William Alexander Harvey
Encyclopedia
William Alexander Harvey (1874-1951) was an English
architect
. He is most notable for his design of Bournville
, the model 'garden suburb' built by Cadburys to house their chocolate-making workforce to the south of Birmingham
.
Born into an artistic family, Harvey studied architecture
at the Municipal School of Art
in Birmingham, and was appointed by George Cadbury
to work on houses in Bournville in 1895 aged just 20. From 1914 until at least 1935 his firm, Harvey and Wicks, was based at 5 Bennetts Hill, an important commercial street in central Birmingham.
From 1918 he also sat on the Executive Council of The Birmingham Civic Society.
Cadbury's objectives in Bournville were the construction of decent quality homes at prices affordable to industrial workers. The particulars stated that it was: "intended to make it easy for working men to own houses with large gardens, secure from the dangers of being spoilt either by factories, or by the interference with the enjoyment of sun, light and air".
Influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement
, many of Harvey's designs incorporated arty features such as stepped gables, small Venetian windows over canted bays, timber corner porches below dormers with very concave little leaded roofs. Houses at 10-12 Sycamore Road, Bournville, are typical. The village was a low rise development with a good provision of public and private open space.
From 1900, development of the village became the responsibility of the Bournville Village Trust
. Harvey remained in the Trust's employment until 1904 when he set up his own architectural practice. He continued to design public buildings in the village, but also designed houses, estates, municipal buildings and churches elsewhere in Birmingham and further afield. His 1906 book on model villages helped establish him as an expert on low cost housing and his schemes were employed by several English local authorities. From 2006 onwards a section of the Lightmoor development at Milton Keynes
was led by the Trust, recognising the longevity of the social and aesthetic principles demonstrated at Bournville and in other English garden suburbs.
He rebuilt Selly Manor (1912-16) and Minworth Greaves (1929) .
In Selly Oak
he designed Kingsmead College (1905), Westhill College (1907), and Carey Hall (1912).
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
. He is most notable for his design of Bournville
Bournville
Bournville is a model village on the south side of Birmingham, England, best known for its connections with the Cadbury family and chocolate – including a dark chocolate bar branded "Bournville". It is also a ward within the council constituency of Selly Oak and home to the Bournville Centre...
, the model 'garden suburb' built by Cadburys to house their chocolate-making workforce to the south of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
Born into an artistic family, Harvey studied architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
at the Municipal School of Art
Birmingham School of Art
The Birmingham School of Art was a municipal art school based in the centre of Birmingham, England. Although the organisation was absorbed by Birmingham Polytechnic in 1971 and is now part of Birmingham City University's Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, its Grade I listed building on...
in Birmingham, and was appointed by George Cadbury
George Cadbury
George Cadbury was the third son of John Cadbury, a Quaker who founded Cadbury's cocoa and chocolate company.-Background:...
to work on houses in Bournville in 1895 aged just 20. From 1914 until at least 1935 his firm, Harvey and Wicks, was based at 5 Bennetts Hill, an important commercial street in central Birmingham.
From 1918 he also sat on the Executive Council of The Birmingham Civic Society.
Cadbury's objectives in Bournville were the construction of decent quality homes at prices affordable to industrial workers. The particulars stated that it was: "intended to make it easy for working men to own houses with large gardens, secure from the dangers of being spoilt either by factories, or by the interference with the enjoyment of sun, light and air".
Influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement
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...
, many of Harvey's designs incorporated arty features such as stepped gables, small Venetian windows over canted bays, timber corner porches below dormers with very concave little leaded roofs. Houses at 10-12 Sycamore Road, Bournville, are typical. The village was a low rise development with a good provision of public and private open space.
From 1900, development of the village became the responsibility of the Bournville Village Trust
Bournville Village Trust
Bournville Village Trust is an organisation that was created to maintain and improve the suburb of Bournville, located in Birmingham. However, during the 20th century it expanded its geographical coverage to include developments in Shenley Green, Lightmoor in Telford, Bloomsbury in Nechells and...
. Harvey remained in the Trust's employment until 1904 when he set up his own architectural practice. He continued to design public buildings in the village, but also designed houses, estates, municipal buildings and churches elsewhere in Birmingham and further afield. His 1906 book on model villages helped establish him as an expert on low cost housing and his schemes were employed by several English local authorities. From 2006 onwards a section of the Lightmoor development at Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
was led by the Trust, recognising the longevity of the social and aesthetic principles demonstrated at Bournville and in other English garden suburbs.
Works
In Bournville Harvey designed- St Francis' ChurchSt Francis of Assisi's Church, BournvilleSt Francis of Assisi's Church, Bournville is a parish church in the Church of England in Bournville, Birmingham.-History:Land was set aside for a church and church hall by Bournville Village Trust in 1905. The church hall was built in 1913, and the church building was consecrated in 1925. It was...
(1925) , - the parish hall (1913) ,
- the Rest House (1914) ,
- the Bournville Junior School (1902-5) ,
- the adjoining Ruskin Hall (1903) ,
- the Infants' School (1910) ,
- the Friends' Meeting House (1905) .
He rebuilt Selly Manor (1912-16) and Minworth Greaves (1929) .
In Selly Oak
Selly Oak
Selly Oak is a residential suburban district in south-west Birmingham, England. The suburb is bordered by Bournbrook and Selly Park to the north-east, Edgbaston and Harborne to the north, Weoley Castle and Weoley Hill to the west, and Bournville to the south...
he designed Kingsmead College (1905), Westhill College (1907), and Carey Hall (1912).
Sources
- The Model Village and its Cottages: Bournville (1906)
- Images of England - Bournville and Weoley Castle, Martin Hampson, 2001, Tempus Publishing, ISBN 0-7524-2443-2
- Birmingham's Victorian and Edwardian Architects Harrison, Michael, 2009, Phillada Ballard. ed. Oblong. ISBN 978-0-9556576-2-7. http://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/news/new-book-celebrates-birminghams-victorian-and-edwardian-architects/.