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Friday 25 February 2011

William Mawson


There are some notable people buried in Undercliffe Cemetery in Bradford (see yesterday also).  One of them is William Mawson, one of the architects of Saltaire.

William Mawson (1828-1899) was born in Leeds, the son of William Mawson, a paper manufacturer.  Aged just 21, he became a partner in an architectural practice with Henry Francis Lockwood, who at 38 was older and more experienced.  They opened an office in Bradford, after winning a competition in 1849 to design St George's Hall (a concert hall).  It was to this recently formed partnership that the visionary mill-owner Titus Salt turned in 1850, entrusting them with the task of planning and designing a large new mill to which he could transfer production from his five existing mills.  Salt rejected the architects' original proposals, asking them to submit a revised plan for a mill twice the size - demonstrating from the start the scale of his ambition.  His faith in the young architects was rewarded.  Lockwood and Mawson became one of the leading architectural practices of the time and went on to oversee the design and planning of the whole village of Saltaire, and some of the most notable buildings in Bradford, including the Wool Exchange and City Hall - both magnificent buildings.

11 comments:

  1. Now, here is a man who has left his mark in a big way!

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  2. I'm learning so much from your blog, Jenny! Such inspiring people you've introduced over the past few months I've been following you, people I'd never have known about were it not for you. As Martin H says about today's post, "a man who left his mark in a big way!"

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  3. Nice piece of history. Impressive tomb.

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  4. Naturally you are going to publish all your brilliant blogs in a flashy coffee-table book one day....?

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  5. One more personality I am learning about thanks to you Jenny! ... and amazing place, this Undercliffe Cemetery. Impressive promenade...

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  6. He could have used that quote -- "If you seek my monument, look around you."

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  7. Another good Saltaire history lesson.

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  8. His work is suitably grand. The bit I have seen of Bradford looks better for it being there.

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  9. Such young architects to have left their permanent mark on Saltaire. Very interesting to learn the history about this. ~Lili

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