Carlyle Greenwell

Carlyle Greenwell - Architect
Killara Uniting Church
Born	(1884-03-16)16 March 1884 Windsor, NSW
Died	7 February 1961(1961-02-07) (aged 76) Collaroy, NSW
Nationality	Australian
Practice	Kent Budden & Greenwell (1912-19) Budden & Greenwell (1919-22) Greenwell & Shirley

Carlyle Greenwell (16 March 1884 – 7 February 1961) was an Australian architect whose houses, designed in the first half of the 20th century, are now heritage listed and a philanthropist whose bequest to the University of Sydney funds research in Anthropology and Archaeology.

Early life

Greenwell was born in Windsor and was educated at Newington College (1897–1901).^[1]

Architectural career

He then studied architecture at Sydney Technical College before there was a university architecture course available in Sydney, but also attended architecture lectures in the Engineering Faculty at University of Sydney. He later studied at the University of Pennsylvania and was awarded a B.Sc.(Arch) in 1911.

65 Woodside Avenue, Strathfield.

Before studying abroad Greenwell had been articled to the firm of Kent & Budden, and in 1912 he joined them in partnership as Kent Budden & Greenwell. During this time, Greenwell designed a number of now heritage listed houses for family and friends in Strathfield and Killara. His design for a substantial domestic dwelling at 65 Woodside Avenue, Strathfield, is indicative of his houses of this period. Another notable design showing his distinctive rough cast stucco columns is 'Terhyn Worthle' which was featured in "Domestic architecture in Australia" edited by William Hardy Wilson (Sydney : Angus and Robertson, 1919). These homes had elements of the Federation Arts and Crafts and Federation Bungalow styles.

After the departure of Kent, the firm became known as Budden & Greenwell. In this period, Greenwell designed the Inter-War Gothic-styled Killara Congregational Church, which later became the Killara Uniting Church; the Woolloomooloo 'Bay Mothers and Wives Memorial to Soldiers' and the 'Harrison House' (now Weis Restaurant) in Toowoomba.^[2] In 1931, while in partnership as 'Greenwell & Shirley', Greenwell designed the 'Norman House' in Vaucluse.

Private life

At the age of 53, Greenwell married Sibyl Enid Vera Munro Morrison, a divorcee who was the first female barrister in New South Wales, at St Stephen's Presbyterian Church on 16 March 1937.^[3]

War service

Greenwell served as an Army Officer in both World War I ^[4] and World War II.

Legacy

He died at Collaroy 7 February 1961, and his estate funded the 'Carlyle Greenwell Research Fund' at Sydney University for student research, field work and original literary work in Anthropology.^[5] A substantial bequest to the Art Gallery of NSW included works by George Lambert, Sydney Long, Kenneth McQueen and John Passmore. Over many years he was also a major donor to the Australian Museum.

References