Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

English-born architect and engineer, of Athlone, Co. Westmeath.  The English census of 1881 would appear to identify William Allan Tanner as the second son of a bricklayer, also named William Tanner.   According to this source 'Willie Allan Tanner' was born in Clapham in 1867 but was living with his parents in Bristol at the time of the census.  However Tanner himself in his Irish census return for 1901 states that he was born in Bristol.  He does not appear in the English census for 1891 and may by this time have moved to Ireland.  He settled in Athlone, where he married Eva, the daughter of the local entrepreneur William Smith, managing director of the Athlone Woollen Mills.   In Athlone he designed the Father Mathew Hall, the Athlone Club, and probably the housing scheme for workers at the Woollen Mills at Auburn Terrace.  The detailing in these houses is similar to that of some of the houses in Garden Vale, which may also be attributable to him.

Tanner and his wife appear in the census of Ireland for 1901 as still living in Athlone, but are said to have emigrated subsequently  to the United States.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from Gearoid O'Brien, Athlone Town librarian.


4 work entries listed in chronological order for TANNER, WILLIAM ALLAN


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Building: CO. WESTMEATH, ATHLONE, TEMPERANCE HALL (FATHER MATHEW HALL)
Date: 1897
Nature: Temperance Hall, designed for William Smith, managing director of Athlone Woollen Mills.
Refs: Athlone Heritage Ireland, www.athloneheritage.com (last visited, May 2010) (illus.).

Building: CO. WESTMEATH, ATHLONE, GARDEN VALE (& GLEESON STREET), ATHLONE CLUB
Date: 1898a
Nature: New club, opened in 1898.
Refs: Information from Gearoid O'Brien, Athlone Town Librarian, May 2010.

Building: CO. WESTMEATH, ATHLONE, AUBURN TERRACE, HOUSES
Date: ?
Nature: Housing for workers at the Athlone Woollen Mills.  Attribution to WAT on stylistic grounds suggested by Gearoid O'Brien.
Refs: Information from Gearoid O'Brien, Athlone Town Librarian, May 2010.

Building: CO. WESTMEATH, ATHLONE, GARDEN VALE, HOUSES
Date: ?
Nature: According to Gearoid O'Brien 'much of' Garden Vale attributable to WAT on stylistic graounds.
Refs: Information from Gearoid O'Brien, Athlone Town Librarian, May 2010.