Francis Rattenbury
Encyclopedia
Francis Mawson Rattenbury (1867–1935) was an architect born in England
, although most of his career was spent in British Columbia
, Canada
where he designed many notable buildings. Divorced amid scandal, he was murdered in England at the age of 68 by his second wife's lover.
, England. He began his architectural career with an apprenticeship in 1884 to the "Lockwood
and Mawson Company" in England, where he worked until he left for Canada. In 1891, he arrived in Vancouver, in the new Canadian province of British Columbia.
The province, anxious to show its growing economic, social and political status, was engaged in an architectural competition to build a new legislative building in Victoria. The new immigrant entered, signing his drawings with the pseudonym "A B.C. Architect," and won the competition. Despite many problems, including going over-budget by $400,000, the British Columbia Parliament Buildings
were officially opened in 1898. The grand scale of its 500 feet (152.4 m)-long facade, central dome and two end pavilions, the richness of its white marble, and its use of the currently-popular Romanesque
style contributed to its being seen as an impressive monument for the new province. Rattenbury's success in the competition garnered him many commissions in Victoria and other parts of the province, including additions to the Legislative Buildings in 1913–1915. In 1900 he was commissioned to design the 18 bedroom, three story Burns Manor
in Calgary for his close friend Pat Burns.
He designed Paardeburg Gate (1901), a memorial to South African soldiers opposite the Legislative Buildings, 1901.
Rattenbury also worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway
as their Western Division Architect. His most well-known work for the CPR was The Empress (hotel)
, a Chateau-style hotel
built in 1904–1908 in Victoria, with two wings added in 1909–1914. The architect, however, fell out with the CPR and went to work for their competition, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway
. He designed many hotels and stations for the GTP, but they were never completed due to the death of the president, Charles Melville Hays
, in the sinking of the RMS Titanic and the company's subsequent bankruptcy. The CPR allowed him to return, however, and he built the second CPR Steamship Terminal in Victoria in 1923–1924 in association with another architect, Percy James. Rattenbury and James also collaborated in the design of the Crystal Garden at the same time, although they later had a public conflict over Rattenbury's refusal to give James credit and payment for his work on the Garden.
Just as quickly as he became popular, Rattenbury and his architecture was out of favour. Perhaps a symptom of his waning popularity, he lost the competition to build the Saskatchewan Legislative Building
, built 1908–1912 in Regina, to E. and W.S. Maxwell, two Montreal architects trained at the École des Beaux-Arts
in Paris. In contrast to the Maxwells, Rattenbury had no formal training in architecture and, with the increasing profession
alism of the field, was soon outpaced by better-trained and better-educated architects.
and he ordered three steam trains to serve the Yukon Territory. These investments eventually became profitable. After World War I, however, his luck turned sour with the failure of some financial speculations, eventually leading to conflicts with his business partners.
His personal life also began to show strains at this time. In 1923, he left his wife Florence Nunn, whom he had married in 1898, and his children Frank and Mary for 27-year-old Alma Pakenham. His maltreatment of Florence, including having the heat and lights turned off in their home after he moved out, and his public flaunting of his affair led his former clients and associates to shun him, forcing him to leave Victoria. He married Alma in 1925 after Florence agreed to his request for divorce. He returned to Victoria in 1927 with Alma, and they had a son before deciding to move to Bournemouth
, England in 1929, the same year that Florence died.
She and Stoner were charged, although Alma Rattenbury later retracted her confession. Stoner was convicted and sentenced to death, although it was later commuted to a life sentence following protests by members of the public who felt that the young man had been manipulated into committing murder by the older woman. Stoner served seven years, being released early in order to join the Army in the Second World War. Mrs Rattenbury was acquitted of murder and being an accessory after the fact. She committed suicide a few days later on a riverbank in Christchurch, Dorset. Stoner died, after "a quiet life", at the age of 83 in 2000, at Christchurch Hospital.
The case report is studied by law students throughout the world where common law applies.
Despite Francis Rattenbury's outstanding career as an architect, he was buried in an unmarked grave, in a cemetery close to his home in Bournemouth. In 2007, 72 years later, a headstone was erected as a lasting memorial, paid for by a family friend.
suggested to producer Alexander Korda
the idea of making a film about "the Rattenbury murder case" with actors Laurence Olivier
and Merle Oberon
. Williams then joined Oberon in the cast of Korda's film I, Claudius
instead.
The case was the basis of the radio and stage play Cause Célèbre
by Sir Terence Rattigan
. A television play based on the case, "Killer In Close-Up: The Rattenbury Case", written by George F. Kerr, was produced by Melbourne
television station ABV-2
, airing on June 18, 1958.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, although most of his career was spent in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where he designed many notable buildings. Divorced amid scandal, he was murdered in England at the age of 68 by his second wife's lover.
