Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

English-born architect with the Irish Office of Public Works. William Cooke, the fourth son of Alfred S. Cooke, general practitioner, of Badbrook House, Stroud, Gloucestershire, was born on 19 March 1881(1) and educated at Wycliffe College. From 1899 to 1902 he was apprenticed to Vincent Alexander Lawson of Stroud and Cirencester, moving at the conclusion of his articles to London, where he worked as an assistant to Robert Henry Kerr and studied at the evening school of the Architectural Association. Between 1903 and 1910 he gained further experience in the practices of George Percy Pratt, of Richard Creese Harrison & Son and of F. Gordon Stanham. In February 1910,(2) as the result of an open competitive examination, he was appointed Assistant Architect to the Commissioners of Public Works, Ireland, and over the next eleven years worked successively in Belfast, Enniskillen, Tralee, Cork - where he remained six years - and the Dublin headquarters. In 1923 he was promoted to the rank of Architect and was placed in charge of the City and County Dublin areas. With THOMAS JOSEPH BYRNE  THOMAS JOSEPH BYRNE he was responsible for the reconstruction of the Custom House, Four Courts, Incorporated Law Society, Record Treasury and Land Registration Buildings. In 1927 he was given the task of reconstructing and developing the aerodrome at Baldonnell for the Air Corps, a project which was carried out in stages until the 1940s.(3) From 1934 he was entirely involved in the design of new buildings. According to John H. Morgan, he was 'particularly interested in wood carving and high class joinery and construction, and in many of the buildings which he erected can be seen the personal touch which he gave to these schemes'.(4) In 1942 he succeeded MARTIN JOSEPH BURKE  MARTIN JOSEPH BURKE as Deputy Principal Architect. After his retirement in 1947, he continued in private practice and became Dublin Diocesan Architect for the Church of Ireland.

Cooke died in 1977 at the age of 96. He was a keen gardener and won many prizes at the annual shows of the RHSI. 'He was not a man who was unduly tolerant of those whom he considered less competent than himself,' John H. Morgan wrote of him, 'but beneath his brusque and sometimes sharp manner he was a person to whom one could always go and receive help, advice and inspiration.'(5)

AAI: Member, 1924; president, 1929-30; inspired the AA Dramatic Society.(6)
RIAI: member, 1920; on Board of Architectural Education, 1929-1930, 1942-1951, and hon. sec. to Board, 1932-39; hon. treasurer 1931-1934; fellow, 1932;(7) council member, 1935-1936, 1938-1939; vice-president, 1937, 1948; president, 1940-1941; ex-officio member of council, 1942-1951. From 1931 represented RIAI on RIBA Board of Architectural Education. Hon. sec. of Executive Committee for joint RIBA conference and RIAI centenary celebrations, 1938. Promoted study tours on the Continent.(8)
RIBA: elected associate, 3 December 1906, having been proposed by M.H. Medland, R.C. Hutchison and A.H. Tiltman.

Addresses:(9) 44 Theobalds Road, London, 1906; Homefield, Crawford Avenue, Wembley, London, 1906; District Office, Board of Works, Tralee, Co. Kerry, 1914; 24 Victoria Road, Rathgar, <=1924; 30 Zion Road, Rathgar, 1925 until >=1974.

See WORKS and BIBLIOGRAPHY. BIBLIOGRAPHY.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the biography (with photograph) of Cooke in IB 81, 11 Nov 1939, 924, his obituary by Gerald McNicholl in RIAI Year Book (1978), 67-8, and from Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 (RIBA 2001), I, 429. Other portrait photographs of Cooke are in the AAI Yearbook 1929-1930, 32, in IB 79, 6 Mar 1937, 207, RIAI Year Book (1940), 12 (the same photograph appears in IB 82, 2 Mar 1940, 142) and JRIAI (1941), 1. He also appears in a group photograph of members of council of the RIAI in IB 74, 27 Feb 1932, 200.

(1) Jones, citing OPW records.
(2) See note 1, above.
(3) Information from Lt. Col. Michael O'Malley.
(4) Typescript obituary of W.H.H. Cooke by John H. Morgan, OPW, 1977, among RIAI papers in IAA. This forms the basis of McNicholl's obituary.
(5) See note 3, above.
(6) See note 3, above.
(7) JRIAI (1933), 8.
(8) See note 3, above.
(9) Dublin addresses from Thom's directories.


45 work entries listed in chronological order for COOKE, WILLIAM HENRY HOWARD


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Building: CO. MEATH, LISCARTAN, HOUSES FOR EX-SERVICEMEN (011)
Date: 1923
Nature: 11 detached and semi-detached cottages for ex-servicemen, part of 21-cottage scheme for Navan Rural District.  Other cottages in scheme were built in Ardbraccan (3), Curraghtown (1), Slane (2), Dollardstown (2) and Beauparc (2). Contractor: A. Panton Robinson, St Stephen's Green, Dublin.
Refs: Irish Times, 29 Nov 1923 (illus.).

