Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect, of Dublin. William Henry Beardwood was born circa 1842,(1) the eldest  son of WILLIAM HAUGHTON BEARDWOOD  WILLIAM HAUGHTON BEARDWOOD (d.1860) and brother of JOHN FRANCIS BEARDWOOD JOHN FRANCIS BEARDWOOD . By 1875 he was in practice as an architect and developer in Manchester. After the failure of his business in Manchester, he returned to Dublin in 1880, setting up in practice at 192 Great Brunswick Street.  In March 1899 he stood as a candidate for Trinity Ward in the election of city councillors to replace the Poor Law Guardians.(2)  According to his obituary in the Irish Builder, he worked for Dublin Corporation, eventually becoming a member of the architects' department. By 1905 he appears to have been in straitened circumstances.(3)

Beardwood died in November 1930, survived by his second wife, Florence, whom he had married in 1903,(4) and their two adopted children. His obituarist in the Irish Builder recalled that although he had 'of late lived very quietly and out of touch with his professional brethren' on account of his advanced age, he had been 'very popular and very well known, professionally and socially in former years, when he enjoyed an extensive practice, mainly commercial work'; he was 'much liked by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance, for his genial and kindly disposition, and in former days his fine bass voice was much in request at public dinners and other social entertainments, especially at the annual dinners of the Institute of Architects; his singing of "In Cellar Cool" or "A Friar in Orders Grey" always drew and enthusiastic encore'. His pupils included JOHN EDWARD BURKE. JOHN EDWARD BURKE.

The Irish Architectural Archive holds a letterbook kept by William Henry Beardwood from 1875 to 1884 (Acc. 94/170).

RIAI: struck off Association for Architectural Study, 30 Oct 1866;(5) elected member, 7 Apr 1883;(6) had ceased to be a member by 1905.(7)
RSAI: elected fellow, 1902.(8)

Addresses:(9) Work: 44 Bridge Street, Manchester, <=1875-1879; 192 Great Brunswick Street, Dublin, 1880-1904; 200 Great Brunswick Street, 1905;(10) 27 Queen's Square N, 1914-1918; 74 Lower Leeson Street 1922-1927.
Home: Dickenson Road, Manchester, 1875-79; 139 Cecil Street, Moss Side, Manchester, 1879; 4 Bayswater Terrace, Sandycove, 1900.

See WORKS.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from Beardwood's letter book for the years 1875-1884 in the IAA (Acc. 94/170), from his obituary in IB 72, 22 Nov 1930, 1040 and from notes in archive of Mount St Joseph, Abbey Roscrea, compiled by Dom Camillus Claffey, 1968, about Dom Camillus Beardwood and his family, including information from George Nesbitt, nephew of Dom Camillus Beardwood.


(1) According to the letter book, he was 37 in 1879.
(2) Irish Times, 7 Mar 1899.
(3)   Irish Times, 22 Nov 1905. 
(4) See note 3, above. He had previously married a widow named Beasley in Manchester but had no children by the marriage.
(5) RIAI Council Meeting Minutes, 30 Oct 1866, 60.
(6) RIAI Council Meeting Minutes, 7 Apr 1883, 226.
(7) RIAI membership lists.
(8) JRSAI 32 (1902), 101.
(9) From letter book and Thom's directories, also IB 56, 11 Apr 1914, 229.
(10) See note 2, above.


18 work entries listed in chronological order for BEARDWOOD, WILLIAM HENRY


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Building: CO. OFFALY, MOUNT ST JOSEPH ABBEY (RC, CISTERCIAN)
Date: 1880-1884
Nature: New church with nave, chancel, side aisles (tower and spire not buiIt).Within demesne of Mount Heaton House (Prop: Count Moore, MP).  Consecrated 15 Aug 1884. Works carried out 'principally by men employed in the neighbourhood, and under the supervision of lay brothers, many of whom are skilled artisans'. Part of high altar and one of side altars executed by Earley & Powell;  tabernacle, some of side aisles and other works carried iout by William P. O'Neill, Dublin..
Refs: IB 26, 15 Aug 1884, 239;  Weekly Irish Times, 16 Aug 1844;  B 47, 13 Sep 1884, 372

