Parr and Fee

Parr and Fee was an architectural partnership in Vancouver, Canada that functioned from 1899 to 1912.

John Edmeston Parr (1856-1923) was born in London, England, the son of architect Samuel Parr. After attending preparatory school in Gravesend, England, he articled in his father’s firm, Parr & Strong. He later become a partner and the firm’s name was changed to Parr, Strong & Parr.

Parr left England in approximately 1888, living in Los Angeles, Seattle, Winnipeg, and Victoria, before settling in Vancouver in 1896. He opened a solo practice in Vancouver in 1896, and in 1897 formed a partnership with Samuel Maclure (1860-1929). Parr’s short-lived partnership with Maclure lasted until Parr partnered with Thomas Fee in 1899.

In 1912, Parr left the partnership to form a new firm, Parr, Mackenzie, & Day (John Mackenzie and John Charles Day), which functioned until 1918.

Thomas Arthur Fee (1860-1929) was born in Drummond County, Quebec. He contracted polio as a child, and needed to use leg braces his entire life. Fee learned the profession while working for Harry Wild Jones, an architect in Minneapolis.

Like many hotel architects of the era, Fee was both architect (with Parr) and owner of some of the hotels which he helped to design. When the firm of Parr and Fee was dissolved in 1912, Fee left the architectural profession to pursue other interests. He gained notoriety for opposing Canada’s involvement in World War I and for promoting the idea that British Columbia should join the United States.

All are in Vancouver unless otherwise specified; all are extant unless otherwise specified.

In chronological order:

In chronological order:

Fee House (1904)

Hotel Martinique (1906)
Now Howard Johnson

Manhattan Apartments (1908)

Dunsmuir Hotel (1908)
Now Dunsmuir International Village

Hotel Europe (1909)

Glen Brae House (1910)
Now Canuck Place

Clifton Hotel (1910)

Dufferin Hotel (1910)
Now Moda Hotel

Hotel Vogue (1910)

Glenaird Hotel (1910)
Now Samesun Backpackers

Royal Hotel (1911)
Now Hostelling Int'l Vancouver Central

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Wikipedia