Owen Williams
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- For the footballer with the same name, see Owen Williams (footballer).
Sir Evan Owen Williams (20 March 1890 – 23 May 1969) was born in Tottenham, London, England, son of Owen Tudor Williams and Mary Roberts, and died in hospital in Hemel Hempstead. He studied engineering at the University of London[citation needed], after which he was articled to the Electrical Tramways Co. in London[citation needed]. In 1912 Williams assumed a position as engineer and designer with the Trussed Concrete Company[citation needed]. Seven years later, he started his own consulting firm, Williams Concrete Structures. [1]
Appointed chief consulting civil engineer to the British Empire Exhibition (including Wembley Stadium) in 1923, he received a knighthood for his services in 1924.
Williams designed his buildings as functional structures sheathed with decorative facades. More an engineer than an architect, Williams produced a series of reinforced concrete buildings during the period between the wars. After World War II he worked on developing the first plan for Britain's motorway system.
In the 1940s the company expanded and became Sir Owen Williams and Partners.
His other works include the Dorchester Hotel, the Boots pharmaceutical factory in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, the Daily Express Buildings in London and Manchester, the M1 Motorway and the Gravelly Hill Interchange (Spaghetti Junction).
His nephew is quoted as saying "Just fancy Taid taking all that time over the trip to Barnet, when 60 years later his Grandson was head of Civil Engineering for the M1 ....."
[edit] Notes
- ^ Jones, R. Emlyn (2007). The Glanrhyd family, Pentreuchaf in Gwynedd Roots. Gwynedd Family History Scoiety, Page 17.
[edit] Further reading
Sir Owen Williams 1890-1969. The Architectural Association 1986
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