Basic Biographical Details Name: | Davidson & Henderson | Designation: | | Born: | Late 1869 | Died: | April 1876 | Bio Notes: | Alexander Davidson was born on 17 May 1839, the son of Samuel Davidson of 9 Rose Street, Edinburgh and later of 6 William Street, Edinburgh and of Mary Kennedy. An RSA student, he was recommended to the Trustees' Academy by Walter Carmichael. He entered on 23 June 1856 and left on 30 June in the same year. He was articled to John Henderson in whose office he met and befriended Henderson's son, George. George Henderson was born in Edinburgh on 3 October 1846 and was educated at the Royal High School in Edinburgh from 1858 to 1861 before joining his father as an articled clerk.
After John Henderson's early death in 1862 his son George Henderson moved to the office of David Cousin to complete his apprenticeship. Davidson was persuaded by Rev John Cooper, related by marriage to the Davidson family, then on a visit to Edinburgh in mid-1864, to emigrate to Australia to undertake work there for Cooper's congregation. Davidson, accompanied by his young cousin and future wife, Eugenia Cooper Davidson, departed for Australia in the autumn of the same year. Within a few months he designed a church for Cooper's Presbyterian congregation at Rokewood in Victoria. After a dispute with his congregation over the payment of his stipend, Cooper left Rokewood, though Davidson remained there, gaining the patronage of local families, in particular Scottish émigrés.
In May 1867 George Henderson arrived in Australia, presumably persuaded by his friend Davidson and by the promise of colonial work. At first he acted as an unpaid associate to Davidson, though before long both Henderson and Davidson were able to send money home to assist their respective families, a number of large commissions coming their way in late 1868 and in early 1869 when the practice moved to Geelong in Victoria. A partnership was formalised in late 1869, with Davidson receiving 2/3 of the profit and the younger partner 1/3. In early 1870 the partners won the important commission of Geelong College in Newtown and in line with stylistic developments in Britain used for the first time 'constructional polychromy'. A venture in the field of speculative building in Geelong was however not a success and a series of unfortunate episodes of losing jobs to other architects and disputes with contractors (relating to a clause written by the practice in their terms of agreement about their right to be the sole judge of quality without arbitration) caused them financial difficulties. Moreover in the early 1870s there was a short depression in the wool industry and some sources of work temporarily dried up.
The first partnership ended in December 1873. Although a new one was formalised in July 1874 with Davidson now receiving 5/9 of the profits, by this time Henderson, who had lived with Davidson and his wife since his arrival in Australia, found this arrangement a strain. Moreover he was becoming disillusioned with the work. Henderson largely fulfilled the role of office manager and was responsible for the costing of the jobs. It is unclear how much hand he had in design work. Only occasionally did he make site visits. In December 1875 he received an offer of work from William Hay in Edinburgh and the Davidson-Henderson partnership was terminated on less than friendly terms in April 1876, Henderson sailing home later that year. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Rokewood, Victoria, Australia | Business | 1868 | | | | 32, Malop Street, Geelong, Victoria, Australia | Business | 1869 | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | George Henderson | Late 1869 | April 1876 | Partner | | | Alexander Davidson | Late 1869 | April 1876 | Partner | |
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1869 | Barwon Park | Winchelsea | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1869 | Episcopal Church | Colac | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1869 | Homestead Eilyer | Lake Bolac | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1869 | National Insurance Company Building | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1869 | Victoria Woollen and Cloth Manfacturing Co | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1869 | Wesleyan Parsonage | Ashby | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1870 | Belleville | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1870 | Geelong College, Newtown Hall | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1870 | Honddu double villas | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1870 | Oddfellows Hall | Colac | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1870 | Presbyterian Church | Ceres | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1870 | Residence, Myer Street | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1870 | Titanga Residence and Station Buildings | Lismore | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1871 | Erskine Church | Carlton | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1871 | Grandstand for Geelong Racing Club | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1871 | Mooleric Residence | Mount Gellibrand | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1871 | Presbyterian Manse | Shelford | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1871 | Prsebyterian Church | Skipton | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1872 | Excell Lonargon & Co warehouse | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1872 | Geelong Hospital, Lunatic Wards | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1872 | Larra Homestead, stable and offices | Lismore | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1872 | Monument to Thomas Austin | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1872 | Narrepumelap Homestead | Wickliffe | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1872 | Presbyterian Manse | Lismore | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1872 | Residence, Mount Mercer | Mount Mercer | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1872 | Sydney Hotel | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1873 | Dwelling House, Myers and Fenwick Street corner | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1873 | Eastern Cemetery, lodge and gates | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1873 | Eurack | Mount Hesse | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1873 | Geelong Infirmary and Benevolent Asylum | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | Arcaded verandahs | | 1873 | Mooramong Homestead | Skipton | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1873 | Residence, Cooinda Elliots Hill | Bellarine | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1873 | Residence, Newtown Hill | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1873 | Residence, Victoria Parade | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1873 | United Methodist Free Church | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1873 | Yeo Homesread | Colac | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1874 | Barwon Woollen Mill | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1874 | George Street Woolstores | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | New store | | 1874 | Glen Alvie | Colac | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1874 | Synnot and Co Wool Warehouse | Gellong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1875 | Geelong Free Library | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1875 | Victoria Hotel | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1875 | Wesleyan Parsonage | Chilwell | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1876 | Fernside Villa and stables | Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1876 | Homestead Eilyer | Lake Bolac | | Victoria | Australia | Additions | | 1876 | Mountside Homestead | Mount Hesse | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1876 | Tuppal Station Buildings | Deniliquin | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1876 | Two storey hotel | South Geelong | | Victoria | Australia | | | 1876 | Wesleyan Church | Newtown | | Victoria | Australia | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Bailey, Rebecca M | 1996 | Scottish architects' papers: a source book | | Edinburgh: The Rutland Press | p212 | | Willingham, Allan | 1983 | Two Scots in Victoria: the architecture of Davidson and Henderson | | | Willingham draws on letters formerly in the possession of Mrs Elizabeth Stella Philliips, since destroyed by her executors. |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Hay and Henderson Collection | | |
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