This big Tudor Revival house on Ouellette Avenue, has seen better days, but was also the home to one of the most important architects of the 20th century.
Ernest Wilby was born in England in 1869, moving to Toronto at age 4, and retuning to England for college. He graduated college there in 1885, and came back to Canada in 1887. He worked for various firms in the Toronto area, moving to Buffalo, NY in 1895. In February, 1902 he made an important decision and moved to Detroit, MI where he met Albert Kahn. He joined Albert Kahn’s office, and quickly became the Chief Designer for Albert Kahn, a position he held from 1903 – 1918. He helped design and supervise many big projects, including the Ford Factory in Highland Park and the Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor.
He joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1922, where he remained active as a member of the faculty of the School of Architecture until 1943.
According to an article in the Windsor Star from February 20, 1946, Professor Ernest Wilby was awarded and honorary fellowship in the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. The article credits Wilby as the “originator of the concrete pier and steel sash type of industrial building”. The article also said that Wilby had lived in Windsor since 1930, although he is listed in the 1923 directory as well.
Wilby’s obituary from December, 1957, stated he died at his home at the age of 89. It also credits him with designing and building his house on Ouellette Ave. in 1930.
The funeral took place beside his house at St. Paul’s Anglican Church (now home to J.P. Tompson, architects), and Wilby is buried in St. Mary’s Church Graveyard in Walkerville, a building he personally supervised the construction of.
As part of his legacy, there is an Ernest Wilby Memorial Scholarship that has been awarded every year since 1966.
Next time you drive past the old place on Ouellette, give a thought about the man who designed it, built it and died in it, and how his designs while working at Albert Kahn’s helped revolutionize how industrial buildings were made.
Another part of Windsor’s often overlooked history.
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sometimes i could swear you're reading my mind Andrew! 2 days ago I was wondering why you hadn't done a post on this beast before. low and behold.....
I imagined someone of importance lived here but had n idea just how special he was.
Maybe i miised it, but what's it used for now?
thanks Andrew!
Aaron, at last use, I believe it was home to a restaurant.
Currently it is for sale, and as far as I could tell, currently vacant.
it was also a funeral home at one point. just drove by this place the other day. beautiful building.
Thanks Andrew -
I've always wondered about this home. I did go in when it was a restaurant - lots of muddling to accomodate a funeral home and then a restaurant, but still, a wonderful building. Wouldn't be wonderful if it could be rehabbed back to a residence - maybe two upscale units would fit in. (I'm sure the next door neighbours could design something useable and beautiful while still maintaining the integrity of the original building)
..........or maybe it could torn down to build another semi-occupied mini strip mall.
Somewhere there is a photo of me standing on the front steps--late 1990s--after attending a luncheon there--it was a restaurant at the time--the name escapes me--but I think it was Michael's or David's or something like that...for a time after that it housed some sort of business--a time share or travel club of some sort.
Hey Andrew, good article. I actually came across it on Facebook. Any idea what the asking price is on this place? Was the backyard all parking lot?
I know this place as the James H Sutton Funeral Home - the remains of one of me old pals passed through those rooms back in the early '70s. Another fine job of keen observation and historical research. Fleshing out the bones of the old home town is your specialty. Unfortunately, Windsor seems to me a place that has turned its back on its history. The vandalism has progressed past the point of no return. This once fine house, like all the others on a once grand avenue is doomed. Enjoy it as it is, while you can.
The restaurant used to be called Richards. If i'm not mistaken.
It was Richards on the Avenue. Stately old building.
Richards on the Avenue is where my husband and I got engaged!!....We are still married 13 years later!!!!...Great place the food was wonderful...Great memories!!!