William T. Leighton
Encyclopedia
William Thomas Leighton (1905-1990) was a Western Australian architect
, well known for his Art Deco
and Inter-War Functionalist style of civic, commercial and domestic buildings.
Leighton was born in Fremantle
in 1905 and after an apprenticeship at the architectural offices of Allen & Nicholas in Fremantle, was one of the first group of architects to be registered as part of the WA Chapter of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects
. Leighton then worked in the architectural offices of Eales and Cohen before joining Bohringer, Taylor and Johnson, who sent him on interstate and overseas commissions. Leighton joined the firm Baxter Cox in 1936 and was later to become a partner until the firm was dissolved in the mid-1940s. Leighton joined the Public Works Department for a short time after World War II, before being offered a partnership with Hobbs, Winning and Leighton. Leighton was president of RAIA (WA) between 1951-52 Leighton retired in 1975.
William Leighton worked on a number of Western Australian cinemas including the Windsor in Nedlands, the Cygnet
in South Perth, the Princess in Fremantle, and the Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade
, Theatre Royal, Metro, Grand and Plaza Theatres in Perth, and the Lyric in Bunbury
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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...
, well known for his Art Deco
Australian architectural styles
Australian architectural styles, like the revivalist trends which dominated Europe for centuries, have been primarily derivative.-Background:...
and Inter-War Functionalist style of civic, commercial and domestic buildings.
Leighton was born in Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
in 1905 and after an apprenticeship at the architectural offices of Allen & Nicholas in Fremantle, was one of the first group of architects to be registered as part of the WA Chapter of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects
Royal Australian Institute of Architects
The Australian Institute of Architects is a professional body for architects in Australia. Until August 2008, the Institute traded as the "Royal Australian Institute of Architects", which remains its official name....
. Leighton then worked in the architectural offices of Eales and Cohen before joining Bohringer, Taylor and Johnson, who sent him on interstate and overseas commissions. Leighton joined the firm Baxter Cox in 1936 and was later to become a partner until the firm was dissolved in the mid-1940s. Leighton joined the Public Works Department for a short time after World War II, before being offered a partnership with Hobbs, Winning and Leighton. Leighton was president of RAIA (WA) between 1951-52 Leighton retired in 1975.
William Leighton worked on a number of Western Australian cinemas including the Windsor in Nedlands, the Cygnet
Cygnet Cinema
Cygnet Cinema is located at 16 Preston Street, Como, Western Australia. It was the first purpose built sound cinema in the suburbs immediately south of the city in the inter-war period. The Cygnet Cinema opened in 1938 and was built by local identity and film entrepreneur James Stiles...
in South Perth, the Princess in Fremantle, and the Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade
Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade
The Piccadilly Cinema Centre and Piccadilly Arcade are located at 700-704 Hay Street, Perth, Western Australia. It is an art deco style cinema and shopping arcade, designed by architect William T. Leighton for mining entrepreneur Claude de Bernales...
, Theatre Royal, Metro, Grand and Plaza Theatres in Perth, and the Lyric in Bunbury
Bunbury, Western Australia
The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
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Sources
- Geneve, V. 'William Thomas Leighton: Cinema Architect of the 1930s' in Bromfield, D. (ed.) Essays on Art and Architecture in Western Australia (Nedlands, U.W.A. Press, 1988) p. 12-21 (ISBN 9780864220707)
- William G. Bennett, architect: Articles and notes volume 5, number, December 1992-January 1993, p. 11
- Geneve, V. 'Obituary: William Thomas Leighton' in The Architect, Vol. 30, No. 2, (Winter 1990) p. 7
- Geneve, V. 'William Thomas Leighton' p. 18; West AustralianThe West AustralianThe West Australian is the only locally-edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia, and is owned by ASX-listed Seven West Media . The West is published in tabloid format, as is the state's other major newspaper, The Sunday Times, a News Limited publication...
, 14 March, 1990, p. 26 b. - Waltzing Moderne, Vol. 5, number, December 1992-January 1993, p. 11
Notable buildings
- State Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria (c.1930)
- Civic TheatreAuckland Civic TheatreThe Auckland Civic Theatre is a large heritage theatre seating 2,378 people in central Auckland, New Zealand. First opened on 20 December 1929, it was reopened in 2000 after a major renovation and conservation effort...
, Auckland, New Zealand (c.1930) - Embassy Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales (c.1930)
- Former Piccadilly Theatre (Piccadilly Cinema) and ArcadePiccadilly Theatre and ArcadeThe Piccadilly Cinema Centre and Piccadilly Arcade are located at 700-704 Hay Street, Perth, Western Australia. It is an art deco style cinema and shopping arcade, designed by architect William T. Leighton for mining entrepreneur Claude de Bernales...
, PerthPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
(1938) - Windsor TheatreWindsor CinemaThe Windsor Cinema is located at 98 Stirling Highway, Nedlands, Western Australia. It is an Art Deco cinema designed by the architect William T. Leighton and constructed in 1937...
, NedlandsNedlands, Western AustraliaThe City of Nedlands is a Local Government Area in the inner western suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, located about west of Perth's central business district...
(1938) - Former Como Theatre (Cygnet Cinema)Cygnet CinemaCygnet Cinema is located at 16 Preston Street, Como, Western Australia. It was the first purpose built sound cinema in the suburbs immediately south of the city in the inter-war period. The Cygnet Cinema opened in 1938 and was built by local identity and film entrepreneur James Stiles...
, ComoComo, Western AustraliaComo is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of South Perth. The suburb has a population of 12,423. Canning Highway divides the suburb.-History:...
(1938) - Former State Theatre (Astor Cinema)Astor CinemaAstor Cinema is located at 659 Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley, Western Australia. It comprises a single, two and three-storey masonry Inter-war Art Deco style theatre and retail building.-History:...
, Mount LawleyMount Lawley, Western AustraliaMount Lawley is an inner suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Most of the suburb lies within the Local Government Area of the City of Stirling and small portions are in the City of Vincent and City of Bayswater...
(1939) - Fremantle Port Authority Building & Fremantle Passenger Terminal