Habershon and Fawckner

Mansion House (originally The Grove), Cardiff (1896)

Habershon & Fawckner or Habershon, Pite & Fawckner was a British architectural practice active in England and Wales from the 1860s, particularly in Cardiff and the South Wales area. They had had offices in London, Cardiff and Newport, designing a large number of houses, villas and non-conformist chapels.

Background

William Gilbee Habershon (c.18181891) began practising in St Neots, Huntingdonshire in 1843, in partnership with his brother Edward. The brothers parted ways and in 1863 William Habershon formed a partnership with one of his pupils, Alfred Robert Pite (b. 1832). James Follet Fawckner (c.18281898) became a partner (though he was not a registered architect) in 1870[1] he had been part of the Habershon company since 1857.[2] After Pite retired aged 45, the practice continued as Habershon & Fawckner. The business had offices in London, Cardiff and Newport, Wales[1] (W.G. & E. Habershon had previously run an office in High Street, Cardiff).[3] The Newport office was set up and run by Fawckner, who was probably responsible for the firms South Wales chapels.[2] The firm's London office was at 38, Bloomsbury Square.[4] After Habershon's death in 1891 Fawckner became the senior partner.[5]

The firm (preceded by W.G. & E. Habershon) were architects for the Tredegar Estate in South Wales.[6] They laid out large parts of Cardiff with parallel streets of villas for the middle classes.[7] The included the streets around The Parade, The Walk, Richmond Road and Richmond Crescent (now in Roath) named 'Tredegarville' at the time.[8] Cardiff's working class residential area of Splott was laid out by Habershon & Fawckner[9] between 1875 and 1899, with the firm basing themselves at the Tredegar Estate offices on Pearl Street.[3] They were responsible for over 1700 houses. Habershon's name was given to Habershon Street, while Hinton Street may have been named after Fawckner's son, Edgar Hinton Fawckner.[3]

Habershon Street, Splott, Cardiff, named after William Habershon

The company was busy in Newport, building three Anglican churches and at least fourteen chapels between 1857 and 1907.[10]

In 1891 Habershon & Fawckner designed a mansion on Richmond Crescent, Cardiff, named 'The Grove' (later 'The Mansion House' and home of the city mayor), for shop owner James Howell and family. The mansion included Roccoco detailing and an unusual double front entrance in case the house needed to be divided at a future date.[7]

Notable buildings

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As Habershon & Pite

As Habershon, Pite & Fawckner

Summerhill Baptist Church, Albert Avenue, Newport

As Habershon & Fawckner

St Michael and All Angels Church, Partridge Green (1890)

As Habershon, Fawckner & Groves

As Habershon, Fawckner & Co.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Habershon, Pite & Fawckner". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 2014-11-07.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Architects and Artists H - W G Habershon M E Habershon". Sussexparishchurches.org. Retrieved 2014-11-08.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Childs, Jeff (2012), "Architects", Roath, Splott and Adamsdown: One Thousand Years of History (eBook), The History Press, ISBN 978-0-7524-8257-6
  4. 4.0 4.1 "A New Church For Partridge Green. Interesting Ceremony.". The Sussex Express. 3 June 1890. p. 8. Retrieved 2014-11-11 via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  5. "James Follet Fawckner". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 2014-11-08.
  6. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan, p. 105
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Mortimer, Dic (2014), "10 - Roath (including Cyncoed and Lakeside)", Cardiff: The Biography (eBook), Amberley Publishing, ISBN 978-1-4456-4251-2, retrieved 2014-11-07
  8. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan, p. 309
  9. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan, p. 311
  10. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, p. 428
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, pp. 431435
  12. 12.0 12.1 Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan, p. 278
  13. Source: Listing description for TR College)
  14. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan, p. 586
  15. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, p. 457
  16. 16.0 16.1 Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, p. 449
  17. "Survey of London: volume 37: Northern Kensington - CHAPTER XII - The Portobello and St. Quintin Estates". British History Online. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  18. "Opening Of A New Market At Barry.". Western Mail. 12 December 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 2014-11-11 via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  19. "Splott Road English Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Habershon Street; Barnaby Street, Cardiff". RCAHMW. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  20. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, p. 436
  21. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, p. 442
  22. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan, p. 302
  23. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, p. 452
  24. Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan, p. 304

Sources