Edward Maxwell House(9/1903-4/1909)
3480 Peel Street [312 Peel Street], Montreal, QC, Canada
Residential, Urban house [basement, 4 floors, attic, 7 bedrooms]

Client: Edward Maxwell
Architect: E. & W.S. Maxwell

Description: After staying with his parents upon his return to Canada in 1891, Edward Maxwell lived in Westmount at 184 Cote-Saint-Antoine Road (136). It was a small house he designed for himself near his father’s property, after his marriage to Elizabeth Ellen Aitchison in December 1896. This house only had two formal rooms (drawing and dining rooms) and with Edward’s loves of books, literature and collecting antiques it became crowded early on. Moreover, the household grew rapidly with the arrival of four children, daughters Jean and Elizabeth and sons Blythe and Stirling between 1900 and 1906. For many years Edward considered schemes for a site on the west side of Peel Street immediately south of the Eugene Lafleur House (477), built in 1903 at 314 Peel (now 3484 Peel). Like many houses the brothers designed in the Golden Square Mile, the Lafleur House was placed perpendicularly to the street, taking advantage of the view to the river to the south. Edward Maxwell made preliminary schemes for houses to be similarly located, with a narrow street façade. He designed his new family house at 312 Peel Street, the long entry elevation looking out to the existing Lafleur House. The main façade was a long, simplified version, and symmetrically designed. Edward’s house shows a balanced composition, divided into three vertical parts in which a central part terminated with the three small gables at the top. Introducing stone balustrade in the parapet, and adopting windows of varying size and shape at the central part broke the monotony of the façade. All the windows were treated with only keystones without any elaborate decoration. The carved cartouches, the finials and the undulating frame of the window "a delightful Art Nouveau touch" counter the predominant straight lines and flat planes of the facade. The skill at creating visual effects is carried through the interiors of the house, with the ascent from the entrance door to the main hall through a small vestibule. The hall acted as the central core leading to the large drawing room to the left, and dining and library to its right. The drawing room was designed with a large bay window, which ran vertically through all the floors, terminating with a dormer opening at the top. The library, where Edward used to spend most of his time, featured abundantly carved decorative shelves and cabinets. Other important features included the carvings of mantels over the fireplaces. The stairs next to the vestibule gave access to the upper floors where first floor accommodated six bedrooms and attic floor a squash court. The servants’ room and kitchen were located in the basement with other storage areas.

Holdings: Urban house (basement, 4 floors, attic, 7 bedrooms)
64 Drawings: 47 ink on linen; 2 ink on paper; 7 pencil on paper; 1 pencil on cardboard; 1 watercolour on linen; 2 watercolour on paper; 1 blueprint; 3 blueprints on linen
3 Measured drawings: mitoyen wall: plan, elevation
18 Development drawings: grade sections, plot plan, floor plans, attic floor plan, elevations, section
39 Detail drawings: elevations, reception room, drawing room, dining room, hall, vestibule, entries, structure, staircases, mantelpieces, chimney, windows, gable, doors, furniture, railing, fittings, dado, finishes, stonework, ironwork, porch, gate, fence
4 Consultant drawings: ceiling plans, wall plans, elevation, brickwork schedule
Comment: This house was one of a group of four designed by Edward Maxwell, one of which he occupied himself. 3 drawings by Doulton and Company Ltd., Lambeth, London, England, dated 5/1909, and 1 by G.P. Bankart, Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Arts, dated 19/9/1903, are included.

Comments: This house was one of a group of four designed by Edward Maxwell, one of which he occupied himself. 3 drawings by Doulton and Company Ltd., Lambeth, London, England, dated 5/1909, and 1 by G.P. Bankart, Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Arts, dated 19/9/1903, are included.