Harry Bell Measures

Redford Cavalry Barracks, Edinburgh

Measures-designed entrance to Oxford Circus station.

Harry Bell Measures (1862–1940) was an English architect.

He had a varied career. In 1884 - 1892 he was in-house architect for William Willett, producing high-quality housing for the well-heeled in London and South East England; these were normally in the ornate red brick Queen Anne style that was popular at the time.

He was responsible for a number of English "improved" housing developments for working men, such as the Rowton Houses in London and Birmingham. He designed the original station buildings for the Central London Railway, now the Central line of London Underground, which opened on 30 July 1900.

He was later the Director of Barrack Construction for the British War Office and was responsible for buildings such as Redford Barracks in Edinburgh.

Houses for Willetts

69 - 79 Eaton Road, Hove (1888–90)

Other works

Works for Artisans, Labourers & General Dwellings Company on Leigham Court Estate, Streatham.
New College, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (Grade II Listed. Measures was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire [CBE] for his work on barrack design).
Union Jack Club, London (opened in 1907 by King Edward VII who appointed Measures a Member Class I of the Royal Victorian Order [MVO - now LVO] for the work. The building was badly damaged in the Blitz and demolished in 1970).

Central London Railway stations

Measures designed the following stations on the original section of the Central London Railway:

Shepherd's Bush - building demolished and rebuilt to a completely different design in 2008.
Holland Park - station building remains in use
Notting Hill Gate - building demolished; new sub-surface station constructed
Queensway - opened as Queens Road. Building remains in use
Lancaster Gate - building demolished and rebuilt to a different design as part of a tower block development
Marble Arch - Oxford Street entrance remains, but unrecognisable as a work by Measures
Bond Street - Oxford Street entrance remains, but unrecognisable as a work by Measures
Oxford Circus - well-preserved example
Tottenham Court Road - opened as Oxford Street. Not recognisable as a work by Measures when demolished in 2009.
British Museum - station closed in 1933 when new Central line platforms opened at Holborn. Demolished in 1990s.
Chancery Lane - High Holborn station building remains but no longer used for access to station
St Paul's - opened as Post Office. Demolished in 1930s.
Bank - no surface building

Measures also designed the original station building for the railway's Wood Lane station, which opened in 1908 for the Franco-British Exhibition, although this was later modified to a design by Stanley Heaps. The station was closed in 1947 and the building has been demolished.

References

Underground Architecture, D Lawrence, London, Capital Transport, 1994
Modern Housing in Town & Country, James Cornes, London, Batsford, 1905

External links

Images of Harry Bell Measures designed Central London Railway stations from London Transport Museum Photographic Archive: