Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect, of Dublin and New Zealand. Lorenzo Baker, who was born in Dublin on 17 January 1874, was the son of Jonathan William Baker and his wife Anna Louisa (née Nickerson).(1) His father was associated with the firm of William Baker & Sons, drapers and haberdashers of Dorset Street Lower. He served a three-year pupilage with WILLIAM KAYE PARRY  WILLIAM KAYE PARRY from October 1891, and also attended the School of Art and City of Dublin Technical Schools in Kevin Street.(2)  After completing his pupilage he served as an assistant to THOMAS DREW.& THOMAS DREW.& nbsp; From August 1897 until December 1898 he was clerk of works for the building of the Protestant chapel at Kilkenny Lunatic Asylum.(3)  He also acted as a temporary assistant to FREDERICK GEORGE HICKS  FREDERICK GEORGE HICKS and, from 1900,as a temporary surveyor with the Board of Works.  He commenced independent practice in Dublin in 1902.   During his Dublin years he made several visits to the Continent, and In 1901 exhibited or published a series of photographs of Venice.(4)

In 1910 Baker emigrated to New Zealand. He settled first in Te Kuiti in the North Island and then in Fielding, where he died on 2 November 1924.(5)

AAI: elected member, 1896.
ICEI: admitted to student class, 5 April 1893.(6)
RIAI: elected member, 6 April 1908, having been proposed by FREDERICK BATCHELOR FREDERICK BATCHELOR , seconded by FREDERICK GEORGE HICKS  FREDERICK GEORGE HICKS and JAMES HENRY WEBB.. JAMES HENRY WEBB.. (7)

Addresses: Dorset Street, Dublin, 1893; Knole, Kitestown Rd, Howth, 1902-1909;(8) Eustace Street Buildings, Dublin, <=1907-1910; Mercantile Buildings, Te Kuiti, Kings Co., New Zealand, 1912-1919; Manchester Square, Fielding, 1921 until death.

See WORKS.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from IAA, RIAI office archives (Acc. 93/136), membership forms 1878-1909 (extremely fragile), AAI and RIAI membership lists and Thom's directories.

(1)
www.familysearch.org.
(2)
ICEI membership applications, III, 11.
(3)
Jones transcripts from Board of Works records; typescript biography of Richard Langrishe by Hugh R. Langrishe (2007), 59.
(4)
IB 43, 6 Jun 1901, 755.
(5)
IB 67, 7 Mar 1925, 174; JRIAI (1926), 5.
(6)
TICEI 22 (1892-93), ?.
(7)
IB 50, 18 Apr 1908, 230.


2 work entries listed in chronological order for BAKER, LORENZO


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Building: CO. KILKENNY, KILKENNY, DUBLIN ROAD, DISTRICT LUNATIC ASYLUM (ST CANICE'S HOSPITAL)
Date: 1898a
Nature: Protestant chapel. Architect: Richard Langrishe, with Thomas Drew. Clerk of works: LB. Contractor: W.K. Cleere.
Refs: Typescript biography of Richard Langrishe by Hugh R. Langrishe (2007), 59

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUNDRUM, BROOKVILLE
Date: ?
Nature: Original plans by LB, revised by Edwin Bradbury 1910
Refs: IB 52, 19 Feb 1910, 117