Henry Ward (architect)
Encyclopedia
Henry Ward ARIBA
was the architect
of many large public buildings in and around Hastings
, East Sussex
, some of which are listed buildings.
and during the 50 years he worked in the town he designed buildings from his architectural practice at 8 Bank Buildings.
Town Hall (1898). He was responsible for a number of churches in Hastings and around Sussex including the United Reformed Church
in Robertson Street, Hastings, St Johns, Bexhill, St Stephens, Bexhill, and The Chapel in Priory Road. In 1907 he added the Lady Chapel to the Holy Trinity Church, Hastings
.
The commercial buildings he designed include the print-works and offices for F. J. Parsons, known as the Observer Building, with its terracotta-glazed frontage produced by the brick company Ibstock Hathernware. As of March 2011 the Observer building is still under threat of demolition. Besides this, he designed a number of stores around South East England
for the Plummer Roddis chain of department stores, the Buchanan Hospital women’s wing at St Leonards on Sea, the listed tiles and bar at the Havelock Public House, the Buccaneer Public House in Eastbourne
, as well as changes to the front of the Queen Victoria Hotel in St Leonards on Sea.
:
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
was the architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
of many large public buildings in and around Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, some of which are listed buildings.
Biography
Henry Ward (b. 1854; d. 9 September 1927) arrived in Hastings in his late twenties after being articled at architectural practices in London and Paris. Ward briefly worked for and under the guidance of architect Walter Liberty VernonWalter Liberty Vernon
Walter Liberty Vernon was an English architect who migrated to the state of New South Wales, Australia and pursued his career as an architect in Sydney...
and during the 50 years he worked in the town he designed buildings from his architectural practice at 8 Bank Buildings.
Designs
One of his first designs was the listed Gothic Revival Hastings Town Hall (1881) in Queens Road, which originally included the Police Court with cells. He also designed BexhillBexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
Town Hall (1898). He was responsible for a number of churches in Hastings and around Sussex including the United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
in Robertson Street, Hastings, St Johns, Bexhill, St Stephens, Bexhill, and The Chapel in Priory Road. In 1907 he added the Lady Chapel to the Holy Trinity Church, Hastings
Holy Trinity Church, Hastings
Holy Trinity Church is an Anglican church in the centre of Hastings, a town and borough in the English county of East Sussex. It was built during the 1850s—a period when Hastings was growing rapidly as a seaside resort—by prolific and eccentric architect Samuel Sanders Teulon, who was "chief among...
.
The commercial buildings he designed include the print-works and offices for F. J. Parsons, known as the Observer Building, with its terracotta-glazed frontage produced by the brick company Ibstock Hathernware. As of March 2011 the Observer building is still under threat of demolition. Besides this, he designed a number of stores around South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
for the Plummer Roddis chain of department stores, the Buchanan Hospital women’s wing at St Leonards on Sea, the listed tiles and bar at the Havelock Public House, the Buccaneer Public House in Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, as well as changes to the front of the Queen Victoria Hotel in St Leonards on Sea.
Legacy
A few days after his death in 1927 the Plummer Roddis department store (now Debenhams) was opened and was regarded as the finest design he had produced and remains as the largest and most imposing building in the Town Centre of Hastings near to his original offices. In his home town and often working with awkward sites, Ward created a range of architectural styles of innovative construction, and in the words of the Obituary published by RIBARiba
Riba means one of the senses of "usury" . Riba is forbidden in Islamic economic jurisprudence fiqh and considered as a major sin...
:
"Many monuments to the ability and artistic skill of the late Mr Ward remain to keep alive the memory of a man who was widely known and respected throughout Hastings and in professional circles throughout the country."He died on 9 September 1927. His architectural practice was continued until at least 1960 by his son Mr Henry D Ward.
List of works
- Sedlescombe Congregational Chapel, SedlescombeSedlescombeSedlescombe is a village and civil parish in the Rother District of East Sussex, England. The village is located north of Hastings.The parish lies within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The River Brede and its tributary the River Line flow through it; and Powdermill Reservoir is...
(1879 – attributed) - Hastings Town Hall, Queens Road - Police Court & cells (1881)
- Robertson Street United Reformed Church, Hastings (1884)
- St John's Congregational Church, Bexhill-on-SeaBexhill-on-SeaBexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
(1897) - St Stephen's Church, Bexhill-on-Sea (1898)
- Bexhill Town Hall, Bexhill-on-Sea (1898)
- South Street Free Church, Eastbourne (1903)
- Redlake Congregational Church, Ore (1903; demolished 1978)
- Buchanan Hospital (Elizabeth Mason Wing), St Leonards-on-SeaSt Leonards-on-SeaSt Leonards-on-Sea is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included a central public garden, a...
(1907) - Lady chapelLady chapelA Lady chapel, also called Mary chapel or Marian chapel, is a traditional English term for a chapel inside a cathedral, basilica, or large church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary...
at Holy Trinity Church, HastingsHoly Trinity Church, HastingsHoly Trinity Church is an Anglican church in the centre of Hastings, a town and borough in the English county of East Sussex. It was built during the 1850s—a period when Hastings was growing rapidly as a seaside resort—by prolific and eccentric architect Samuel Sanders Teulon, who was "chief among...
(1907) - Brightling Mission Church, Hollingrove (1909)
- F.J. Parsons Printworks (Observer Building), Hastings
- Buccaneer public house, Eastbourne
- Changes to frontage of Queen Victoria Hotel, St Leonards-on-Sea
- Refit of the bar and the tile murals at Havelock public house
- Plummer Roddis (Debenhams) department store, Hastings (1927)