Walter Butler (architect)
Encyclopedia
Walter Richmond Butler was an Australia
n architect
trained in the Arts and Crafts
style, born in Somerset, England.
(1836–1921), who allegedly described Butler as “a truly gifted person”.
Butler frequently travelled throughought England and Europe and it was not until 1888 that Butler decided to follow in the footsteps of five of his siblings and emigrate to Australia in search of prosperity and exciting new possibilities. He departed from Plymouth on the SS Oroya on the 21st of July arriving in Sydney in October, and by the end of the year had moved to Melbourne.
Butler married Emelie Millicent Howard in April 1894, and they had three children: Adna Millicent Howard, Howard Richmond Henry and Winifred Howard. The family lived in Toorak
in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Butler’s daughter Adna once described him as “a very energetic man… never idle. He was good at all ball games… and was as fond of dancing and playing bridge as he was of mending anything”.
At the age of 21, Butler’s son Howard died fighting in WWI, and it was after this that Butler appeared to limit his professional involvement in architecture. He did however continue as a practicing architect until he retired in 1939 at the age of 75. He died in 1949 at the age of 84.
, Ernest Gimson
and a number of other architects around Richard Norman Shaw
and William Morris
. In 1885 W. R. Lethaby encourgaed Butler to move to London and work with J. D. Sedding, there, he worked for 3 years. In June 1888 Butler left Sedding's firm and set for Australia, where he resided and worked in Melbourne. Three of Butler's brothers and one of his sisters also settled in Australia. From 1889 until 1893 Butler worked in collaboration with Beverely Ussher. In 1896 George C. Inskip joined his practice, however their association ended in 1905 after a disagreement with the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects over the conduct of a competition. In 1907-16 he partnered Ernest R. Bradshaw and after World War I he was in association with his nephew Richard (b.1892) as W. & R. Butler, which shortly included Marcus Martin. In the late 1930s Butler was in partnership with Hugh Pettit before retiring when Pettit enlisted for World War II.
on 717 Flinders Street Docklands. It was designed in a mixture of styles one
being in the style of Spanish mission revival, which was prevalent during the
1890’s, and his immense experience in the arts and craft architecture. What
made The Missions to Seamen building so significant was the introduction of the
Spanish Mission style to Melbourne. The revival of this building is evident in its
bell tower with its pinnacles, its rough-hewn timber trusses, and the monastic-
like courtyard. This style soon after became popular in the Melbourne suburbs.
in Boroondara Cemetery in Kew. The tomb was designed similarly to an Egyptian
temple, only smaller and encompassing a similar symbolic context. Butler
ensured that the symbolism best represented Symes character merged together
with his growing interest in iconography architecture.
can be said to be one of Tooraks grandest mansions. It was originally designed
by the architects Reed Smart and Tappin and in 1917 Butler designed extensions
to the mansion including a ballroom and an additional garden to the property.
What makes this mansion so significant is the mixture of architectural styles by
prominent architects.
Churches
City Buildings
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n 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...
trained in 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, born in Somerset, England.
Personal life
In 1864 Walter Richmond Butler was born on his family’s farm in Pensford in Somerset, England. He was the sixth of eight children. At 15 Butler became the apprentice of developing Arts and Crafts architect Alexander LauderAlexander Lauder
Alexander de Lawedre was for the last five months of his life Bishop of Dunkeld, where he had previously been Archdeacon.-Biography:...
(1836–1921), who allegedly described Butler as “a truly gifted person”.
Butler frequently travelled throughought England and Europe and it was not until 1888 that Butler decided to follow in the footsteps of five of his siblings and emigrate to Australia in search of prosperity and exciting new possibilities. He departed from Plymouth on the SS Oroya on the 21st of July arriving in Sydney in October, and by the end of the year had moved to Melbourne.
Butler married Emelie Millicent Howard in April 1894, and they had three children: Adna Millicent Howard, Howard Richmond Henry and Winifred Howard. The family lived in Toorak
Toorak, Victoria
Toorak is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district located on a rise on the south side of a bend in the Yarra River. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington...
in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Butler’s daughter Adna once described him as “a very energetic man… never idle. He was good at all ball games… and was as fond of dancing and playing bridge as he was of mending anything”.
