Benjamin Backhouse (182929 July 1904) was an architect and politician in Australia. He was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.

Early life

Benjamin Backhouse was born in England in 1829. He was a Bachelor of Arts and was educated as an architect.

Career

In early life Backhouse, with his young wife and two children, came out to Australia and settled down in

Geelong Geelong ( ) ( Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the south eastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

. He soon made a name for himself as an architect, and two months after his arrival succeeded in winning a hundred-guinea prize for the best design for a stock exchange for that city. Some eight years later he returned to England, and remained for a year, and then came out to

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 , established_ ...

. He carried on his profession for eight years, and designed some of the principal buildings in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

. Although he won the design competition for the

Queensland Parliament House Parliament House in Brisbane is the meeting place of the Parliament of Queensland, housing its only chamber, the Legislative Assembly. It is located on the corner of George Street and Alice Street at Gardens Point in the CBD, and is next ...

, it was later decided that his design would be too expensive and was rejected. He was also an alderman of the

Brisbane Municipal Council The Town of Brisbane was a local government area for Brisbane in Queensland, Australia from 1859 to 1903. History The Municipality of Brisbane was gazetted on 25 May 1859 and proclaimed by the Governor of New South Wales on 7 September 1859. ...

. In 1868 he moved to Sydney and for the next 35 years Backhouse lived in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. His professional skill was recognised by his election for 12 years as the chairman of the City of Sydney Improvement Board. In August, 1895, he was appointed to the

New South Wales Legislative Council The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in t ...

, which he retained until his death. Although not a union official or a

Labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

candidate, his sympathies were at all times with the workers. He was truly democratic, and was a follower of

John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and po ...

and other workers for the amelioration of society. He also identified himself with the

Pitt Town Pitt Town is a historic town and suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Pitt Town is 59 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the Local government in Australia, local government area of the ...

Settlement, and was chairman of the board of control to look after the affairs of the settlement. Backhouse made several trips to England. On one occasion he had a long conference with

William Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-cons ...

and at another time he was honoured by being elected an honorary associate 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 suppl ...

Later life

Benjamin Backhouse died of heart failure at his residence, ''Ardath'', Queen's Avenue,

Rushcutters Bay Rushcutters Bay is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney. The suburb of Rushcutter ...

, Sydney, on 29 July 1904. He was twice married, and left a widow and grown-up family, numbering 11. His sons were District Court Judge

Alfred Paxton Backhouse Alfred Paxton Backhouse (25 May 1851 – 1 August 1939) was an Australian judge of the District Court of New South Wales, and occasional acting Supreme Court judge. He presided over the trials of the leaders of the 1892 Broken Hill miners' strike ...

, mining engineer Frank Backhouse, and Ernest, Clarence, Clive, Maurice, and Oscar Backhouse. In deference to his wishes, a private funeral was held.

Works

* Wickham Terrace Church of England, the predecessor of

All Saints Anglican Church, Brisbane All Saints Anglican Church is a heritage-listed church at 32 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. First founded in 1862, the current building designed by Benjamin Backhouse Benjamin Backhouse (182929 ...

(1861, no longer extant) * house ''Riversleigh'', North Quay, Brisbane (1863, no longer extant) *

Cathedral of St Stephen, Brisbane The Cathedral of St Stephen is the heritage-listed cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane and seat of its archbishop in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. St Stephen's was only meant to serve as a temporary seat for the a ...

(1863) *

Cintra House Cintra House is a heritage-listed villa at 23 Boyd Street, Bowen Hills, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1863 to 1890s. It is also known as Cintra. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. History The o ...

, Brisbane (1864) *

Fernberg Government House is a heritage-listed mansion at 170 Fernberg Road, Paddington, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is the official residence of the governor of Queensland, the representative of the Australian monarch in Queensland. It was ori ...

, Paddington, Brisbane (1864) now

Government House, Brisbane Government House is a heritage-listed mansion at 170 Fernberg Road, Paddington, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is the official residence of the governor of Queensland, the representative of the Australian monarch in Queensland. It was ori ...

Old Bishopsbourne Old Bishopsbourne is a heritage-listed house at 233 Milton Road, Milton, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Benjamin Backhouse and built from 1865 to 1959. It is also known as St Francis Theological College and Bisho ...

, Brisbane (1865) *

Baroona, Paddington Baroona is a heritage-listed villa at 90 Howard Street, Paddington, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Benjamin Backhouse and built . It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. History ...

, Brisbane (1866) *

Fortitude Valley State School Fortitude Valley State School is a heritage-listed former state school at 95 Brookes Street, Fortitude Valley, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Benjamin Backhouse and built from 1867 to 1913. It is also known as St ...

, Brisbane (1867) * , Sydney (1868) Original All Saints Church Brisbane ca. 1868.tiff, Wickham Terrace Church, circa 1868 StateLibQld 1 112368 Front view of Riversleigh, North Quay, Brisbane, ca. 1931.jpg, Front view of Riversleigh, North Quay, Brisbane, ca. 1931 St Stephen's cathedral, Brisbane.jpg, St Stephen's cathedral, Brisbane StateLibQld 1 124056 Perspective drawing of Villa Fernberg, Brisbane, ca. 1864.jpg, Perspective drawing of Villa Fernberg, Brisbane, ca. 1864

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Backhouse, Benjamin Architects from Brisbane Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council 1829 births 1904 deaths 19th-century Australian politicians Architects from Sydney