William Ernest Monro was born in England on 21 July 1867 and was articled to Arthur Richard George Fenning (1855-1937). He was then an improver with the London-based architect William Howard Seth-Smith (1855-1937) and remained with him as an assistant until 1905, when he was made a partner in the practice which became Seth-Smith & Monro. The practice became Seth-Smith, Monro & Matthew in 1934 when Alexander Edward Matthew (1903-1972) was made a partner in the firm.
Monro was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (LRIBA) in 1910, and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1925. He was also a Fellow of the Society of Architects (FSArc). His address was given as 10 Abbeville Road, Finsbury, London in 1905; 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London in 1920 and 1939 (business). He died on 16 January 1945. His death was registered in Marylebone, London
A biographical file on William Ernest Monro is available on request at the Enquiry Desk, Royal Institute of British Architects Library, London
Work by Monro in conjunction with William Howard Seth-Smith included: the Marling Schools, Stroud, about 1880; Homes for Destitute Boys in Oxfordshire, with schools, workshops, gymnasium and chapel, about 1887 to 1914; St. Luke's Church, Maidstone; the Grafton Hotel. Tottenham Court Road; Church Missionary Society, 1915, extension and alteration of premises in Salisbury Square; alteration and extension of Hare Hall, Romford; restoration of Manor House, Stoke Poses: extension of Nast Hyde Manor House, Hatfield: houses at Elstead, Owermoigne (Dorsetshire), and Broadstalrs: Waxwell Farm. Pinner; Hyde House, Bulstrode Street; Ada Lewis House, Chelsea; rebuilding of Manor House, Kingham; lodges to Daylesford Park, Oxfordshire; the Town Hall, Lydney; development of the Chase Estate, Epsom, and Eaton Park Estate, Cobham, Surrey. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1923
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 168, 16 Feb 1945, p. 142