sparks Street, east of Elgin (now the southern half of Confederation Square). This is The Russell in its final years of operation. In 1925 the hotel closed and sat empty for two years until it was gutted by fire, and expropriated by the Government of Canada.
From the
Canadian Illustrated News (incidentally started by Desbarats with the profits from the sale of his Ottawa house) we can read that 'The hotel has been entirely re-built and re-furnished and now has 250 rooms elegantly furnished from the workshops of London and Bowmanville, and carpeted with Manchester importations. The hotel boasts all of the latest improvements, viz. two elevators, bathrooms, patent oral annunciators [!] and fire escapes on the outside of the building.'
Although The Russell had burned mid-winter, the site was still being cleared the following summer. Nearby were two other Horsey and Sheard buildings awaiting a similar fate.
The earliest known Horsey work in Ottawa is the Carleton County Goal (1860-61) on Daly Avenue. It appears to be one of only three surviving Horsey buildings in Ottawa.
Henry Hodge Horsey (1830-1911) was a prolific and well-connected architect active in the middle decades of the nineteenth century - as evidenced by his landing this major public works job at such a young age.
A while back someone asked if I had pictures of the Carleton County Goal's gallows. No pictures so far, but if you enlarge this Fire Insurance Atlas plate you'll see that behind the jail there's a 'Gallow's Yard', surrounded by a 20-foot high stone wall.
Here's another view of Horsey's most important civic work, the Ottawa City Hall.
Horsey designed several churches, including the Congregational Church (1862) at Elgin and Albert Streets, with its spectacular vaulted ceiling.
The church was modified after a fire in 1888, and after another fire in 1911 the congregation rebuilt at Kent and Florence Street - reinstalling the old cornerstone.
Horsey's 'Chapel Court' (1864) at Daly and Chapel was designed for George-Edouard Desbarats, the Queen's Printer. Despite threats, after the assassination of his friend Thomas Darcy McGee Desbarats placed a plaque on his Sparks Street printing works which was promptly burned by alleged Fenians. The Desbarats sold their house to Sanford Fleming for $10,000 and left town. Fleming re-named it 'Winterholme' and although much altered by later additions it's still there.
The George Perley House (1875, with Sheard) stood at Wellington and Bay Streets. It was demolished after 1912 for future federal buildings, but the stone fence remained until the 1940s. Horsey designed houses for other lumber barons such as the Allan Gilmour House (1864) at Bank and Vittoria Streets.
Another penal commission for Horsey was an addition to the Kingston Penitentiary and the Entrance Lodge (1870-71).
Horsey also designed the Warden's Residence, across the street from the jail.
It's been converted to a museum - still open?.
Horsey's commercial projects included several hotels like the Union House Hotel (1874) across from the City Hall.
The Union House at the corner of Queen and Elgin was on site of the British High Commission - although Horsey probably didn't design that addition on the left, above the streetcar.
An aerial view of the Union House from across Queen Street - again not Horsey but I have been wanting to use this picture for ages.
Prior to the opening of the Chateau Laurier the Russell House was Ottawa's biggest and best hotel. It's seen here just before a massive alteration and expansion by Horsey and Sheard (1875). Matthew Sheard, who was based in Toronto, was an occasional partner with H.H. Horsey.
The Russell House filled the south side of Sparks Street, east of Elgin (now the southern half of Confederation Square). This is The Russell in its final years of operation. In 1925 the hotel closed and sat empty for two years until it was gutted by fire, and expropriated by the Government of Canada.
From the Canadian Illustrated News (incidentally started by Desbarats with the profits from the sale of his Ottawa house) we can read that 'The hotel has been entirely re-built and re-furnished and now has 250 rooms elegantly furnished from the workshops of London and Bowmanville, and carpeted with Manchester importations. The hotel boasts all of the latest improvements, viz. two elevators, bathrooms, patent oral annunciators [!] and fire escapes on the outside of the building.'
Although The Russell had burned mid-winter, the site was still being cleared the following summer. Nearby were two other Horsey and Sheard buildings awaiting a similar fate.
Winterholme is an amazing building with some of the original detailing, like the marble fireplace high ceilings and ornate trim, still intact inside.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for expanding on Horsey's work here (and Kingston). I think it's interesting that he made such a mark on the city and - too many commissions demolished and burnt - that he's not as frequently discussed.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's just a limitation on the sources that I've tended to consult, but it feels like we hear so much more of Noffke, Sullivan, and Ewart (just naming examples) and very little of Horsey.
excellent article!! he designed so many great buildings in Ottawa. What a shame a lot of them had such a negative fate. Where did you find the 1928 aerial shot?? I'd like to get a copy of it without all the writing for a project I'm working on!! AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteYour articles are so well research and well written, one does feel your love for Ottawa. Thank you for educating me!
ReplyDeleteAmazing post I think you need to treasure it you will use it at the future.
ReplyDeleteHorsey & Sheard designed the house at 229 Chapel, a block south of Chapel Court, for a Vice-President of a bank It acquired the name "Toller House" after Frederick Toller, an Auditor General who lived there for three decades. It was held by the Soeurs blanches de l'Afrique for several more decades, and was the subject of much controversy in the 1980s/1990s over the City's proposal to use it as a home for street people, but it was bought by Croatian Canadians and beautifully restored for use as the Croatian Embassy in Canada.
ReplyDelete