Ralph Benjamin Pratt
{{Short description|Canadian architect}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ralph Benjamin Pratt
| image = Ralph Benjamin Pratt.png
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1872|08|09|df=yes}}
| birth_place = London, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1950|03|14|1872|08|09|df=yes}}
| death_place = Saint Boniface, Winnipeg, Manitoba
| resting_place =
| occupation = Architect
| spouse =
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Ralph Benjamin Pratt (9 August 1872 – 14 March 1950) was a Canadian architect known for his work as a staff architect for the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway, and for his work as a member of the firm Pratt and Ross with partner architect Donald Aynsley Ross.
Biography
Ralph Benjamin Pratt was born on 9 August 1872 in London, England to Joseph and Jane Pratt. He attended school at the South Kensington School of Art and moved to Canada in 1891 and then to Manitoba the following year.
Pratt worked at the Canadian Pacific Railway at Winnipeg as an architectural and engineering draftsman from 1895 to 1901, during which he created a standard plan for a station which was used at Virden, Manitoba, and other locations. From 1901 to 1906, he worked for the Canadian Northern Railway. He created the first standard design 3rd Class station for the Canadian Northern in 1901, and other standard plans. Although Pratt left the Canadian Pacific in 1901, and the Canadian Northern in 1906, he continued to receive commissions from the railroads for other work, and both railroads continued to use the standard plans he had created, so the design of later stations is often attributed to him.{{cn|date=August 2022}}
In 1906, Pratt partnered with Donald Aynsley Ross to start the architectural partnership Pratt and Ross, which specialized in structural and civil engineering projects. Pratt was a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, a member of the Railway Engineering Association, and was the president of the Manitoba Association of Architects from 1917 to 1919.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vkY-AQAAMAAJ&q=ralph%2520benjamin%2520pratt&pg=PA670|title=Who's who and why|date=1 January 1913|publisher=International Press|language=en|access-date=14 October 2020|archive-date=25 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825162227/https://books.google.com/books?id=vkY-AQAAMAAJ&q=ralph%2520benjamin%2520pratt&pg=PA670|url-status=live}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dy9if3Yix8UC|title=Who's who in Canada: An Illustrated Biographical Record of Men and Women of the Time|date=1 January 1914|publisher=International Press Limited.|language=en|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=11 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111024817/https://books.google.com/books?id=dy9if3Yix8UC|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://archiseek.com/2010/pratt-ralph-benjamin-1878-1950/|title=Pratt, Ralph Benjamin (1878–1950) – Architects & Historical Figures – Archiseek – Irish Architecture|date=15 January 2010|language=en-US|access-date=30 July 2016|archive-date=7 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807053304/http://archiseek.com/2010/pratt-ralph-benjamin-1878-1950/|url-status=live}}
Pratt married Euphemia Maude Monnington (1874–1977) on 23 October 1900, at Winnipeg, and they had three children. His recreations included canoeing and skating. He was a member of the Anglican church.{{cn|date=August 2022}}
He died at Saint Boniface, Winnipeg, on 14 March 1950, and was buried in the St. John's Cemetery.{{cn|date=August 2022}}
Works
Some of Pratt's works include:
- Canadian Pacific station, Kenora, Ontario, 1899{{Cite web|url=http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/node/1401|title=Pratt, Ralph Benjamin {{!}} Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada|website=dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916110943/http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/node/1401|url-status=live}}
- Canadian Pacific station, Virden, Manitoba, 1900, Type 9 Canadian Pacific Railway Station design{{Cite book|title=RAILWAY STATIONS OF MANITOBA: An Architectural History Theme Study|last=Butterfield|first=David|publisher=Historic Resources Branch of Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Tourism|year=1987|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|pages=18, 19, 28}}{{Cite web|url=http://historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=6499|title=HistoricPlaces.ca - HistoricPlaces.ca|website=historicplaces.ca|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=6 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160606211153/http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=6499|url-status=live}}{{Cite book|title=Canadian Pacific's Western Depots: The Country Stations in Western Canada|last=Bohi|first=Charles W., and Leslie S. Kozma|publisher=South Platte PRess|year=1993|isbn=978-0942035254|location=David City, Nebraska}}
- Canadian Northern station, St Boniface, Manitoba, 1901
- Broad Street station, Ottawa, 1901
- Theodore railway station, Theodore, Saskatchewan, 1902, Type 9 Canadian Pacific Railway Station design{{Cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=2663|title=HistoricPlaces.ca – HistoricPlaces.ca|website=www.historicplaces.ca|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=3 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603222615/http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=2663|url-status=live}}
- Canadian Pacific station, Kenton, Manitoba, 1902
