D147 - Holford, William Graham, Baron, papers of - 1902-1985
Comprises:
- Records of Lord Holford's international visits: Australia (D147/AU) from the 1950s on and relating to his role as consultant from 1958 to 1970 to the National Capital Development Commission, Canberra; South Africa (D147/SA) regarding his development plan for the City of Du...
Main Creator: Other Creators: , Archive level description: Sub-sub fonds Physical Description: 288 boxes Subjects:
Summary: | Comprises:
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Date: | 1902-1985 |
Reference Number: | D147 |
Access Conditions: | There are access restrictions to certain classes, in particular, the Historic Buildings Committee papers are subject to the provision of the Public Record Acts |
Arrangement: | The archive has been arranged as follows:
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Custodial History: | The papers became the property of the University by a Deed of Assignment in 1981. |
Related Material: | D287 - Papers relating to the lives and careers of the holders of the Lever Chair of Civic Design; see Faculty of Social and Environmental Studies (SES) |
Separated Material: | Architectural Drawings of Lord Holford in the RIBA Drawings Collections, London |
Biographical/Administrative Information: | William Graham Holford, Baron Holford of Kemp Town (1907-1975), architect and town planner, was born in Berea, Johannesburg, Transvaal Colony, on 22 March 1907. He was educated at Parktown School, Johannesburg and at the Diocesan College, Rondebosch, Capetown (1920-1923) before becoming as assistant at the firm of architects, Cowin, Powers, and Ellis in Johannesburg. In 1925 Holford travelled to England to study at the University of Liverpool, in the School of Architecture, under Professor C.H. Reilly. He graduated with first class honours in 1930. After graduating Holford travelled and studied in Italy for three years, during which time he held a years Scholarship in Architecture from the British School in Rome. In 1933 he became Senior Lecturer and Senior Demonstrator in the School of Architecture at the University of Liverpool, in the same year marrying Marjorie Brooks (1904-1980), a Rome Scholar in mural painting. In 1936 he was appointed to the Lever Chair of Civic Design, a post which he held to 1947. He also undertook work for the Ministry of Supply as Chief Architect for Ordnance Factories and Hostels (1939-1942) and for the Ministry of Town and Country Planning as Chief Technical Officer (1943-1946). In 1948, he became Professor of Town Planning at University College London until his retirement from this position in 1970. In the late 1950s and early 1960s he acted as consultant to the expanding universities giving his services at St.Andrews, Exeter, Kent, Nottingham, Oxford and the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth. During his career Holford sat on many committees, including the Royal Fine Art Commission, the National Joint Council of Architects, Quantity Surveyors and Builders, the Royal Academy of Arts, the Royal Society of Arts and the Automobile Association. He was a trustee of Sir John Soane's Museum, the British Museum and the Institute of Landscape Architects; President of the Bluecoat Society of Arts, Liverpool and of the Housing Centre; a Governor of Bedford College, Wye College; and the Centre for Environmental Studies; Vice-Chairman of the Centre for Urban Studies; Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths Company and Vice-President of the Modular Society. Holfords work was not confined to the British Isles. He also visited and worked widely in Australia and South Africa. He also worked in Brazil (where he was an assessor in the competition for the new capital, Brasilia), Canada (where he was an assessor in a competition for Toronto City Hall and Square), America (where he spent the 1951-1952 academic year at Harvard), Hong Kong, Lebanon, Singapore, Israel, Iran and Yugoslavia. He also made a visit to pre-war Germany to study recreation and physical training centres and to Greece in the 1930s to study Classical recreation and physical training centres Architecture. Holford was the recipient of many honours during his career including a knighthood in 1953 a life peerage in 1965 and the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture in 1963. He was President of the Royal Institute of British Architects from 1960 to 1962 and in addition received honorary degrees from Durham, Liverpool, Oxford, and Exeter universities. |