285 College Avenue - Stratford Hall

© 2024, Christian Cassidy

Stratford Hall in 2022 (Google Street View)

Place: Stratford Hall
Address: 285 College Avenue (Map)
Opened: 1910
Architect: David W. Bellhouse
Developer: J. E. Wilson

October 31, 1927, Winnipeg Free Press

Construction on Stratford Hall began in late 1909 and by the end of December, its first eight suites were filled with the rest ready for occupancy by the end of February 1910.

This was an era of great transformation in the North End with many large sections of former river lots being converted into residential streets. This block, bounded by Mountain and College avenues and Main and Charles streets, went from mostly vacant land to full of homes and two large apartment blocks in just a couple of years.

Source: Armstrong’s Point Heritage Conservation District Study, City of Winnipeg

The architect of Stratford Hall was David W. Bellhouse.

Trained in England, Bellhouse came to Canada in 1883 and initially settled on a farm at Cypress River. He and his wife relocated to Winnipeg in 1896 where he went to work for several well-known architects before working as a draughtsman for the CPR from 1902 to 1906. He left the CPR to start his own practice which he ran until 1938.

Primarily known for residential work, including three houses on Middle Gate, Bellhouse also designed the original Lakeview Hotel in Gimli (1906), the Henderson Building on Bannatyne Street, and St. Edwards Roman Catholic Church on Arlington Street in 1913.

Bellhouse was president of the Manitoba Association of Architects on two occasions.

September 18, 1918, Winnipeg Free Press

Stratford Hall contained 29 suites of three and four rooms that originally rented for $25 to $37 per month. Each suite featured a screened balcony, full bathroom and oak flooring. The building was built with white pressed brick featuring Tyndal tone trim, (the red paint job came ca. 2014).

The 1911 census shows around 115 people living in the building. Those listed in the Henderson Directory for that period, which only included working adults or retirees, were:

Clifford Bassett, clerk at HBC; Frank Boult, draughtsman at CPR; Wm. Bowman, salesman at Karn Morris Pianos; Milton J. Crosby, clerk at CPR freight depot; A. J. Cunningham, inspector at CPR boxcar department; Roy Dart, swiitchman at CPR,;James A Davidson, electrician; H. J. Donnely, conductor at CPR; L. J. Flanagan, salesman; R. E. Goodwin, switchman at CPR; Arno Green, assistant manager Crystal Spring Water Co.; Albert Halley, fur cutter; Frank Hanson, clerk at Ackland and Son; J. A. Hawley, fur cutter at Holt Renfrew; D. G. M. Hayes; A. Irish; Stanley Lewis, clerk Henderson Directories; Frank Mitchell, manager of F. B. Mitchell Co.; Marcus Moore, International Harvester Co.; Susie P. Moor, clerk at Glines and Co.; William Page, cashier J. H. Ashdown; W. E. Pilkey; Sidney Restall, clerk at city; John Royle, janitor; Reginald Scarratt, clerk freight department of CPR; Wilfred Searle, engineer at CPR; Walter Slater, owner Imperial Barber Shop; Ernest Stewart, travelling salesman; Harry P. Tanner, department manager Dunn Bros.; J. H. Thomas, manager W. J. Inglis Co.; Thomas Thompson, ticket agent Great Northern Railway; Wyman E. Towns, clerk McNeil McLean and Garland; Charles Uhl, city inspector; Herbert Walker, travelling salesman; William White, clerk W. H. Stone Co..

August 1, 1944, Winnipeg Tribune

Some residents of the block were on active duty in the First World War. They included Joseph Edwards of the Royal Flying Corps, Sgt. Roy Russell Robbins of the 100th Grenadiers, William Dart, and Captain George Gomez Nagy. All appear to have made it home.

In the Second World War, Warrant Officer A. F. Parker, Trooper George "Bus" Jack, George Edward Thomas, and John "Jack" Lindsay called Stratford Hall home.

Thomas, a lineman (for an electricity or phone company), became a signalman with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and during his tour of duty was awarded the Military Medal for showing "courage and devotion to duty which was an example and inspiration to all ranks of his section and worthy of the highest tradition of his corps." Unfortunately, the newspapers did not go into further detail about Thomas and his award. According to a Free Press article from July 1946, Thomas was one of 59 Manitobans who was on hand to receive his medal from the Governor General at Fort Osborne.

Jack Lindsay, 37, worked at Eaton's and relocated to Stratford Hall with his wife and two children before he enlisted. Originally from Airdrie, Scotland, Lindsay came to Winnipeg in his late teens. Assigned to the Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre at Camp Borden, Lindsay was killed on active duty in a motorcycle accident in July 1944. He is buried in Elmwood Cemetery.

Stratford Hall in May 2012 (Google Street View)

In recent years, Stratford Hall has been the scene of many gruesome crimes.

In November 2020, police responded to a call at the building and found a homicide victim inside. In September 2023, a man was shot inside the building and died on the boulevard out front. In February 2024, three police officers were shot and wounded during an armed standoff in the building.

Winnipeg Police Service told the Free Press that they had responded to 108 reports of violent crimes in or just outside the building between October 2022 and October 2023.

In July 2024, tenants were told that the building was being immediately shut down and were refunded the remainder of July's rent. The units were cleared of furniture and personal belongings and the building locked. After an outcry from governments, Indigenous organizations, and mental health and homelessness advocates, there was an about-face and the building reopened a week later.