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ROBSON, HARRY STANLEY
- Born: 1909 Died: 2003
Architect, of Dublin, in practice from the 1930s until the mid-1980s. Harry Stanley Robson, who was English in origin, was born in 1909 and studied architecture at Liverpool University. On graduating in 1933, he came to Dublin, where he joined the office of RUDOLF MAXIMILIAN BUTLER , moving the following year to the more congenial practice of DOWNES & MEEHAN. I n 1936 he went to New York to follow postgraduate studies at the University of Columbia. He obtained his master's degree in 1938 and then travelled throughout the United States. On his return to Ireland he joined the staff of the Office of Public Works in October 1939, working with Desmond Fitzgerald on the Dublin airport project. In July 1944 he rejoined Downes & Meehan, becoming a partner in 1949.(1) The last to survive of the the three partners, he ceased full practice in 1978 but continued as a consultant to the firm until 1985. His works included the Irish Life Building on Mespil Road (1959-1962) - his own favourite - and the Science Building at the UCD Belfield Campus (1961-62). Later in the 1960s he built a cedarwood house for himself at Baltimore, Co. Cork.
Harry Robson died in 2003. He had married Anne Mary Potter in March 1940. Their two sons and their daughter all became architects.
RIAI: elected member, 1939; vice-president, 1958-60; president, 1960-61.
RIBA: elected associate, 1935.(2)
Address: Home: Wood Park, Dartrey Road, Dublin, 1957.
See WORKS for works up till 1940 only; see also works of DOWNES & MEEHAN.
References
All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the obituary of Robson by 'CR' in Irish Architect, Jul/Aug 2003, 60, which is accompanied by a photograph of him.
(1) The obituary appears to be mistaken in saying that he became a partner in 1944, cf. entry on Joseph Vincent Downes.
(2) RIBA Kalendar 1957-1958, 460.
(3) See note 2, above.
2 work entries listed in chronological order for ROBSON, HARRY STANLEY
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| Building: | CO. KILKENNY, KILKENNY, FRESHFORD ROAD, COUNTY HOSPITAL (ST LUKE'S GENERAL HOSPITAL) |
| Date: | 1936 |
| Nature: | By Downes & Meehan but mainly the work of HSR. |
| Refs: | Sean Rothery, Ireland and the New Architecture 1900-1940 (1991), 147 |
| Building: | CO. DUBLIN, COLLINSTOWN, DUBLIN AIRPORT |
| Date: | 1939 |
| Nature: | HSR member of design team. |
| Refs: | Sean Rothery, Ireland and the New Architecture 1900-1940 (1991), 215 |