Holland W. Hobbiss

King Edward's School, Edgbaston

Holland William Hobbiss (8 February 1880 – 22 July 1970) was an architect in the Birmingham area of England. He traded under the names Holland W. Hobbiss and Partners and Holland W. Hobbiss and M. A. H. Hobbiss.

Life

Hobbiss was born in Birmingham on 8 February 1880, the eldest son of Henry Hobbiss, a school master and later a lecturer in a teaching college, and his wife, Alice. During the First World War, he served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery. His signature brick pattern was English garden wall bond with three rows of stretchers between each row of headers.

In 1914 Hobbis won a national competition (and 25 guineas prize) for his design of agricultural workers cottages in Essex.^[1]

A number of his buildings were decorated by the sculptor William Bloye.

He died in Birmingham in 1970.

Works

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Holland W. Hobbiss.

He designed:

• Chemical Engineering Building, University of Birmingham, 1960 (Holland W. Hobbiss and Partners)^[2]
• Christ Church, Burney Lane, Ward End, 1935^[2] (with Bloye sculptures)
• Crematorium and chapel at Lodge Hill Cemetery in Selly Oak, 1936–37
• Edgbaston High School for Girls, 1960 (Holland W. Hobbiss and Partners)
• Fox and Goose pub, Washwood Heath, 1913
• Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI, Foundation Offices.
• The Guild of Students, University of Birmingham, 1928-30. Extended 1948-51 and 1960. (with Bloye sculptures)
• Holy Cross church, Brigfield Road, Billesley Common, 1937^[2]
• King Edward's School, 1937-47. He rebuilt and clad with brick the upper corridor of the New Street (Charles Barry) King Edward's school as the current chapel, 1952-3. Chapel listed Grade II listed^[3]
• King Edward VI High School for Girls, 1937-47.
• The crematorium at Lodge Hill Cemetery, Birmingham, 1937.
• Pitmaston House, formerly the Ideal Benefit Society Building, Goodby Road, Edgbaston, 1930-1. Listed Grade II in 2002^[4]
• Queens College, Somerset Road, Edgbaston. Residential block and lodge 1929-30, chapel 1938-47
• St Edmund, Reddings Lane, Tyseley, 1939-40^[2]
• St Francis' Hall, University of Birmingham, 1936. Extended 1968-9.
• St Giles, Church Road, Rowley Regis, 1923 with A. S. Dixon.^[5]
• St Mark's Church House, Washwood Heath, 1909–10
• St Mary and St John, Alum Rock Road, 1934-5 ^[2]
• Three Tuns Hotel, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, opened 1937 ^[6]

References

1. ↑ "Cottages For Agricultural Labourers - Successes Of Birmingham Architects". Birmingham Daily Post. 2 May 1914. p. 7. Retrieved 30 September 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)). 
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The Buildings of England: Warwickshire, Nikolaus Pevsner and Alexandra Wedgwood, 1966, 2003, ISBN 0-300-09679-8
3. ↑ Historic England. "King Edward's School chapel (217030)". Images of England. 
4. ↑ Historic England. "Pitmaston House  (Grade II) (1393669)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 April 2015. 
5. ↑ The Buildings of England: Worcestershire, Nikolaus Pevsner, 1963 p89
6. ↑ "Tamworth's Newest House Opened - The "Three Tuns"". Lichfield Mercury. 17 December 1937. p. 11. Retrieved 30 September 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)). 

Sources

• Pevsner Architectural Guides - Birmingham, Andy Foster, 2005, ISBN 0-300-10731-5