Architectural career
Rattenbury was born in 1867 in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, England. He began his architectural career with an apprenticeship in 1884 to the "Lockwood
Henry Francis Lockwood
Henry Francis Lockwood was an influential architect, born at Doncaster on 18 September 1811. His father and grandfather were mayors of Doncaster. He married Emma Day whose great uncle, Charles Day , made a fortune through the Day and Martin company...
and Mawson Company" in England, where he worked until he left for Canada. In 1891, he arrived in Vancouver, in the new Canadian province of British Columbia.
The province, anxious to show its growing economic, social and political status, was engaged in an architectural competition to build a new legislative building in Victoria. The new immigrant entered, signing his drawings with the pseudonym "A B.C. Architect," and won the competition. Despite many problems, including going over-budget by $400,000, the British Columbia Parliament Buildings
British Columbia Parliament Buildings
The British Columbia Parliament Buildings are located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and are home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia....
were officially opened in 1898. The grand scale of its 500 feet (152.4 m)-long facade, central dome and two end pavilions, the richness of its white marble, and its use of the currently-popular Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style contributed to its being seen as an impressive monument for the new province. Rattenbury's success in the competition garnered him many commissions in Victoria and other parts of the province, including additions to the Legislative Buildings in 1913–1915. In 1900 he was commissioned to design the 18 bedroom, three story Burns Manor
Burns Manor
Burns Manor was the Calgary residence of Senator Pat Burns, a successful businessman who founded Burns Meat. It was located in the Beltline District of Calgary, Alberta on 4th Street between 13th and 14th Avenue. Construction started in 1900 and was completed in 1903...
in Calgary for his close friend Pat Burns.
He designed Paardeburg Gate (1901), a memorial to South African soldiers opposite the Legislative Buildings, 1901.
Rattenbury also worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
as their Western Division Architect. His most well-known work for the CPR was The Empress (hotel)
The Empress (Hotel)
The Fairmont Empress is one of the oldest and most famous hotels in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Located on Government Street facing the Inner Harbour, the Empress has become an iconic symbol for the city itself...
, a Chateau-style hotel
Canada's grand railway hotels
Canada’s railway hotels are a series of grand hotels across the country, each a local and national landmark, and most of which are icons of Canadian history and architecture. Each hotel was originally built by the Canadian railway companies, or the railways acted as a catalyst for the hotel’s...
built in 1904–1908 in Victoria, with two wings added in 1909–1914. The architect, however, fell out with the CPR and went to work for their competition, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway
Grand Trunk Pacific Railway
The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was a historical Canadian railway.A wholly owned subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway , the GTPR was constructed by GTR using loans provided by the Government of Canada. The company was formed in 1903 with a mandate to build west from Winnipeg, Manitoba to the...
. He designed many hotels and stations for the GTP, but they were never completed due to the death of the president, Charles Melville Hays
Charles Melville Hays
Charles Melville Hays was an American railway executive of the Grand Trunk Railway. He died at sea on the RMS Titanic.-Early years:...
, in the sinking of the RMS Titanic and the company's subsequent bankruptcy. The CPR allowed him to return, however, and he built the second CPR Steamship Terminal in Victoria in 1923–1924 in association with another architect, Percy James. Rattenbury and James also collaborated in the design of the Crystal Garden at the same time, although they later had a public conflict over Rattenbury's refusal to give James credit and payment for his work on the Garden.
Just as quickly as he became popular, Rattenbury and his architecture was out of favour. Perhaps a symptom of his waning popularity, he lost the competition to build the Saskatchewan Legislative Building
Saskatchewan Legislative Building
The Saskatchewan Legislative Building is located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and houses the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.-History:...
, built 1908–1912 in Regina, to E. and W.S. Maxwell, two Montreal architects trained at the École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
in Paris. In contrast to the Maxwells, Rattenbury had no formal training in architecture and, with the increasing profession
Profession
A profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain....
alism of the field, was soon outpaced by better-trained and better-educated architects.
Personal life
Soon after winning the competition for the Legislative Buildings in Victoria, Rattenbury was involved in a series of financial ventures. Most notably, he planned to supply meat and cattle to prospectors during the Klondike Gold RushKlondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was an attempt by an estimated 100,000 people to travel to the Klondike region the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1897 and 1899 in the hope of successfully prospecting for gold...
and he ordered three steam trains to serve the Yukon Territory. These investments eventually became profitable. After World War I, however, his luck turned sour with the failure of some financial speculations, eventually leading to conflicts with his business partners.
