Ralph Benjamin Pratt

Ralph Benjamin Pratt (1872-1950) was a Canadian architect known for his work as a staff architect for the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway, and for his work as a member of the firm Pratt and Ross with partner architect Donald Aynsley Ross.

Pratt was born at London, England on 9 August 1872, the son of Joseph and Jane Pratt. He was educated at London at the South Kensington School of Art before emigrating to Canada in 1891 and to Manitoba the next year.

He worked as an architectural and engineering draftsman for the Canadian Pacific Railway at Winnipeg from 1895 to 1901, during which he created a standard plan for a station which was used at Virden and other locations. Pratt then worked for the Canadian Northern Railway from 1901 to 1906. He created the first standard design 3rd Class station for the Canadian Northern in 1901, and other standard plans. Although Pratt left the Canadian Pacific in 1901, and the Canadian Northern in 1906, he continued to receive commissions from the railroads for other work, and both railroads continued to used the standard plans he had created, so the design of later stations is often attributed to him.

Pratt formed the architectural partnership Pratt and Ross with Donald Aynsley Ross in 1906, specializing in structural and civil engineering projects. Pratt was a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, served as President of the Manitoba Association of Architects from 1917 to 1919, and was a member of the Railway Engineering Association.

Pratt married Euphemia Maude Monnington (1874-1977) on October 23, 1900, at Winnipeg. They had three children: George Ralph Monnington Pratt (1901-1983), Olive Maude Grace Pratt (1904-2004, wife of Herbert Carey), and Camden James Charles Pratt (1915-1984). In 1911, the family lived at 261 Carlton Street, Winnipeg. His recreations included canoeing and skating. He was a member of the Anglican church.

He died at St. Boniface on 14 March 1950 and was buried in the St. John’s Cemetery.