Richard Gailey, Sr. (22 April 1834 – 24 April 1924) was an
Irish-born
Australian architect.
Gailey was born in
Donegal,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
and emigrated to Australia in 1864, becoming an influential and prolific architect in colonial-era Brisbane. He died 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 ...
on 24 April 1924, two days after his ninetieth birthday, and is buried in
Cleveland Cemetery
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U ...
along with his wife Mary, née Rice.
Body of work
His substantial body of work includes many commercial and residential buildings in Brisbane that today are considered colonial treasures. Some of these include:
*
Wickham Hotel at
Fortitude Valley
Fortitude Valley (often called "The Valley" by local residents) is an inner suburb of the City of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. In the , Fortitude Valley had a population of 9,708 people. The suburb features two pedest ...
(1885)
*
Regatta Hotel at
Toowong
Toowong is a riverside suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Toowong had a population of 10,830 people.
Geography
Toowong is situated between Mount Coot-tha and the Brisbane River and is made up of rolling hills ...
(1886)
*
Jubilee Hotel at
Fortitude Valley
Fortitude Valley (often called "The Valley" by local residents) is an inner suburb of the City of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. In the , Fortitude Valley had a population of 9,708 people. The suburb features two pedest ...
(1887)
*
Watson Brothers Building
Watson Brothers Building is a heritage-listed warehouse at 129 Margaret Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built from 1887 to 1918. It was added to the Queensland Herita ...
in
Brisbane City (1887)
*
Sandgate Baptist Church (1887)
*
Prince Consort Hotel at
Fortitude Valley
Fortitude Valley (often called "The Valley" by local residents) is an inner suburb of the City of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. In the , Fortitude Valley had a population of 9,708 people. The suburb features two pedest ...
(1888)
*
*
Moorlands at
Auchenflower (1892)
*
Brisbane Girl's Grammar School at
Spring Hill
* Empire Hotel in
Fortitude Valley
Fortitude Valley (often called "The Valley" by local residents) is an inner suburb of the City of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. In the , Fortitude Valley had a population of 9,708 people. The suburb features two pedest ...
*
Orient Hotel in Queen Street (formerly the Excelsior)
* Oddfellows Hall at Fortitude Valley
*
Baroona Labor Hall in Caxton Street
*
Musgrave House at
Shorncliffe
* Masonic Hall at
Toowong
Toowong is a riverside suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Toowong had a population of 10,830 people.
Geography
Toowong is situated between Mount Coot-tha and the Brisbane River and is made up of rolling hills ...
*
Sandgate Town Hall
Sandgate Town Hall is a heritage-listed town hall at 5 Brighton Road, Sandgate, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Thomas Ramsay Hall and built from 1911 to 1912 by John Gemmell. It was added to the Queensland Her ...
* Windermere, 14 Sutherland Avenue
Ascot
In addition to his architectural work, Gailey was also a licensed surveyor and responsible for surveying and laying out the town of
Bowen.
Characteristics of Gailey's work
Gailey's work combines the practical value in a sub-tropical environment of high-thermal mass masonry walls with the aesthetic value of finely detailed arches creating a wide veranda to shade the load-bearing walls from the sun during the hottest part of the day. This is best seen in the Brisbane Girls Grammar School.
Image:BGGS Main Bldg June 2011.jpg, Brisbane Girls Grammar School
, motto_translation = Nothing without labour
, address = Gregory Terrace
, city = Spring Hill
, state = Queensland
, postcode = 4000
, country = Australia
, coordinates =
, type = Independent secondary da ...
Main Bldg, Spring Hill, 2011.
Image:Regatta Hotel.JPG, Regatta Hotel
Image:Oddfellows_Hall.jpg, Grand United Order of Oddfellows Friendly Society Hall, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.
A cost-reducing alternative to masonry arches is seen in commercial buildings like the
Regatta Hotel. The wrought-iron filigree lacework replaces the masonry arches of the outer veranda. This elegant and practical approach has become known as
Queenslander architecture. Its use became widespread in early Queensland residential properties of substance.
Gailey Road, Taringa
Richard Gailey owned property in the area that came to known as
Taringa. His name is commemorated in Gailey Road.
See also
*
:Richard Gailey buildings for his works
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gailey, Richard
1834 births
1924 deaths
Federation architects
People from County Donegal
Irish emigrants to colonial Australia
19th-century Australian architects
20th-century Australian architects