George Henry Male Addison

George Henry Male Addison (1857–1922) was an Australian architect and artist.^[1] Many of his buildings are now heritage-listed.

George Henry Male Addison

Early life

Addison was born on 23 March 1857 in Llanelly, Wales, the son of Edward James Addison (1820–1863), a Wesleyan minister and Jane Roswell née Male (1833–1860). His father undertook missionary work in West Africa but it damaged his health and he died in 1863 and Addison was raised by his maternal grandfather, Henry Male in Somerset.^[2] His sister, Emily Jane Addison (1855–?) worked as a governess to the family of Alexander McArthur in Brixton and, in 1834 married their son John Percival McArthur (1858–1901).

He was articled to architect Edmund Isles Hubbard at Rotherham and studied at the Royal Academy in London.^[3][4][5]

Addison immigrated to South Australia to work on a number of large government projects. After that, he moved to Melbourne and worked for the firm Terry and Oakden, later forming the firm Oakden, Addison and Kemp. There he was one of the founders of the Melbourne Art Society along with John Mather, Tom Roberts, Frederick McCubbin and other well-known artists.^[5]

In 1884 he married Emily Alice Maude with whom he had four children:

• Lily Isabel Maude Addison (1885–1968)
• Edward James Addison (1887–1956)
• George Frederick Addison (1889–1985)
• Edith May Addison (1892–?)

 

London Chartered Bank of Australia

In 1889, Addison came to Brisbane to design the (former) London Chartered Bank of Australia building on the corner of Queen and Creek Streets, Brisbane (demolished 1976). He liked the climate and decided to stay, working on his own. Later he went into partnership with his son George.^[5][6] His daughter Lily worked as a draftswoman and then architect in her father's firm; she was one of the earliest women to practice architecture in Australia.

Works

His works included:

• The Albert Street Uniting Church, Brisbane, built in 1888-89^[7]
• The villa Cliveden Mansions, built in 1888 at Spring Hill^[8]
• The villa Kirkston, built in 1888–89 at Windsor^[9]
• Extensive additions to the villa Stanley Hall at Clayfield, in 1889^[10]
• The Mansions, 40 George Street, Brisbane built in 1889.
• Fernbrook, his home in Indooroopilly built c. 1889. Fernbrook was eventually demolished in the 1920s and the University of Queensland silver-lead mine resides on the land.^[11][12]
• The villa Cumbooquepa, built in 1890 at South Brisbane, now part of Somerville House School
• The Old Museum Building, Brisbane, originally an exhibition building and concert hall built in 1891
• a religious building at All Hallows' School, a heritage-listed school at 547 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, built in 1915^[13]
• buildings at the Eagle Farm Racecourse including the totaliser building, the ticket offices and the latrines, built around 1913-1914^[14]
• St Columba's Church, Wilston built in 1915 ^[15]
• St Benedict's Catholic Church, 81 Mowbray Tce, East Brisbane built in 1917^[15]
• Sacred Heart Church, Rosalie built in 1918^[15]
• Blessed Oliver Plunkett Catholic Church, Cannon Hill in 1921^[16]

For a number of years, he was in a partnership with Leslie Corrie as Addison and Corrie. Together they designed many prominent Brisbane buildings, including:

• Trustees Chambers, a heritage-listed bank at 43 Queen Street, Brisbane built in about 1900^[17]

Later life

Addison was a chairman of the Brisbane Art Gallery.^[5]

Addison died on 6 February 1922 at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Brisbane.^[5] He was buried at the Toowong Cemetery.^[18]

References

1. "George Henry Male Addison b. 1858". Design & Art Australia Online. from the original on 13 January 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
2. "Births June 1857". FreeBMD. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
3. "George Henry Male Addison". Australian Art Auction Records. from the original on 14 March 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
4. "The Sketcher". The Queenslander. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 16 July 1898. p. 118 Supplement: Unknown. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
5. "Death of Mr. G. H. M. Addison". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 7 February 1922. p. 6. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
6. "Architect's death; 65". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 13 December 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
7. "Albert Street Uniting Church (entry 600066)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
8. "Cliveden Mansions (entry 602186)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
9. "Kirkston (entry 600351)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
10. "Stanley Hall (entry 600183)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
11. De Vries, Susanna and De Vries, Jake (2013). Historic Brisbane: Convict Settlement to River City. Pandanus Press. p. 74. ISBN 9781922109804.
12. Grubb, Ken (2013). Silver Hill: The University of Queensland Silver Mine Precinct. p. 32.
13. "All Hallows Convent and School (entry 600200)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
14. "Eagle Farm Racecourse and Ascot Railway Station (entry 602195)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
15. Brisbane City Council, Heritage Unit (1996). "A heritage study: Brisbane places of worship pre 1940-volume 1". University of Queensland. from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
16. "MR. G. H.M. ADDISON". Week (Brisbane, Qld. : 1876 - 1934). 10 February 1922. p. 13. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
17. "ANZ Bank (entry 600157)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
18. . Grave Location Search. Brisbane City Council. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.