At the age of 21, Butler’s son Howard died fighting in WWI, and it was after this that Butler appeared to limit his professional involvement in architecture. He did however continue as a practicing architect until he retired in 1939 at the age of 75. He died in 1949 at the age of 84.
Professional Life
Having trained with Alexander Lauder in Barnstaple UK, Butler worked for three years in the office of J D Sedding in London where he was accepted into the domestic revival groups centered on William LethabyWilliam Lethaby
William Richard Lethaby was an English architect and architectural historian whose ideas were highly influential on the late Arts and Crafts and early Modern movements in architecture, and in the fields of conservation and art education.-Early life:Lethaby was born in Barnstaple, Devon, the son of...
, Ernest Gimson
Ernest Gimson
Ernest William Gimson was an English furniture designer and architect. Gimson was described by the art critic Nikolaus Pevsner as "the greatest of the English architect-designers"...
and a number of other architects around Richard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw RA , was an influential Scottish architect from the 1870s to the 1900s, known for his country houses and for commercial buildings.-Life:...
and William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
. In 1885 W. R. Lethaby encourgaed Butler to move to London and work with J. D. Sedding, there, he worked for 3 years. In June 1888 Butler left Sedding's firm and set for Australia, where he resided and worked in Melbourne. Three of Butler's brothers and one of his sisters also settled in Australia. From 1889 until 1893 Butler worked in collaboration with Beverely Ussher. In 1896 George C. Inskip joined his practice, however their association ended in 1905 after a disagreement with the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects over the conduct of a competition. In 1907-16 he partnered Ernest R. Bradshaw and after World War I he was in association with his nephew Richard (b.1892) as W. & R. Butler, which shortly included Marcus Martin. In the late 1930s Butler was in partnership with Hugh Pettit before retiring when Pettit enlisted for World War II.
Notable Projects
The Missions to Seamen (1916)
In 1916 Walter Butler designed the Anglican mission building locatedon 717 Flinders Street Docklands. It was designed in a mixture of styles one
being in the style of Spanish mission revival, which was prevalent during the
1890’s, and his immense experience in the arts and craft architecture. What
made The Missions to Seamen building so significant was the introduction of the
Spanish Mission style to Melbourne. The revival of this building is evident in its
bell tower with its pinnacles, its rough-hewn timber trusses, and the monastic-
like courtyard. This style soon after became popular in the Melbourne suburbs.
David Syme Tomb (1908)
Walter Butler was selected to carry out the commissioning of this tomb situatedin Boroondara Cemetery in Kew. The tomb was designed similarly to an Egyptian
temple, only smaller and encompassing a similar symbolic context. Butler
ensured that the symbolism best represented Symes character merged together
with his growing interest in iconography architecture.
Edzell Mansion (1892)
Located in Toorak along the Southbank of the Yarra River, the Edzell mansioncan be said to be one of Tooraks grandest mansions. It was originally designed
by the architects Reed Smart and Tappin and in 1917 Butler designed extensions
to the mansion including a ballroom and an additional garden to the property.
What makes this mansion so significant is the mixture of architectural styles by
prominent architects.
Other projects
Houses/Mansions- Blackwood (1891) near Penshurst for R.B. Richie
- Wangarella (1894) in NSW for Thomas Milear
- Newminster Park (1901) near Camperdown for A.S. Chirnside
- Warrawee (1906) in Toorak for A. Rutter Clark
- Thanes (1907) in Kooyong for F.Wallach
- Kamillaroi (1907) for Clive Baillieu
Churches
- BishopscourtBishopscourt, East MelbourneBishopscourt is a large colonial mansion, located on Clarendon Street in East Melbourne, Australia.Designed by Newson & Blackburn using blue stone in a style of gothic architecture, it was completed in 1853. The red brick wing was added in 1903....
(Extensions) (1902) in East Melbourne
- St Albans (1899) in Armadale
- Wangaratta Cathedral (1907)
- Christ Church (c.1910) in Benalla
City Buildings
- Collins House (1910)
- Queensland Insurance Building(1911)