of years, Lennox had been one of Manning’s tenants. In 1881, after having set up his practice, he had moved his offices to the Manning Block; now he became Manning’s architect, and the first structure designed by Lennox for his new client was suitably called the “Manning Arcade”32 (Illus. 22). Without question, it was inspired by another property owned by Manning, the Grand Opera House, 1879 (architect unknown; Illus. 23). The Arcade entrance was heavily ornamented, with caryatids holding up a pediment that announced the name of the building and an Atlas-like figure carrying an ornate balcony on his shoulders. Above the entrance, a deep recess was filled by a two-tiered oriel. The building sported all manner of decoration. Though an exercise in ostentation, it was regarded as a handsome and imposing structure in its time. Mayor of Toronto in 1885 and an important ratepayer,33 Manning was to prove an important client and friend to Lennox, especially with regard to the competition for and the building of Toronto’s municipal and county buildings.
VICTORIA HALL
From the ornate to the subtle: Lennox’s next known building was the Victoria Hall on Queen Street East, for the Orange Association (Illus. 24).34 When Eric Arthur, in his 1964 edition of Toronto: No Mean City, wrote, “We are only beginning to appreciate Lennox as an architect,”35 it was this building that prompted the observation. Arthur admired the hall for its “charm” and its wonderful brickwork. In this work, Lennox managed to tie the elements together in a very neat package. The building was thought of as a piece of sculpture, with brickwork creating light and shade. Elegance and distinction were created by the crisp design of arcading and drop pilaster-strips.
THE BEATTY BUILDING
An office building constructed for William Henry Beatty circa 1885—86 was completely unlike the Victoria Hall.36 Lennox looked to Europe for inspiration in creating the design for this rather small building at 3 King Street West (Illus. 25). He had many folio volumes on architecture, modern and old, publications from both sides of the Atlantic, to draw on for this exercise. It resembles the Manning Arcade in its excess if not in specific detail. Nearly every surface of the facade was embellished. If nothing else it was a conspicuous testimonial to the wealth of its owner, Beatty, whose bust surveyed the street from the apex of the building.
Three levels of pilasters defined the horizontal limits of the façade; each level was treated differently. The first set of pilasters was stylized and geometric. The second set was rusticated, fluted and topped by Ionic capitals. The third set was flat, but shouldered caryatids which in turn carried a heavy attic storey. Beatty’s building was very much in keeping with contemporary European commercial buildings. By the time the Beatty Building was finished, Lennox was already at work competing for one of his most important commissions, and one of his most admired buildings, Toronto’s “Old City Hall.”
Illus. 5: Advertisement in the ‘Tenders Wanted” column, the Globe, 15 May 1876, for the Masonic building, Occident Hall.
Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library
Illus. 6: Occident Hall, 175 Bathurst Street, southeast corner of Queen and Bathurst streets, 1876, McCaw & Lennox.
City of Toronto Archives
Illus. 7: Bond Street Congregational Church, northeast corner of Bond and Dundas streets, 1878, McCaw & Lennox (demolished).
Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library
Illus. 8: Bond Street Congregational Church. Monitor.
Toronto Historical Board
Illus. 9: Bond Street Congregational Church. Interior.
City of Toronto Archives
Illus. 10: Erskine Presbyterian Church, Simcoe Street, 1878, McCaw & Lennox (demolished).
City of Toronto Archives
Illus. 11: Sketch of Hotel Hanlan, 1879, McCaw & Lennox (demolished), from C.P. Mulvany’s Toronto Past and Present until 1882.
Illus. 12: Hotel Hanlan, Toronto Island, 1879, as it looked in the 1890s.
City of Toronto Archives
Illus. 13: The first known record — advertisement in the “Tenders Wanted” column of the Globe, 12 November 1881 – showing that the firm of McCaw & Lennox had dissolved and E.J. Lennox was practising on his own.
Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library
Illus. 14: Bloor Street Baptist Church, southeast corner of Bloor and North (now Bay) streets, 1882 (demolished).
City of Toronto Archives
Illus. 15: Semi-detached residences for Mrs. Bilton, Gerrard Street East, 1882–83 (demolished).
City of Toronto Archives
Illus. 16: The residence of H.E. Clarke, Esq., 603 Jarvis Street, 1882–83 (demolished).
Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library
Illus. 17: The Massey Manufacturing Company, 701 King Street West, 1883.
City of Toronto Archives
Illus. 18: Residence of Chester Massey, 519 Jarvis Street, 1883. Interior detail.
Marilyn Litvak
Illus. 19: Residence of William Lailey, Esq., 280 Bloor Street West, 1883 (demolished).
City of Toronto Archives
Illus. 20: The Scottish Ontario & Manitoba Land Company, 664–682 Yonge Street, 1883.
John O’Brien
Illus. 21: Scottish Ontario & Manitoba Land Company, 1883. Detail.
John O’Brien
Illus. 22: The Manning Arcade, 22–28 King Street, 1883 (demolished).
City of Toronto Archives
Illus. 23: The Grand Opera House, south side of Adelaide Street between Yonge and Bay streets, 1872–74, architect unknown (demolished).
Archives of Ontario