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, SANDYMOUNT ROAD, CHURCH OF OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA (RC)
Date: 1880;1883;1889
Nature: Pulpit and communion rails in memory of Rev. Thomas Leahy, PP, 1880, executed by James Pearse. Wrought-iron gates and pulpit railings by John McGloughlin, Cuffe St.. Exterior porches; O'Connell Memorial; improvements.
Refs: Irish Times, 27 Jul 1880, 2; 28 Sep 1880, 7; 2 Nov 1880, 8;   Clonliffe College Archive, MS P1/2; IB 25, 15 Dec 1883, 393; 26, 1 Feb 1884, 36(illus); 31, 15 Oct 1889, 253

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CABRA, NORTH DUBLIN UNION CHILDREN'S HOME
Date: 1881
Nature: Competition entrant with R.J. Stirling. Their design placed second by adjudicator, Walter C. Doolin.
Refs: IB 23, 15 Mar,1 May 1881, 109,?;  Irish Times, 21 Apr,12  May 1881.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CABRA, NORTH DUBLIN UNION CHILDREN'S HOME
Date: 1881
Nature: Competition entrant with R.J. Stirling. Their design placed second by adjudicator, Walter C. Doolin.
Refs: IB 23, 15 Mar,1 May 1881, 109,?;  Irish Times, 21 Apr,12  May 1881.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, WELLINGTON QUAY, NO. 010 (CITY OF DUBLIN WORKING MEN'S CLUB)
Date: 1885
Nature: Builder: Golding Bros, Tara St.
Refs: B 49, 5 Sep 1885, 344

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, O'CONNELL STREET UPPER, NO. 042 (CATHOLIC COMMERCIAL CLUB)
Date: 1890
Nature: Addition of new hall, 75 ft. x 35ft. x 24ft.6ins.  Contractor: James Brien, South King St. Opened by Archbishop Walsh, 22 Apr 1890.
Refs: Irish Times, 23 Apr 1890.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CAMBRIDGE ROAD (RINGSEND), ST PATRICK'S PRESBYTERY
Date: 1890
Nature: -
Refs: IB 32, 15 Nov,1 Dec 1890, 263,283

Building: CO. WICKLOW, DUNLAVIN, CHURCH OF ST NICHOLAS OF MYRA (RC)
Date: 1898
Nature: Aisle extended at cost of £2,000.
Refs: Clonliffe College Archive, MS P1/2

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ABBEY STREET LOWER, NO. 035-37 (WYNN'S HOTEL)
Date: 1899;1903
Nature: Reconstruction; new works. Contr: H. & J. Martin. Clerk of Works: J. Scanlan.
Refs: IB 41, 1 Aug 1899, 93; 45, 9 Apr 1903, 1682

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, WILLIAM STREET SOUTH, NO. 015 (BOWE)
Date: 1900
Nature: Extensive alterations. Contr: Monks.
Refs: IB 42, 15 Jun 1900, 390

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUN LAOGHAIRE, GEORGE'S STREET UPPER, NO. 001
Date: 1900ca
Nature: -
Refs: IB 52, 26 Nov 1910, 718

Building: CO. WATERFORD, MOUNT MELLERAY ABBEY (CAPPOQUIN)
Date: 1902
Nature: Large alts
Refs: IB 44, 3 Jul 1902, 1313

Building: CO. OFFALY, MOUNT ST JOSEPH ABBEY (RC, CISTERCIAN)
Date: 1902-1905
Nature: New college buildings. £21,000 to be donated by Count Moore, 'being the portion of MissMoore's money that fell to his son Arthur, decd.' Opened 1905.
Refs: Entries from notebook of Dom Camillus Beardwood, Abbot of Mount St Joseph Abbey, 4 & 5 Feb 1902, in Mount St Joseph archives;  information from Laurence Walsh, CCSO, Mount St Joseph.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUN LAOGHAIRE, MARINE TERRACE, ROYAL VICTORIA BATHS
Date: 1906
Nature: Submits proposal (but William Kaye-Parry's design chosen)
Refs: IB 48, 10 Feb 1906, 110

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, GRANBY ROW, GARAGE (SANDERSON & CO)
Date: 1912
Nature: Contr: Clifton & Cooper
Refs: IB 54, 2 Mar 1912, 141

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, PEARSE STREET, NO. 065 & 66
Date: 1913
Nature: Alts
Refs: IB 55, 30 Aug,22 Nov 1913, 563,743

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, PARKGATE STREET, NO. 001-4 (T. & J. CLARKE)
Date: 1914
Nature: Rebuilding
Refs: IB 56, 11 Apr 1914, 229

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, DOMINICK STREET LOWER, NO. 028-29
Date: 1914
Nature: Reconstruction to form 2 shops. Contr: W.A. Clarke, Fairview.
Refs: IB 56, 11 Apr 1914, 230