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Basic Biographic Details
Name:
Edward Robert Robson
Designation :
Architect
Date of Birth:
Exact Date
Exact DOB:
03/02/1835
Year of Birth :
Circa Year of Birth :
Date of Birth Before (Year):
Date of Birth After (Year):
DOB (1st 'Or' Year):
DOB (2nd 'Or' Year):
Date of Death:
Exact Date
Exact DOD:
19/01/1917
Year of Death:
Circa Year of Death:
Date of Death Before (Year):
Date of Death After (Year):
DOD (1st 'Or' Year):
DOD (2nd 'Or' Year):
Town of Birth :
Bio Notes :
Edward Robert Robson was born in Durham on 2 March 1835 and from 1851-53 worked in the building firm of his father. During this time he excuted his first desigm for the Bethel Methodist Connection Chapel in Durham. Subsequently he was articled to John Dobson from 1853 to 1856. He then moved to London as an improver in the office of Gilbert Scott where he became acquainted with John James Stevenson, 1857-1860. While still in Scott's office he commenced independent practice c.1858 as architect to the Dean and Chapter of Durham. From that year he was in partnership with John Wilson Walton (later William Walton-Wilson) and was admitted ARIBA on 6 February of that year, his proposers being Scott, Dobson and Sydney Smirke, and Fellow 18 January 1864. He was appointed architect to the Corporation of Liverpool in the same year (1864) but left in 1871 as he was not allowed to practise privately at the same time as working for them. He then became architect in the LCC London and published the highly influential 'School Architecture' in 1876. In the same year (1871) he formed a partnership with Stevenson, but this was dissolved in 1876. In 1884 he also became architect to the Education Department, later the Board of Education and to the Scottish Education Department. Although these roles were advisory, Robson thus had a considerable influence on Scottish school design, notably in Edinburgh where the 'Queen Anne' character of many of the schools reflects Robson's work in London, albeit built in stone rather than brick. These appointments came to an end in 1904 when Robson was sixty nine, but he continued to practise from 1910 in partnership with J J Gott. Although Robson's son, Philip Appleby Robson, (1871-1951) may have assisted his father in the 1890s he started his practice independently in 1898. He took over his father's practice on his father's death at Blackheath on 19 January 1917. This he continued until he retired in 1939.
Robson senior died Publications: 'School Architecture' 1874 (Reprinted 1972 with introduction by M Seaborne)
Bio Notes continued...
Additional Notes
Addresses
The following private or business addresses are associated with this person:
Private Addresses
Private Addresses2 classic
Address
Class
Date From Char
Date From Type
Date To Char
Date To Type
Notes
London England
Private/business
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Business Addresses
Business Addresses2 classic
Address
Class
Date From
Date From Type
Date To
Date To Type
Notes
Liverpool England
Business
1864
1871
London England
Private/business
After 1871
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Employment and Training
The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this person (click on an item to view details):
Employers2 classic
Name
Name Link
Date From
Date To
Position
Notes
Stevenson & Robson
200831
In year 1871
Partner
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Employees or Pupils
The following individuals were employed or trained by this person (click on an item to view details):
Employees or Pupils2 classic
Name
Name Link
Date From
Date To
Position
Notes
Arthur Keen
203656
In year 1884
1884 or 1885
Assistant
William Edward Careless (or Carless)
200519
In year 1906
c. 1907
Assistant
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RIBA Proposals
This person proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
RIBA PROPOSALS2 classic
Person
Date Proposed
Notes
Francis Robert Newton Haswell
1873/01/06
for Fellowship
William James Audsley
1876/06/12
for Fellowship
George Ashdown Audsley
1876/06/12
for Fellowship
James Graham Fairley
1877/02/19
for Associateship
John Watt
1885/06/08
for Associateship
William Edward Careless (or Carless)
1912/04/22
for Licentiateship
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References
Bibliographic References
The following books contain references to this person:
Bib ref classic
Author
Title
Date
Publisher
Part
Notes
Grove Dictionary of Art
Grove Dictionary of Art
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Periodical References
The following periodicals contain references to this person:
Period ref classic
Periodical Name
Publisher
Date Circ
Edition
Notes
RIBA Journal
1917/02/24
*
pp92-96
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Archive References
The following archives hold material relating to this person:
Arc ref classic
Archive Name
Source
Source Cat No
Building Id
Item Name
Notes
Information sent via \'Contact Us\' on website
Courtesy of Graham Potts
201282
Sent March 2013.
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