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MenuHomeUpfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon | POWELL, William HenryBorn: 1847Died: 1900 06 07 Architect | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
It is not certain where Powell was born nor educated. He served articles with Joseph Gardner, architect, Folkestone (c1865-70?) and then moved to London where he was employed in Sydney Smirke's office for several years. According to a note in his ARIBA nomination papers (1873), Smirke wrote that he had found Powell's 'conduct had always been that of a gentleman.' Powell left Smirke's office (n.d.) and set up independent practice in London, practising successfully for nearly twenty years. An example of his work was illustrated in Academy Architecture (1889:6): a house, No 34 Grosvenor Square in the fashionable Free Renaissance style. Powell came to South Africa about 1890, probably on account of his health, and settled in Durban. He wrote to the Acting Colonial Secretary, Pietermaritzburg, in June 1890 asking for government work, pointing out that he had recently established himself in practice in Durban and had a branch office in Pietermaritzburg. He added that he was interested to know if he could be of service in connection with any public works, having seen that extensive additions were contemplated to the hospital (Pietermaritzburg?). He possessed a special knowledge of hospital planning. The letterhead read 'architect of Durban, Pietermaritzburg and London. Telegraphic address FRIBA'. AG CROSS, who worked for Powell before Powell's death in 1900, states he was in association with Powell and that 'they won from the Government a high school; also another competition the Colonial Offices in Maritzburg ... another school was done by us, that has been formed into a school type repeated ... all over the country' (SAAR Dec 1928:130). The Colonial Office Building in Church St, Pietermaritzburg (1895-1901) remains Powell's best known building. He was occupied with the final stages of the building when he died in Durban aged fifty-three. His son, William Henry POWELL (cf. POWELL & SON), completed the work. ARIBA 1873; FRIBA London 1887. (Acad Arch 1889; ARIBA nom papers (1873); Greig 1971; Hillebrand 1975; Kearney 1973; NAD CSO 1263 1890/3644; RIBA Jnl Jul 28, 1900:450 obit; RIBA Kal 1873; Strutt 1963) Read the article 'A tale of two phoenixes: The Colonial Building and its architect William Powell' by by Stephen Coan, published in the December 2012 issue number 42 of the Natal Society's annual publication Natalia. All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon. List of projects With photographs With notes
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