Howard Joseland
Encyclopedia
Howard Joseland was an English architect who migrated to Australia and pursued a successful and influential career there.
, another English architect who had migrated to Australia for health reasons. The two architects joined forces and entered a competition to design a model suburb. It was the first of several projects they would work on together. In 1890, Vernon became New South Wales Government Architect
, as a result of which he handed his private practice over to Joseland.
Joseland had relatively little work during the Depression of the 1890s; to make things even worse, his wife Alice died in 1891. In 1897 Joseland married Blanche Hay. His practice also began to recover with commissions in 1898. In 1903, he took on Hugh Vernon -- a son of Walter Vernon -- who had been Joseland's pupil. The practice took on a variety of commissions, including commercial buildings, but Joseland's clientele was predominantly well-off people who required comfortable homes. Many of them were moving into the new residential areas in Sydney's north, where suburbs like Wahroonga and Warrawee developed. Joseland is credited with designing something like nineteen homes in these areas. His output included his own home, Malvern, which he built in 1900 in Burns Road, Wahroonga. He designed it in the Federation Bungalow style, featuring a prominent veranda to create shade.
From 1914 to 1919, Joseland conducted a solo practice before joining forces with Glynn Gilling, another young English architect who had migrated to Australia. Joseland retired in 1929, selling the business to Gilling, who retained the business name Joseland and Gilling. Joseland was active in various community activities and musical societies, as well as being a keen fisherman and author of the book Angling in Australia and Elsewhere, which was published in 1921. He also found time to visit England twice with his wife Blanche. He died of cancer in the eastern Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst
on 20 July 1930, and was buried at South Head Cemetery in another eastern Sydney suburb, Vaucluse
.
style, which ultimately became the most popular residential style in Australia in the first decade of the 20th century.. This latter style had arrived in Australia in 1885 with the construction of Caerleon in the Sydney suburb of Bellevue Hill
; its influence can be seen strongly in the homes Joseland designed for his clientele, along with the Arts and Crafts
style that was also popular.
Early life
Richard George Howard Joseland was born on 14 January 1860 at Claines, Worcestershire, England, the son of a wine merchant. In the early days of his career, he was articled to the Haddon Brothers at Hereford, but moved to London in 1881. There, he obtained a position as assistant to George Robinson in the architectural company George Trollope and Sons. In time, his health suffered as a result of overwork, and he was advised to migrate to a more temperate clime. He went to New Zealand, where he worked on the railways for six months. He then moved to Sydney, Australia, in 1888, where he married Alice Taylor.Career in Australia
In Sydney, Joseland met 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...
, another English architect who had migrated to Australia for health reasons. The two architects joined forces and entered a competition to design a model suburb. It was the first of several projects they would work on together. In 1890, Vernon became New South Wales Government Architect
New South Wales Government Architect
The New South Wales Government Architect is an officer of the New South Wales government. Historically, the government architect was in charge of the state government's public building projects....
, as a result of which he handed his private practice over to Joseland.
Joseland had relatively little work during the Depression of the 1890s; to make things even worse, his wife Alice died in 1891. In 1897 Joseland married Blanche Hay. His practice also began to recover with commissions in 1898. In 1903, he took on Hugh Vernon -- a son of Walter Vernon -- who had been Joseland's pupil. The practice took on a variety of commissions, including commercial buildings, but Joseland's clientele was predominantly well-off people who required comfortable homes. Many of them were moving into the new residential areas in Sydney's north, where suburbs like Wahroonga and Warrawee developed. Joseland is credited with designing something like nineteen homes in these areas. His output included his own home, Malvern, which he built in 1900 in Burns Road, Wahroonga. He designed it in the Federation Bungalow style, featuring a prominent veranda to create shade.
From 1914 to 1919, Joseland conducted a solo practice before joining forces with Glynn Gilling, another young English architect who had migrated to Australia. Joseland retired in 1929, selling the business to Gilling, who retained the business name Joseland and Gilling. Joseland was active in various community activities and musical societies, as well as being a keen fisherman and author of the book Angling in Australia and Elsewhere, which was published in 1921. He also found time to visit England twice with his wife Blanche. He died of cancer in the eastern Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst
Darlinghurst, New South Wales
Darlinghurst is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Darlinghurst is located immediately east of the Sydney central business district and Hyde Park, within the local government area of the City of Sydney...
on 20 July 1930, and was buried at South Head Cemetery in another eastern Sydney suburb, Vaucluse
Vaucluse, New South Wales
Vaucluse is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Vaucluse is located north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of Waverley Council and the Municipality of Woollahra....
.
Influence
Joseland was one of the earliest architects in Australia to reject the Victorian architectural styles that had developed in England and which had little relevance to the Australian climate. He wrote a magazine article, Domestic Architecture in Australia (published in 1890), in which he advocated architectural styles that were suitable for the local climate. Like Walter Liberty Vernon, he favoured the styles of the Federation era (1890-1915) and actually contributed to the development of the Australian version of the Queen AnneQueen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
style, which ultimately became the most popular residential style in Australia in the first decade of the 20th century.. This latter style had arrived in Australia in 1885 with the construction of Caerleon in the Sydney suburb of Bellevue Hill
Bellevue Hill, New South Wales
Bellevue Hill is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bellevue Hill is an affluent suburb, located 5 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra....
; its influence can be seen strongly in the homes Joseland designed for his clientele, along with the Arts and Crafts
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
style that was also popular.
Sample of Joseland buildings
- Redleaf, Redleaf Avenue, Wahroonga. Built in 1899 for W.G. Parish in Queen Anne style, considered an important example of Joseland's work. Has Local Government Heritage listing.
- Westholme, Water Street, Wahroonga. Designed in Arts and Crafts style for John Bennett, built 1894.
- Craignairn, Burns Road, Wahroonga. Built for Walter Strang.
- Eldinhope, Burns Road, Wahroonga. Designed for Florence Hooke circa 1900, became Eldinhope School for Girls in 1901.
- Mount Alverna, Burns Road, Wahroonga. Built circa 1891 for ophthalmic surgeon Dr. Francis Packley, became Franciscan Order retreat 1950s–1980s.
- Rippon Grange, Water Street, Wahroonga. Designed with John SulmanJohn SulmanSir John Sulman was an Australian architect. Born in Greenwich, England, he emigrated to Sydney, Australia in 1885. From 1921 to 1924 he was chairman of the Federal Capital Advisory Committee and influenced the development of Canberra.-Early life:Sulman was born in was born at Greenwich, England...
circa 1898 in the Arts and Crafts style, for Frederick Sargood. Joseland and Vernon were commissioned to design the garden of one hectare. - Midhope, Burns Road, Wahroonga. Built 1896 for Sir James Murdoch, then became St Edmund's School for Children with Special Needs.
- Paterson, Reid and Bruce Building, York Street, Sydney. Impressive commercial building in brick and sandstone, designed with Vernon, listed on Register of the National EstateRegister of the National EstateThe Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission. The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council...
.