Basic Biographical Details

Name: Basil Ionides
Designation:  
Born: 20 June 1884
Died: 23 September 1950
Bio Notes: Basil Ionides was born on 20 June 1884, the fourth son of Luke A Ionides, who was a friend of Burne-Jones, and grandson of the Greek ambassador to London. He may have come from the Manchester textile family of that name. He was educated at Tonbridge School and studied at Glasgow School of Art 1900-1903 whilst serving his articles with Alexander Nisbet Paterson. The double villa in Winton Drive, Glasgow was designed when he was only eighteen and barely halfway through his apprenticeship. On completion of his apprenticeship in 1904 or 1905 he moved to London where he joined the office of Leonard Stokes, subsequently spending a short time with Harold Ainsworth Peto before commencing independent practice in 1908 at Hadlow Down and designing a number of houses in various English counties.

During the First World War he served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and received a commission but relinquished it as he did not like giving orders to more experienced men and returned later as an ordinary seaman. He was disabled in 1917 and continued to practise, initially mainly carrying out interior work. He became an important Art Deco designer, architect of the Savoy Theatre in London with Frank A Tugwell in 1939-30, and of Claridge's Restaurant. Ionides was also the author of 'Colour and Interior Decoration' (1926) and 'Colour in Everyday Rooms' (1934). Ionides married the Hon (?) Mrs W H Levy, daughter of the First Viscount Bearsted shortly after Levy died in 1923. They acquired Buxted Park in 1931 and were important collectors of works of art; their London address in the 1930s was 49 Berkeley, Square, a house Ionides altered for himself. Buxted Park was burnt down during or just after the Second World War and the Ionides lost much of their collection which had been moved there to safekeeping during the blitz.

Ionides was admitted LRIBA on 11 May 1931, his proposers being Howard Robertson, George Grey Wornum and Maurice Everett Webb. He was elevated to Fellow on 5 December 1938, proposed by Albert Edward Richardson, Charles Herbert Reilly and Walker Hindes Godfrey.

Ionides died in Brighton on 28 September 1950.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 612, Wilson Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate19001901 
Item 2 of 635, Falkland Mansions, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate19021903 
Item 3 of 6Hadlow Down, Sussex, EnglandBusiness1908  
Item 4 of 620, Cork Street, London, EnglandBusiness1931 *  
Item 5 of 649, Berkeley Square, London, EnglandPrivateBefore 1931After 1938 
Item 6 of 628, Cork Street, London, EnglandBusiness1938 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 3Alexander Nisbet Paterson19001904 or 1905Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3Harold Ainsworth PetoAfter 19041908(?)Assistant 
Item 3 of 3Leonard Aloysius Scott Stokes1904 or 1905Before 1908Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Walker Hindes Godfrey5 December 1938for Fellowship
Item 2 of 6(Sir) Charles Herbert Reilly5 December 1938for Fellowship
Item 3 of 6(Sir) Albert Edward Richardson5 December 1938for Fellowship
Item 4 of 6(Sir) Howard Morley Robertson11 May 1931for Licentiateship
Item 5 of 6Maurice Everett Webb11 May 1931for Licentiateship
Item 6 of 6George Grey Wornum11 May 1931for Licentiateship

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 1c. 1902Semi-detached villas, Winton Drive  GlasgowScotlandOne pair built in association with David Woodburn Sturrock

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Post Office Directories     

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder29 September 1950v179 pp358 & 474 - obituary
Item 2 of 2RIBA JournalSeptember 1950 London: Royal Institute of British ArchitectsObituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Additional information from Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L no3832 (box 17); F no3501 (box 24)