Robert England (architect) explained

Robert William England (8 June 1863 – 15 November 1908) was a New Zealand architect from Christchurch.

Early life

England was born on 8 June 1863 at Lyttelton.[1] His father, Robert West England, was a timber merchant who had come to Lyttelton from Warwickshire, England, in 1860.[2] England Jr. received his education at a Christchurch school. Aged 19, he went to Birmingham to study architecture under Joseph Lancaster Ball, and in 1885, he was admitted to the Royal Institute of British Architects. He returned to Christchurch aged 23 and set up his own practice in 1886, and over time became a prominent architect.[3]

Professional career

England took on many prominent commissions. He designed McLean's Mansion for Allan McLean, which is still the country's largest timber residence. He laid out the show grounds for the A&P Society at Addington and built the office for Dalgety and Company in Cathedral Square. He designed the Ridley Building on the corner of Lichfield and Manchester Streets. He designed a number of churches, including Knox Church on Bealey Avenue, the St Albans Methodist Church, and the Ashburton Presbyterian Church.[4] He designed a large residential building at 85 Papanui Road. Originally known as Wardington,[5] it was purchased by Christchurch Girls' High School in 1921 as their boarding house, and is now known as the "Old House" within Acland House.[6] [7] He designed Elm Tree House in Papanui Road that is registered as a Category II heritage building. He designed a commercial building for Alfred Billens in High Street. Initially known as the England Brothers House, it was later known as Billens' Building. Damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, like all heritage buildings in that block of High Street, it was destroyed by arson in December 2012.[8] England designed the McDougall residence (now the administration building of Nurse Maude) and the last building of A. J. White's Department Store on the corner of High and Tuam Streets. He designed Acton House in Gisborne on the North Island; his client was originally from Christchurch and the house is now registered as Category I. England worked on extensions of Riccarton House in Riccarton, St Andrew's Church (at that time located adjacent to Christchurch Hospital, but since relocated to Rangi Ruru Girls' School), and St Mary's Church in Halswell.

England designed an iron chimney and applied for a patent. Subsequent to the 1888 North Canterbury and 1901 Cheviot earthquakes, it was claimed that his chimney was earthquake resistant.[9]

He took his younger brother Edward as his business partner, and the practice was then known as England Bros. Whilst his biography on the website of Heritage New Zealand states that the partnership commenced in 1906, the Canterbury edition of The Cyclopedia of New Zealand published in 1903 already refers to "Messrs England Bros".[10] Contemporary newspaper advertisements state that his brother Edward joined the practice in July 1901.[11] England was unwell for some time and at the time of his death, the firm had commissions for the D.I.C. Building in Cashel Street, and new buildings for the Kaiapoi Woollen Company.

Listed buildings

A number of his building are or were listed with Heritage New Zealand; many of those were demolished after the earthquakes and have thus been removed from the register.

Photo Name Completion Category Number Description
St Mary's Church, Halswell1891II3135significant extension and refurbishment of the church in 1890–91, with the new south transept housing the organ bought in 1892
St Andrew's Church1892I304significant extension of the church, with the original building then forming the nave; the distinctive wheel window is England's design
St Albans Wesleyan Church1895II1923new church for the Wesleyan community in St Albans, replacing an earlier church; demolished in 2013 after earthquake damage[12] [13]
McDougall House1898II1908designed for Robert McDougall (the person who paid for the McDougall Art Gallery); since 1953 owned by the Nurse Maude Association[14]
McLean's Mansion1900I300situated in the Christchurch Central City, it is the country's largest timber residence; severely earthquake damaged and with an uncertain future[15]
Riccarton House1900I1868designer of the 1900 extension of this Riccarton residence; fully restored since the earthquakes
Knox Church1902II3723new church replacing an earlier building designed by Samuel Farr; badly damaged in the earthquakes but fully restored[16]
Wharetiki House1904II7551Edwardian timber dwelling in Colombo Street, Christchurch, with circumstantial evidence that England was the probable architect; demolished in July 2011[17]
St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Ashburton1907II1809new church replacing the adjacent older one; both buildings are still in use[18] [19]
Acton House1908I7235residence of Henry White in Gisborne
D.I.C. Building, Christchurch1909II3096retail premises that replaced an earlier building lost in a 1908 fire designed by England just before he died; demolished after the Christchurch earthquakes[20]
McKenzie & Willis storeca. 1910II1909the last building built for A. J. White (adjacent to two former buildings in Tuam Street) and later part of McKenzie & Willis; façade kept after the earthquakes
Elm Tree Houseinfo missingII1885residential building at 236 Papanui Road, Christchurch; repaired since earthquakes

Death

England died on 15 November 1908 from influenza at age 45 and was buried at Linwood Cemetery. He was survived by his wife and six children.

Notes and References

  1. News: Births . 11 July 2016 . . XX . 1112 . 8 July 1863 . 4.
  2. Book: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Canterbury Provincial District . 1903 . . Cyclopedia Company Limited . 12 July 2016 . Christchurch . Mr. Robert West England.
  3. Web site: St Albans Wesleyan Church (Former) . Quakestudies . 12 July 2016 .
  4. News: Obituary . 11 July 2016 . . LXIV . 13275 . 17 November 1908 . 7.
  5. News: Deaths . 12 July 2016 . The Sun . I . 248 . 23 November 1914 . 1.
  6. News: General News . 12 July 2016 . . LVII . 17130 . 27 April 1921 . 6.
  7. Web site: Old House, Acland House . . 12 July 2016.
  8. News: Lee . Francesca . Suspicions over central Christchurch fires . 12 July 2016 . . 10 December 2012.
  9. News: To Settlers in Cheviot, Amuri, and Outlying Districts . 12 July 2016 . . LIX . 11170 . 10 January 1902 . 1.
  10. Book: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Canterbury Provincial District . 1903 . . Cyclopedia Company Limited . 12 July 2016 . Christchurch . Wesleyan Church.
  11. News: Notice of Removal . 12 July 2016 . . LIX . 11167 . 7 January 1902 . 8.
  12. Web site: Register Records for St Albans Wesleyan Church, 163 Papanui Road, Christchurch . Quakestudies . 15 July 2016.
  13. Web site: Damaged St Albans Methodist Church Papanui Road . Kete Christchurch . 15 July 2016.
  14. Web site: Civic Trust Awards 2015 . Christchurch Civic Trust . 12 July 2016 . 4 . October 2015.
  15. News: Broughton . Cate . McLean's Mansion saved from demolition . 11 July 2016 . . 7 July 2016.
  16. Web site: History . Knox Church . 15 July 2016.
  17. News: Heather . Ben . Bid to save historic house fails . 27 July 2011 . The Press . 27 July 2011 . A12.
  18. News: Ashburton Presbyterian Church . 18 July 2016 . . xxviii . 6995 . 8 October 1906 . 4.
  19. News: Ashburton Presbyterian Church . 18 July 2016 . . XXIX . 7212 . 25 June 1907 . 3.
  20. Web site: Cashfields . Quakestudies . Heritage New Zealand . 18 July 2016.