His personal life also began to show strains at this time. In 1923, he left his wife Florence Nunn, whom he had married in 1898, and his children Frank and Mary for 27-year-old Alma Pakenham. His maltreatment of Florence, including having the heat and lights turned off in their home after he moved out, and his public flaunting of his affair led his former clients and associates to shun him, forcing him to leave Victoria. He married Alma in 1925 after Florence agreed to his request for divorce. He returned to Victoria in 1927 with Alma, and they had a son before deciding to move to Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, England in 1929, the same year that Florence died.
Murder
In England, his financial problems continued, causing his relationship with Alma to disintegrate. She began an affair with George Percy Stoner, her 18 year old chauffeur. Stoner had been recruited by Rattenbury through an advert in the Bournemouth Echo, and had been living at 104 Redhill Drive before moving into Rattenbury's home at 5 Manor Road, Bournemouth. In 1935, Rattenbury was murdered in his sitting room by blows to the head with a carpenter's mallet. His wife confessed, but Stoner admitted to the housekeeper that it was actually he who had carried out the deed.She and Stoner were charged, although Alma Rattenbury later retracted her confession. Stoner was convicted and sentenced to death, although it was later commuted to a life sentence following protests by members of the public who felt that the young man had been manipulated into committing murder by the older woman. Stoner served seven years, being released early in order to join the Army in the Second World War. Mrs Rattenbury was acquitted of murder and being an accessory after the fact. She committed suicide a few days later on a riverbank in Christchurch, Dorset. Stoner died, after "a quiet life", at the age of 83 in 2000, at Christchurch Hospital.
The case report is studied by law students throughout the world where common law applies.
Despite Francis Rattenbury's outstanding career as an architect, he was buried in an unmarked grave, in a cemetery close to his home in Bournemouth. In 2007, 72 years later, a headstone was erected as a lasting memorial, paid for by a family friend.
Cultural references
In 1937, playwright and actor Emlyn WilliamsEmlyn Williams
George Emlyn Williams, CBE , known as Emlyn Williams, was a Welsh dramatist and actor.-Biography:He was born into a Welsh-speaking, working class family in Mostyn, Flintshire....
suggested to producer Alexander Korda
Alexander Korda
Sir Alexander Korda was a Hungarian-born British producer and film director. He was a leading figure in the British film industry, the founder of London Films and the owner of British Lion Films, a film distributing company.-Life and career:The elder brother of filmmakers Zoltán Korda and Vincent...
the idea of making a film about "the Rattenbury murder case" with actors Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
and Merle Oberon
Merle Oberon
Merle Oberon was an Indian-born British actress best known for her screen performances in The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Cowboy and the Lady . She began her film career in British films as Anne Boleyn in The Private Life of Henry VIII . She travelled to the United States to make films for Samuel...
. Williams then joined Oberon in the cast of Korda's film I, Claudius
I, Claudius (film)
I, Claudius was the proposed 1937 film of the book I, Claudius. It was to have been produced by Alexander Korda, directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Charles Laughton , Emlyn Williams , Flora Robson , and Merle Oberon , but it was dogged by ill-luck, culminating in a car accident involving...
instead.
The case was the basis of the radio and stage play Cause Célèbre
Cause Célèbre (play)
Cause Célèbre or A Woman of Principle is a 1975 radio play by the English author Terence Rattigan. It was inspired by the trial of Alma Rattenbury and her teenage lover in 1935 for the murder of her third husband Francis Rattenbury and first broadcast on the BBC on 27 October 1975...
by Sir Terence Rattigan
Terence Rattigan
Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan CBE was one of England's most popular 20th-century dramatists. His plays are generally set in an upper-middle-class background...
. A television play based on the case, "Killer In Close-Up: The Rattenbury Case", written by George F. Kerr, was produced by Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
television station ABV-2
ABV (TV station)
ABV is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television station in Melbourne, Victoria. The station began broadcasting on 19 November 1956 and is transmitted throughout the state via a network of relay transmitters and also ABV is the second television station in Victoria with HSV-7 which...
, airing on June 18, 1958.