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUN LAOGHAIRE, LIBRARY ROAD, HOUSES FOR EX-SERVICEMEN (024 )
Date: 1923
Nature: New schem of 24 concrete houses for ex-servicemen. 12 houses on E side of road in semi-detached blocks, 12 houses on W side in 3 blocks of 4. 'In order to depart from the drab appearance of the ordinary concrete block, and to get away from the deadly sameness of internal plastering, the blockins forming the outer skin have been cast with different coloured facings, and to avoid the appearance of even similarity of texture, the blocks have been treated by had after removal from the moulds.'  Contractor: A. Panton Watkinson, 121 St Stephen's Green.

Refs: Irish Times, 20 Sep 1923 (illus.).

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, SANDYMOUNT ROAD, HOUSES FOR EX-SERVICEMEN (040)
Date: 1923
Nature: 36 semi-detached and 4 detached of varying design for ex-servicemen on site of old Shelbourne football ground. Contractor: G. & T. Crampton. Contract price for houses varies between £593 and £628.(More houses of same design in Dun Laoghaire.)
Refs: Irish Times, 31 May 1923(illus.; accommodation described));   Building News 124, 29 Jun 1923, 772;  Ruth McManus, Crampton Built (Dublin: G. & T. Crampton, 2008), 53-54(illus.)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, KILL O' THE GRANGE, POLICE BARRACK
Date: 1924
Nature: Rebuilding of Dublin Metropolitan Police barrack on exisiting site. For Board of Public Works. Contractor: A. Panton Watkinson, 121 St Stephen's Green. (DMP amalgamated into Garda Siochana in 1925.)
Refs: Irish Times, 25 Sep 1924 (illus.);   IB 81, 11 Nov 1939, 924.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, INNS QUAY, FOUR COURTS
Date: 1925
Nature: Assisted T.J. Byrne with restoration of dome.  Old timber dome replaced by one in ferro-concrete.
Refs: Irish Times, 4 Mar 1925;  IB 67, 25 Jul 1925, 617

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CASTLE AVENUE (CLONTARF), TELEPHONE EXCHANGE
Date: 1926
Nature: New. Builder: J. & R. Thompson, Fairview
Refs: IB 69, 22 Jan 1927, 46(illus.);  illus. in ;  Claire Gogarty, From Village to Suburb: The Building of Clontarf since 1760 (2013), 194.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ZION ROAD (RATHGAR), ZION CHURCH (CI)
Date: 1928
Nature: Oak panelling of 'chaste Gothic design' and marble step for communion table designed by WHHC, hon. architect.  Dedicated, 4 Nov 1928.  Carving by John Milligan.
Refs: Irish Times, 3 Nov 1928.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, O'CONNELL STREET LOWER, GENERAL POST OFFICE
Date: 1929
Nature: WHHC assisted in restoration
Refs: IB 71, 20 Jul 1929, 663

Building: CO. DUBLIN, BALDONNEL, AERODROME
Date: 1929-1931
Nature: Reconstruction of Lower Camp comprising living quarters for married and single officers and officers' mess, built between Apr 1929 and Feb 1931. Contractor: Meagher & Hayes, Drinan St, Cork (£34,953).
Refs: NA, OPW File 22094-30 (information from Lt. Col. Michael O'Malley)

Building: CO. KILDARE, KILDARE, ARTILLERY BARRACKS (PEARSE, LATER MAGEE, BARRACKS)
Date: 1931
Nature: Alterations to suit new military college. With T.J. Byrne. Estimated cost of tender of Collen Bros, £8,862.
Refs: IAA, PKS 0185, A09 (Apr 1931)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, RATHMINES ROAD UPPER, NO. 002-6 (POST OFFICE & TELEPHONE EXCHANGE)
Date: 1932-34
Nature: New 7-bay, 2-storey post office for Commissioners of Public Works.. Glencullen granite 'largely used'.Tenders invited for building same Feb 1933 and for fitting same May 1934.  Opened 1 Feb 1935 by P.J. O'Hegarty, Secretary to Department of Posts and Telegraphs. Cost: £27,000.
Refs: Irish Times, 19 Feb 1935 (illus.); IB 77, 23 Feb,6 Apr 1935, 106(illus), 136,269; Irish Decorators' and Builders' Review Vol. 11, No. 119 (Feb 1933), Vol. 12, No. 134 (May 1934); General Advertiser, No. 2429 (26 May 1983); Public Works: the architecture of the Office of Public Works 1831-1987 (AAI, 1987), 48(illus.),49; Sean Rothery, Ireland and the new architecture 1900-1940 (1991), 181-183;  Máire Crean, Lost Post: a selection of Ireland's post office buildings (Dublin, 2012), 96-97(illus.).

