Basic Biographical Details Name: | E & W G Habershon | Designation: | | Born: | 1852 | Died: | 1863 | Bio Notes: | The practice was founded by Matthew Habershon, who was born in 1789 of a Rotherham family and was articled to William Atkinson in 1806 and remained as assistant. He became an enthusiast for timber-framed houses, publishing a book on them in 1836. He was also a zealous Anglican, publishing 'A Dissertation on the Prophetic Scriptures' (1834) and other similar works, and travelling to Palestine in 1842 to complete the cathedral begun by J W Johns, a work that brought him an interview with the King of Prussia in the following year.
Matthew Habershon died in London on 5 July 1852. The practice was inherited by his sons Edward Habershon and William Gilbee Habershon. Edward was articled to his father and admitted ARIBA on 9 February 1852 and FRIBA on 5 November 1860. William was also articled to his father and began practice in 1843 in St Neots, subsequently moving to London, and was admitted FRIBA on 9 February 1852, his proposers being his father's pupil Ewan Christian, Sir John Pennethorne and Thomas Leverton Donaldson. On the dissolution of the partnership with his brother Edward in 1863, William entered into a partnership with his former pupil, Alfred Robert Pite, born in 1832. Pite had left to gain experience in the office of Philip Charles Hardwick in 1851 and had emigrated to Brazil as architect to the Don Pedro Railway, 1856. He was admitted FRIBA on 5 December 1864 (proposers missing). Pite (father of William Alfred Pite and Arthur Beresford Pite) retired in 1877 at the early age of 45 (he died on 15 February 1911) and William Gilbee Habershon continued the practice with James Follet Fawckner who had been a partner since 1870, although his name did not appear in the firm's title at that time. Details of Fawckner are lacking as he never joined the RIBA but he had probably been a senior assistant.
Following the break with his brother Edward Habershon went into partnership with Henry Spalding, who had been born in 1838 or 1839 and articled to the Harbershons in 1857. In 1865 they made their managing clerk Edgar Philip Loftus Brock a partner. Brock had been born in 1833, articled to the original E and WG Habershon practice in 1857, and had studied at the RA Schools where he won the Silver Medal. Spalding, who was admitted ARIBA on 17 March 1873, subsequently left to form a partnership with Patrick Auld and Alfred William Stephen Cross, and on Edward Habershon's retirement in 1879 Brock became sole partner and was belatedly admitted FRIBA on 20 March 1882, his proposers being Edward Habershon, Arthur Cates and Professor T Hayter Lewis. Edward Habershon died in 1901; William Gilbee Habershon on 12 August 1891; Fawckner in 1898; Brock in 1895; and Spalding on 25 June 1910. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | London, England | Business | | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
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 | | 1858 | Duncrub House Chapel | Dunning | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1860 or 1862 | Dunning Manse | Dunning | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1861 | Duncrub House | Dunning | | Perthshire | Scotland | Replacing William Burn House |
ReferencesPeriodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 31 October 1891 | | | Obituary of W G Habershon | | Builder | 9 November 1895 | | | Brock | | Builder | 16 November 1895 | | | Brock | | Builder | 30 November 1895 | | | Brock | | Builder | 1898 | | | Obituary of Fawckner, check date | | Builder | 2 July 1910 | | | Spalding's obituary | | RIBA Journal | 1895 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Obituary of Brock | | RIBA Journal | 1910 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Obituary of Spalding | | RIBA Proceedings | 1892 | v8 | | New series, p19 |
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