Gallery of his work
| Building | Year Completed | Builder | Style | Location | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia Parliament Buildings British Columbia Parliament Buildings The British Columbia Parliament Buildings are located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and are home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.... home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Legislative Assembly of British Columbia The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament .... . |
1891–1898, additions 1913-1915 | Francis Rattenbury Francis Rattenbury Francis Mawson Rattenbury was an architect born in England, although most of his career was spent in British Columbia, Canada where he designed many notable buildings. Divorced amid scandal, he was murdered in England at the age of 68 by his second wife's lover.- Architectural career :Rattenbury... |
Victoria, British Columbia Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian... |
 |
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| Empress Hotel The Empress (Hotel) The Fairmont Empress is one of the oldest and most famous hotels in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Located on Government Street facing the Inner Harbour, the Empress has become an iconic symbol for the city itself... |
(1904–1908, additions in 1909 and 1914) | Francis Rattenbury Francis Rattenbury Francis Mawson Rattenbury was an architect born in England, although most of his career was spent in British Columbia, Canada where he designed many notable buildings. Divorced amid scandal, he was murdered in England at the age of 68 by his second wife's lover.- Architectural career :Rattenbury... |
Victoria, British Columbia Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian... |
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| Canadian Pacific Railway Steamship Terminal, Victoria formerly the Royal London Wax Museum | (1904–1908, additions in 1909 and 1914) | Francis Rattenbury Francis Rattenbury Francis Mawson Rattenbury was an architect born in England, although most of his career was spent in British Columbia, Canada where he designed many notable buildings. Divorced amid scandal, he was murdered in England at the age of 68 by his second wife's lover.- Architectural career :Rattenbury... |
Victoria's Inner Harbour; Victoria, British Columbia Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian... |
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| Burns Manor Burns Manor Burns Manor was the Calgary residence of Senator Pat Burns, a successful businessman who founded Burns Meat. It was located in the Beltline District of Calgary, Alberta on 4th Street between 13th and 14th Avenue. Construction started in 1900 and was completed in 1903... |
1903 | Francis Rattenbury Francis Rattenbury Francis Mawson Rattenbury was an architect born in England, although most of his career was spent in British Columbia, Canada where he designed many notable buildings. Divorced amid scandal, he was murdered in England at the age of 68 by his second wife's lover.- Architectural career :Rattenbury... |
Calgary, Alberta |  |
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| Vancouver Art Gallery Vancouver Art Gallery The Vancouver Art Gallery is the fifth-largest art gallery in Canada and the largest in Western Canada. It is located at 750 Hornby Street in Vancouver, British Columbia... formerly Court House |
(1905–1913, remodelled in 1983) | Francis Rattenbury Francis Rattenbury Francis Mawson Rattenbury was an architect born in England, although most of his career was spent in British Columbia, Canada where he designed many notable buildings. Divorced amid scandal, he was murdered in England at the age of 68 by his second wife's lover.- Architectural career :Rattenbury... |
Vancouver, British Columbia |  |
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| Chateau Lake Louise Chateau Lake Louise The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is a Fairmont Hotel on the eastern shore of Lake Louise, near Banff, Alberta. The original Chateau was gradually built up at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway and was thus "kin" to its predecessors, the Banff... |
additions (1900–1912, burned down in 1924) | Francis Rattenbury Francis Rattenbury Francis Mawson Rattenbury was an architect born in England, although most of his career was spent in British Columbia, Canada where he designed many notable buildings. Divorced amid scandal, he was murdered in England at the age of 68 by his second wife's lover.- Architectural career :Rattenbury... |
Lake Louise, Banff, Alberta Banff, Alberta Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise.... |
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List of buildings
- Roedde House, Vancouver (1893)
- Nanaimo Court House, Nanaimo (1895)
- Bank of Montreal, Victoria (1896)
- Bank of Montreal, Rossland (1898)
- Bank of Montreal, Nelson (1899)
- Lieutenant Governor's Residence, Victoria (1901, destroyed by fire in 1957)
- Victoria High School, Victoria (1901, demolished in 1953)
- Phoenix Hospital, Phoenix (1901, demolished)
- Burns manor (1903)
- Janet Clay House, Victoria (1904)
- Merchant's Bank, Victoria (1907)
- Court House, NelsonNelson, British ColumbiaNelson is a city located in the Selkirk Mountains on the extreme West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Known as "The Queen City", and acknowledged for its impressive collection of restored heritage buildings from its glory days in a regional silver rush,...
(Designed 1903, completed November 1908, supervising local architect, Alexander Carrie) - Gavin John Rattenbury
- Pacific Railway Steamship Terminal, Victoria (1923–1924)
- Crystal Garden, Victoria (1925)
- Merchants Bank, Nanaimo (1909–1911)
External links
- British Columbia Parliament Buildings
- The Empress Hotel
- Second Hotel Vancouver, Georgia & Granville, c.1920
- BC ARCHITECTS
- Fulford article, Globe & Mail 27 May, 1998
- Headstone at last The Daily Telegraph 19 November 2007
Biography
- Reksten, Terry: Rattenbury Sono Nis Press, Victoria, British Columbia, (1998) ISBN 1-55039-090-2
- Barrett, Anthony A & Liscombe, Rhodri Windsor: Francis Rattenbury and British Columbia, Architecture and Challenge in the Imperial Age, University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver (1983) ISBN 0-7748-0178-6