Building: CO. WEXFORD, BALLYMONEY, SEA ROAD, WHITE WALLS
Date: 1933
Nature: Flat-roofed, International Style house, for Dr William Cooke, medical officer at Mountjoy Prison, said to have been 'built by an architect of the same name' (though also attributed to Samuel Deane of Higginbotham & Stafford on stylistic grounds).
Refs: Buildings of Ireland, www.buildingsofireland.ie (last visited, Nov 2016); information from  sale brochure, 21 Jul 2016.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, BLUEBELL ROAD, NATIONAL SCHOOL
Date: 1933-35
Nature: Proposed plans for new school submitted to Dublin Board of Public Health, Dec 1933.
Refs: Dublin Public Health Housing Collection, No. 1265 (in possession of Fingal County Council, 2016);  IB 77, 6 Apr 1935, 77

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, INFIRMARY ROAD, GARDA SIOCHANA HEADQUARTERS
Date: 1934-1937
Nature: Extension.. With T.J. Byrne..
Refs: IAA, PKS 0350, 0534

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, PHOENIX PARK, GARDA SIOCHANA HEADQUARTERS
Date: 1934-37
Nature: Works at same, including installation of accelerator by Hadden's Engineering Co.
Refs: IAA, PKS 0534

Building: CO. DUBLIN, BALDONNEL, AERODROME
Date: 1937-38
Nature: Reconstruction of Upper Camp, Stage 1, comprising Blocks 'A' & 'B' providing living quarters for 210 single men with separate lavatory block and new roads. Contractor: A. Panton Watkinson, St Stephen's gn, Dublin. Total cost £26,500.
Refs: NA, OPW9/21/2/1/36 (information from Lt. Col. Michael O'Malley); IB 81, 11 Nov 1939, 924

Building: CO. KILDARE, KILDARE, ARTILLERY BARRACKS (PEARSE, LATER MAGEE, BARRACKS)
Date: 1937-39
Nature: Alts & adds, living quarters, at artillery barracks. With T.J. Byrne.
Refs: IAA, PKS 0463 (includes drawings); IB 81, 11 Nov 1939, 924

Building: CO. DUBLIN, BALDONNEL, AERODROME
Date: 1939-1940
Nature: Reconstruction of Upper Camp, Stage 2, comprising men's and NCOs' messes and canteens; stores block; 2 squadron offices; Block 'C' providing accommodation for 100; new roads. Contractor: T. & J. Macken, Patrick St, Dun Laoghaire. Cost: £32,980.
Refs: NA, OPW9/A21/2/15/38 (information from Lt. Col. Michael O'Malley)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, BALDONNEL, AERODROME
Date: 1940-42
Nature: Reconstruction of Upper Camp, Stage 3, comprising guard room, police hut, entrance gates & parade ground. Contractor: A. Panton Watkinson. Cost: £29,089.
Refs: NA, OPW9/A21/2/20/40 (information from Lt. Col. Michael O'Malley); IAA, PKS 1108

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, O'CONNELL STREET UPPER, NO. 044 (METEOROLOGICAL OFFICES)
Date: 1941
Nature: Extension at rear &c.
Refs: IAA, PKS 1106

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, HOEY'S COURT, EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE
Date: 1942-1943
Nature: New. Builder: William Pitcher, Clontarf
Refs: IB 84, 4 Jul 1942, ?; 85, 24 Apr 1943, 161(illus); 85, 24 Apr 1943, 161

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, HARCOURT TERRACE, NO. 012-16 (FILM CENSORS' OFFICE)
Date: 1943
Nature: By WHHC with Oscar Leech, Office of Public Works.
Refs: AJ , 19 Feb 1948, 174-5(illus.);  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 527.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, BALDONNEL, AERODROME
Date: 1943-44
Nature: New Catholic church. Contractor: A. Panton Watkinson. Cost about £12,000.
Refs: NA, OPW records OPW9/A21/2/24/47 (information from Lt. Col. Michael O'Malley); IAA, PKS 0535

Building: CO. DUBLIN, BALDONNEL, AERODROME
Date: 1944-1946
Nature: Gymnasium/cinema/concert hall, with Oscar Leach, ARIBA. Contractor: T. & J. Macken. Cost: £13,000.
Refs: NA, OPW records OPW9/A21/2/25/41 (information from Lt. Col. Michael O'Malley); RIAI Yearbook 1946, 45(illus.);  Paul Larmour, Free State Architecture:  Modern Movement architecture in Ireland, 1922-1949 (Kinsale: Gandon Editions, 2009), 72,74(illus.).


Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ST STEPHEN'S GREEN, NO. 078-81 (IVEAGH HOUSE)
Date: 1947-1952
Nature: New office accommodation and staff rest room.
Refs: Drawings in OPW;  IAA, PKS 0516

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, GRAFTON STREET, NO. 084 (FULLER'S)
Date: 1947;1949
Nature: Reconstruction, 1947. Contractor: E. Stone & Sons. Alterations & emergency exit, 1949
Refs: IAA, PKS 1148; IB 91, 30 Apr 1949, 414

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CIRCULAR ROAD SOUTH, NO. 007 (FULLER'S)
Date: 1948
Nature: New factory. Contractor: E. Stone & Sons.
Refs: IAA, PKS 1180

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, KENILWORTH SQUARE (RATHMINES), NO. 032
Date: 1951
Nature: Garage
Refs: IB 93, 23 Jun 1951, 662

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUN LAOGHAIRE, GRESHAM TERRACE, NO. 001 (NEPTUNE GUEST HOUSE)
Date: 1951
Nature: Adds. & alts. to 'Neptune Hotel'. Contractor: E. Stone & Sons Ltd.
Refs: IAA, PKS 1020

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CIRCULAR ROAD SOUTH, NO. 652-654 (FULLER'S)
Date: 1953;1955
Nature: Storage accommodation; extension
Refs: IB 97, 3 Dec 1955, 1259

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, MERCER STREET, MERCER'S HOSPITAL
Date: 1954
Nature: Nurses' home
Refs: IB 96, 8 May 1954, 465

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, MOLESWORTH STREET, NO. 017-18 (FREEMASONS' HALL)
Date: 1955
Nature: Alterations.
Refs: IAA, PKS 1068; IB 97, 15 Jan 1955, 70;  Tony Browne, 'A Building Study (2008) of the Freemason's Hall', 105(illus.), http://irishmasonicjewels.ie/ (last visited Feb 2010).

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, FORTFIELD ROAD (TERENURE), NO. 048
Date: 1955
Nature: Rear extension
Refs: IB 97, 2 Jul 1955, 691

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, LEINSTER ROAD (RATHMINES), NO. 030 (ALEXANDRA GUILD HOUSE)
Date: 1956; 1957
Nature: Extension at rear, for Alexandra College Guild; shed, for Royal Bank of Ireland.
Refs: IB 98, 19 May 1956, 459

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, KILDARE PLACE, CHURCH OF IRELAND TRAINING COLLEGE & SCHOOLS
Date: 1958
Nature: Principal's garage.
Refs: Design in collection of Church of Ireland Training College, Rathmines, Folio S, 21; IB 100, 13 Dec 1958, 929

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, AILESBURY ROAD, NO. 073
Date: 1958
Nature: Additions & garage
Refs: IB 100, 14 Jun 1958, 425

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, LIME STREET, NO. 012-13 (HICKEY & CO.)
Date: 1960
Nature: Show and design room
Refs: IB 102, 12 Nov 1960, 851

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, EGLINTON ROAD (DONNYBROOK), NO. 083 (MAGDALEN HOME)
Date: 1960
Nature: Chapel & stores
Refs: IB 102, 2 Apr 1960, 221

Building: CO. WICKLOW, COOLMONEY, ARMY CAMP
Date: ?
Nature: Living quarters
Refs: IB 81, 11 Nov 1939, 924

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUN LAOGHAIRE, ?, FULLER'S LTD
Date: ?
Nature: Proposed shop and flats (not executed?).
Refs: IAA, PKS 0590

Building: CO. WICKLOW, KILBRIDE, ARMY TRAINING CAMP
Date: ?
Nature: Living quarters
Refs: IB 81, 11 Nov 1939, 924

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, EARLSFORT TERRACE, NO. 030 (CIVIL SERVICE DINING CLUB)
Date: ?
Nature: -
Refs: Obituary notice by John H. Morgan among RIAI papers deposited in IAA

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ISLANDBRIDGE, CLANCY BARRACKS
Date: ?
Nature: Work at
Refs: Obituary notice in RIAI Yearbook 1978, 68.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, GLASNEVIN ROAD, BOTANIC GARDENS
Date: ?
Nature: Students' hostel.
Refs: IB 81, 11 Nov 1939, 924

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, INFIRMARY ROAD, ST BRÉCIN'S MILITARY HOSPITAL
Date: ?
Nature: Nurses home and church
Refs: IB 81, 11 Nov 1939, 924

Author Title Date Details
Cooke, William Henry Howard [President's inaugural address to AAI] 1929;1930 IB 71, 26 Oct 1929, 956; AAI Green Book (930), 33-45.
Cooke, William Henry Howard 'The Training of the Architect' 1939 'Architecture Yesterday and Today', supplement to Irish Times, 21 Jun 1939, 14.
Cooke, William Henry Howard [President's inaugural address to RIAI] 1940 JRIAI (1940), 1317; IB 82, 2 Mar 1940, 142.