- Canadian Northern station, Neepawa, Manitoba, 1902{{Cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=7886&pid=0|title=HistoricPlaces.ca – HistoricPlaces.ca|website=www.historicplaces.ca|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=14 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014004722/http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=7886&pid=0|url-status=live}}
- Canadian Pacific station, Carberry, Manitoba, 1904
- Canadian Pacific station, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, 1904
- Canadian Northern station, Port Arthur, Ontario, 1905{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DQnyAgAAQBAJ|title=The Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore: An Illustrated History of Railway Stations in Canada|last=Brown|first=Ron|date=19 August 2014|publisher=Dundurn|isbn=9781459727830|language=en|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=25 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825162227/https://books.google.com/books?id=DQnyAgAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mAIc1st_CQMC|title=Rails Across Ontario: Exploring Ontario's Railway Heritage|last=Brown|first=Ron|date=7 October 2013|publisher=Dundurn|isbn=9781459707542|language=en}}
- Canadian Northern Station, Silver Mountain, Ontario, 1907
- Canadian Northern station, Kipling, Saskatchewan, 1909{{Cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=3787&pid=0|title=HistoricPlaces.ca – HistoricPlaces.ca|website=www.historicplaces.ca|access-date=6 August 2016|archive-date=19 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019172959/http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=3787&pid=0|url-status=live}}
- Winnipeg Amphitheater, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1909{{Cite web|url=http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/pratt_rb.shtml|title=Memorable Manitobans: Ralph Benjamin Pratt (1872–1950)|last=Goldsborough|first=Gordon|website=www.mhs.mb.ca|access-date=30 July 2016|archive-date=20 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920221626/http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/pratt_rb.shtml|url-status=live}}
- Garry Block, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1911
- Dauphin railway station, Dauphin, Manitoba, 1912{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jLB2txP87gcC|title=Rails Across the Prairies: The Railway Heritage of Canada's Prairie Provinces|last=Brown|first=Ron|date=30 June 2012|publisher=Dundurn|isbn=9781459702172|language=en|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=25 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825162227/https://books.google.com/books?id=jLB2txP87gcC|url-status=live}}
- Prince Edward Hotel, Brandon, Manitoba, 1912, a Canadian National Railway hotel
- Canadian Northern Station, Smiths Falls, Ontario, 1913, 1st Class CNR station (attributed to Pratt)
- Radville railway station, Radville, Saskatchewan, 1912, Plan 100–39, 2nd Class CNR railway station
- Canadian Northern Station, Meeting Creek, Alberta, 1912, Plan 100–29, 3rd Class CNR railway station{{Cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=8768|title=HistoricPlaces.ca – HistoricPlaces.ca|website=www.historicplaces.ca|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607204134/http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=8768|url-status=live}}
- Electric Railway Chambers, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1912, Pratt and Ross supervising architects{{Cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=12052|title=HistoricPlaces.ca – HistoricPlaces.ca|website=www.historicplaces.ca|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=19 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019025327/http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=12052|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://winnipeg.ca/PPD/historic/pdf-consv/Notre%20Dame%20213-long.pdf|title=213 NOTRE DAME AVENUE: ELECTRIC RAILWAY CHAMBERS|date=20 April 1981|website=Winnipeg; Planning, Property and Development|publisher=HISTORICAL BUILDINGS COMMITTEE|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=7 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307091758/http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/historic/pdf-consv/Notre%20Dame%20213-long.pdf|url-status=live}}
- Pacific Central Station, Vancouver, British Columbia, 1918
- Sherbrook Pool, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1930{{Cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=8643&pid=0|title=HistoricPlaces.ca – HistoricPlaces.ca|website=www.historicplaces.ca|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=14 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014004715/http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=8643&pid=0|url-status=live}}
- Osborne Stadium, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1932
- Canadian Northern station, Edmonton, Alberta
Gallery
File:Kenora CPR colour postcard.jpg|Canadian Pacific station, Kenora
File:Broad Street railway station and street car Ottawa 1880s.jpg|Broad Street Station, Ottawa
File:RailwayStationTheodore.JPG|Theodore station
File:Silver_Mountain_Station_1910.jpg|Silver Mountain station
File:Portage la prairie station MG259-PRS-160-p1.jpg|Canadian Pacific station, Portage la Prairie
File:Smiths Falls CNoR station 26799594241.jpg|Canadian Northern station, Smiths Falls
File:Electric Railway Chambers Winnipeg.JPG|Electric Railway Chambers, Winnipeg
File:Pacific Central Station Vancouver.jpg|Pacific Central Station, Vancouver
File:Sherbrook Pool.jpg|Sherbrook Pool, Winnipeg
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pratt, Ralph Benjamin}}
Category:Canadian Pacific Railway people