Claude William Chambers (1861–1947) was a prominent architect in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

and Sydney, New South Wales in Australia. Many of his works are listed on the

Queensland Heritage Register The Queensland Heritage Register is a heritage register, a statutory list of places in Queensland, Australia that are protected by Queensland legislation, the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. It is maintained by the Queensland Heritage Council. A ...

Early life

Claude William Chambers was born in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

in 1861, the son of William Laws Chambers and his wife Emma. On 12 January 1887, he married Evelina (Lena) Cowan (the adopted step-daughter of Robert Dalrymple) at the Presbyterian Church in

Glebe Glebe (; also known as church furlong, rectory manor or parson's close(s))McGurk 1970, p. 17 is an area of land within an ecclesiastical parish used to support a parish priest. The land may be owned by the church, or its profits may be reserved ...

in Sydney.

Architectural career

From 1877 to 1881, Williams trained in Melbourne under civil engineer Albert Purchas while studying at the Prahran Technical College. From 1884 to 1885, he worked in Sydney for architects Blackman and Parks. In 1885, he moved to Brisbane and worked for

Francis Drummond Greville Stanley Francis Drummond Greville Stanley (1839—1897) was an architect in Queensland, Australia. He was the Queensland Colonial Architect. Many of his designs are now heritage-listed buildings. Early life Stanley was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on ...

until 1889. He was one of the founding members and first secretary of the Queensland Institute of Architects. His several partnerships between 1889 and 1935 produced designs for both Brisbane and Sydney including commercial buildings, warehouses and wharf buildings. From 1889 to 1892, he was the junior partner in McCredie Brothers and Chambers. From 1892 to 1910, he operated a solo practice as an architect and consulting engineer. Lange Leopold Powell joined Chambers in a partnership Chambers and Powell from 1911 to 1920. From 1920, Chambers partnered with Eric Marshall Ford (the office manager from Chamber and Powell) in the architectural firm, Chambers and Ford. The partnership lasted until 1951, although Chambers was largely not involved after 1935. In 1929, he was appointed a Fellow of the

Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three supp ...

. From 1931 to 1934, Chambers was part of a Sydney-based partnership with B. W. Hutton known as Chambers and Hutton.

Later life

Chambers retired in 1935 and moved to Sydney. He died on 13 July 1947 in Sydney. He was buried on 14 July 1947 in the Northern Suburbs Cemetery (now Macquarie Park Cemetery) in

North Ryde North Ryde is a suburb located in the Northern Sydney region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Ryde is located 15 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City ...

Significant works

* 1889 : Whepstead house * 1895: Smellie's Building * 1906: Green House in

Wickham Terrace Wickham Terrace is one of the historic streets of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is known as the street of private medical specialists. Geography Wickham Terrace commences at the western corner of the intersection of Ann Street and Whar ...

, now part of the United Service Club Premises * 1906: Headquarters and clubrooms for the Commercial Travellers Association, later Telecommunications House, now Corbett Chambers: * 1910: Montpelier house in

, now part of the United Service Club Premises * 1907:

RS Exton and Co Building RS Exton and Co Building is a heritage-listed warehouse facade at 333 Ann Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Claude William Chambers and built in 1907. It is also known as Ace House. It was add ...

* 1911: Perry House, now the Royal Albert Hotel

References

Attribution

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chambers, Claude William Architects from Brisbane 1861 births 1947 deaths People from Melbourne Articles incorporating text from the Queensland Heritage Register