J.C. Pennington was one of Windsor’s most prolific architects. He along with partner John Boyde designed a huge number of schools, churches and other buildings, from the 1910’s through the early 1960’s.
This house on Victoria Avenue was J.C. Pennington’s.
A few years ago at a local bookshop I was looking through the books on the bargain $1.00 table, when I found the inscription above inside one of them.
Windsor Star – August 9th, 1963:
One of Windsor’s best known architects, James Carlisle Pennington died Thursday while visiting his daughter in San Fransisco, Calif. He was 77. He suffered a heart attack.
Funeral arrangements have not been completed. Mr. Pennington lived at 1320 Victoria Ave.
Known throughout the profession for his high standards of performance, Mr. Pennington was the senior partner on the firm of Pennington and Carter and a native of the city where he practiced his profession all his life. He was regarded as the dean of the profession by his colleagues. He began his work here as early as 1908.
His earliest connection with the profession was in partnership with C. Howard Crane, who later became internationally known in the field of architecture. Then for many years, Mr. Pennington conducted business under his own name, designing and building scores of important structures in the Windsor area, including Walkerville Collegiate. He made a specialty of hospital work.
In 1957, Mr. Pennington formed the firm of Pennington & Carter along with William J. Carter, well known architect and former radio station executive. The firm has added many lasting monuments to the city’s building scene, including those at the University of Windsor, Metropolitan General Hospital, Hotel Dieu, Leamington Hospital and the newly projected Grace Hospital, to name but a few.
Mr. Pennington was active in Masonic circles in Windsor and a member of Central United Church.
His wife Hazel died in 1961. Survivors are two sons: James C. Pennington, Carsten, Alberta; Arthur of Belleville; two daughters: Mrs. Reginald (Betty) Franklin, San Francisco; Mrs. John (Dorothy) Findlay, Dresden.
There are three brothers: William and Wesley, both of Windsor and Albert E. Amherstburg. There are five sisters: Mrs. W. O. Austin, Windsor; Mrs. A.L. Laing and Mrs. Ernest Hathway, Toronto; Mrs. D.S. Douglas, Belle River, and Mrs. Keith Laird, Windsor. There are 10 grandchildren.
Today one of the men responsible for designing a huge amount of Windsor, lies in Windsor Grove Cemetery beside his wife Hazel, with nothing to indicate how he is responsible for so much of the architecture that we appreciate today.
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Deep Mason Ontario.
Thanks ! wow great history Love it !!! I seen that grave stone and wondered about it cause of the yr they were born in made me wonder who they were.....Now i know thanks to you Andrew !! Your awesome as always !!
Thanks so much for putting this lovely home on your site Andrew. I live in Dallas and have been following your blog for a while now. My husband and I are both native Windsor-ites and although we moved to Ottawa when we got married (and have lived in various places around the world since then), Windsor is still home to us, even with it's assorted problems. We have much family history (and much family!) there. My thanks regarding the Pennington house is personal - it was my husband's family home for many years (he went to Victoria Public School and Kennedy Collegiate from that address) and I still hear stories of some of the restoration work they survived in that house in the 60's. I had no idea of it's rich history. Thank you again for giving us a small piece of our family puzzle that I can pass on to our children. They all appreciate the pieces of family history that we can provide, since they have spent most of their lives as travelers in our various relocations. Well done....and I'll keep reading - I enjoy being able to go home via your research - it keeps me connected in one more small way. Let me know if there's ever anything I can do to help or add to your information.
It is always nice to read about my family history. Although I never met my grandfather as he passed away 8 months before I was born, I still take great pride in the architecture that he was responsible for in and around the Windsor area. Thank you for posting this article about him.
I am most gratful to have stumbled upon your article quite by accident today while seaching for something unrelated. I had the priviledge to know and be friends with Betty Frankling one of Mr. Pennington's daughters. She loved to share stories of her facinating life in San Fransico and California. Her husband Reg would tell me stories of World War 2 when he was a Langcaster bomber pilot. Betty was a wonderful person and quite resembled her father in appearance. She was intelligent, generous, humble and patient. A person I think of often and will always fondly remember. Thank you for your story. Sincerely, Chris
This article was so nice to find as J C Pennington is also my grandfather. I am the son of Dorothy(Penniington) Finley- deceased Sep.2009. Just recently we stopped by at the house in this article and was so delighted to meet the owners and remember the happy times there with my grandparents and recalling my mothers stories about her dad, and growing up in Windsor.Thanks for the article. John Finley, Dresden ON
J.C. Pennington is my Great Grandfather as well. I am Betty and Reginalds granddaughter, child of John Carlisle Frankling, Willow Sativa Jewel ,along with my siblings Leif Carlisle and Jesse Daniel .. I'd love to reconnect with my relatives in this family . I used to visit a cousin in Dresden as a child. With a pet bird lol.