Born at Broughty Ferry, Scotland on 21 March 1881, he trained as a draftsman in Scotland before moving to England where he worked as an architect from 1902 to 1907.
He emigrated to Winnipeg in 1908, working briefly for architect Hugh Gordon Holman then forming a partnership with him from 1909 to 1910. He designed apartment blocks, private residences, and educational buildings. His best known work is St. John’s Anglican Cathedral (1925-1926) done collaboratively with Gilbert C. Parfitt. After 1950, he was partner in the architectural firm of Prain and Ward, and later consultant to its successor, Ward and McDonald. He served as President of the Manitoba Association of Architects (1939-1940).
On 30 September 1909, he married Elizabeth Jane Williamson (1879-1962) and they had a son, Frederick Kennedy Prain (1910-1910), who died at their apartment in Victoria Court.
He retired in December 1957 and died at his Winnipeg home, 126 Mossdale Avenue, on 29 January 1958. He was buried in the Old Kildonan Cemetery.
Some of his architectural works in Manitoba:
Building
Location
Year
Status
324 Young Street, Winnipeg
1910
99 Middle Gate, Winnipeg
1910
Scott House
190 Kingsway, Winnipeg
1910
351 Victor Street, Winnipeg
1911
730 Victor Street, Winnipeg
1911
902 Home Street, Winnipeg
1912
693 Maryland Street, Winnipeg
1912
480 Young Street, Winnipeg
1912
Jefferson Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
Royal Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
729 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
689 Maryland Street, Winnipeg
1913
Demolished (?)
Elenora Apartments
748 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
Demolished (?)
Elvira Court
116 Emily Street, Winnipeg
1914
Demolished (?)
426 Maryland Street, Winnipeg
1914
Demolished (2020)
795 Prince Rupert Avenue, Winnipeg
1920
Demolished (2002)
135 Anderson Avenue, Winnipeg
1926
477 Wardlaw Avenue, Winnipeg
1926
612 Valour Road, Winnipeg
1926
191 Cathedral Avenue, Winnipeg
1927
898 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg
1927
Quinton Dyers and Cleaners Building (addition)
Daly Street, Winnipeg
1927
Demolished (?)
651 Spruce Street, Winnipeg
1928
251 Bannerman Avenue, Winnipeg
1928
195 Cathedral Avenue, Winnipeg
1929
Manning House
116 Ash Street, Winnipeg
1929
Demolished (2021)
100 Osborne Street North, Winnipeg
1929
Demolished (November 1956)
RM of Grey
1929
270 Wallace Avenue, RM of East St. Paul
1930
Henderson Highway, RM of St. Clements
1931
Demolished (?)
Perth Dye Works (addition)
482-484 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg
1933
Demolished (?)
590 St. Mary's Road, Winnipeg
1935
Perth Dye Works (addition)
482-484 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg
1937-1938
Demolished (?)
Warren Consolidated School No. 740 (repairs)
Warren, RM of Woodlands
1943
Destroyed by fire (19 November 1956)
2093 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg
1946-1947
Demolished (2012)
Lord Kitchener School / John Pritchard School (expansion)
1490 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg
1947
Charleswood School (renovations)
Roblin Boulevard, RM of Charleswood
1947
3740 Main Street, RM of West St. Paul
1947
Centennial School (expansion)
240 Royal Avenue, Winnipeg
c1948
Roland School (addition)
Roland, RM of Roland
1948
4 Main Street, Sanford, RM of Macdonald
1948-1953
525 Beresford Avenue, Winnipeg
1949
Salisbury School No. 1 (renovations)
795 Prince Rupert Avenue, Winnipeg
1949
Demolished (July 1987)
211 Main Street, Selkirk
1949
150 Hartford Avenue, Winnipeg
1950
Lord Wolseley School (four-classroom brick and concrete addition)
939 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg
1950
1455 Molson Street, Winnipeg
1950
Victory School (six-classroom expansion)
395 Jefferson Avenue, Winnipeg
1950
After 1950, see Prain and Ward
Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary [Fredrick Kennedy Prain], Winnipeg Tribune, 27 December 1910, page 5.
“Fraser and MacDonald have been awarded the contract,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 November 1927, page 8.
“Tenders for school [Wingham Consolidated School],” Manitoba Free Press, 15 April 1929, page 20.
“Advance for 1929 over 1928 total $160,000,” Manitoba Free Press, 11 May 1929, page 57.
“Two new homes on Ash St.,” Winnipeg Tribune, 5 October 1929, page 28.
“Perth Dye Works today opens extended plant,” Winnipeg Tribune, 25 March 1933, page 4.
“Theatre for St. Vital [Windsor Theatre],” Manitoba Free Press, 25 May 1935, page 6.
“Architects elect Prain as President,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 January 1939, page 16.
“Tenders [Warren School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 26 July 1943, page 15.
“Deer Lodge United to dedicate church,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 January 1947, page 10.
“Tenders,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 January 1947, page 16.
“Tenders [Lord Kitchener School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 4 April 1947, page 2.
“Tenders [Charleswood School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 June 1947, page 22.
“Tenders [Libau School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 26 September 1947, page 24.
“School District of West Kildonan No. 8,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 August 1948, page 19.
“Tenders [Selkirk School District No. 69],” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 January 1949, page 17.
“Old and new churches filled at Rosedale United dedication,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 March 1949, page 7.
“Tenders [Victory School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 October 1949, page 6.
“Tenders [Salisbury School No. 1],” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 October 1949, page 52.
“Tenders [Lord Wolseley School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 30 January 1950, page 27.
“Tenders [North Kildonan School District No. 2116],” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 March 1950, page 29.
Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
We thank Gail Singleton, Jordan Makichuk, and George Penner for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 13 August 2024
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