Bates, William Stanley
732 - 13th Avenue SW

1872-1949
William Stanley Bates was born in Yorkshire, England in 1872. He studied architecture and in 1897 became an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects. In 1904 William and his wife Marion Montford Thomasson moved to Calgary at the invitation of architect Gilbert Hodgson. Bates joined the architectural firm of Wilson and Hodgson. In 1906 Marion gave birth to a son Maxwell, who later became a well-known artist and the renowned architect of St. Mary’s Cathedral. Three other children were born to the couple in the years that followed. In 1916 William opened his own firm which he operated until 1944.

During his career, William Bates designed many prominent Calgary buildings. His commissions included the Burns Building (still standing), Grain Exchange (still standing), Canadian Pacific Railway’s Natural Resources Building, Sacred Heart Church, parts of Holy Cross Hospital, the city’s first Safeway store (1939) and numerous schools, hospitals, churches, hotels, banks, residences, commercial buildings and the family home. The two-storey Bates’ house was built on Calgary’s thirteenth avenue, across the street from the Lougheed mansion and next door to the Ranchmen’s club. In 1912 a third storey was added. It was an elegant house in a prestigious neighbourhood. Both the interior and exterior of the house reflected the art nouveau influence. Family friend P.K.Page described the romance of the interior finishings. "The furniture-dark oak-intricately carved, in many cases by the Bateses themselves, and innumerable "objets d’art" - fashioned of silver or ivory covered the occasional tables: perfect little elephants, photos in silver frames, snuff boxes, patch boxes."

William Bates died in 1949 and Marion in 1952.

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