William Bidlake

William Henry Bidlake MA, FRIBA (12 May 1861 – 6 April 1938) was an English architect, a leading figure of the Arts and Crafts movement in Birmingham and Director of the School of Architecture at Birmingham School of Art from 1919 until 1924.

William Henry Bidlake

MA, FRIBA
Garth House in Edgbaston, Birmingham, designed by the architect
Born(1861-05-12)12 May 1861
Wolverhampton, England
Died6 April 1938(1938-04-06) (aged 76)
Wadhurst, Sussex, England
EducationTettenhall College
Alma mater
Occupation
StyleArts and Crafts
AwardsRIBA Pugin Travelling Fellowship
Design by Bidlake for St Agatha's Church, Sparkbrook, 1899

Several of Bidlake's houses in the Birmingham area were featured in Hermann Muthesius's book Das englische Haus ("The English House"), which was to prove influential on the early Modern Movement in Germany.

Life and career

Bidlake was born in Wolverhampton, the son of local architect George Bidlake (1830–1892) from whom he received his earliest architectural training. He attended Tettenhall College and Christ's College, Cambridge.[1] In 1882 he moved to London where he studied at the Royal Academy Schools and worked for Gothic Revival architects Bodley and Garner. In 1885 he won the RIBA Pugin Travelling Fellowship for his draughtsmanship, which enabled him to spend 1886 travelling in Italy.

On returning to England in 1887 Bidlake settled in Birmingham where he set up in independent practice and, from 1893, pioneered the teaching of architecture at the Birmingham School of Art. Famously ambidextrous, his party trick was to sketch with both hands simultaneously.

Bidlake designed many Arts and Crafts-influenced houses in upmarket Birmingham districts such as Edgbaston, Moseley, and Four Oaks (the latter then in Warwickshire and absorbed into Birmingham in 1974), along with a series of more Gothic-influenced churches such as St Agatha's, Sparkbrook – generally considered his masterpiece.

He was an associate, member, treasurer and then, from 1902–38, Professor of Architecture of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.[2]

In 1924, Bidlake married Gertrude Pendre, née Blackband, who was some twenty-eight years his junior and moved to Wadhurst in East Sussex, where he continued to practise until his death there[2] in 1938.

Major built works
The Hurst, in Amesbury Road, Moseley, Birmingham
St Mary, Wythall (redundant). Roof and tower by Bidlake.

References
  1. "Bidlake, William Henry (BDLK878WH)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. "William Henry Bidlake MA, FRIBA". Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951. University of Glasgow. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  3. The Buildings of England: Worcestershire, Nikolaus Pevsner, 1968 p268
  4. Historic England. "The Dene, 2 Bracebridge Road (1067109)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  5. Historic England. "17 Barker Road, Sutton Coldfield (1075817)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  6. Historic England. "St Oswald's Church, Small Heath (1343113)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 July 2006.
  7. Historic England. "18 Dora Road, Small Heath (1210542)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  8. Historic England. "College of Art, Balsall Heath (1343102)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 July 2006.
  9. Historic England. "St Patrick's Church, Salter Street (1342833)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  10. Historic England. "Woodgate, 37 Hartopp Road (1075828)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 July 2006.
  11. Historic England. "Garth House, 47 Edgbaston Park Road (1075616)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 July 2006.
  12. Historic England. "St Agatha's Church, Sparkbrook (1210221)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 July 2006.
  13. Historic England. "100 Sampson Road, Sparkbrook (1076179)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 July 2006.
  14. Historic England. "St Winnow, 22 Ladywood Road, Sutton Coldfield (1075796)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  15. Historic England. "The Knoll, Glebe Road, Oadby (1073690)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  16. Historic England. "The Knoll Stables, Glebe Road, Oadby (1073647)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  17. Historic England. "St Andrew's Church, Handsworth (1076219)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 July 2006.
  18. Historic England. "St Matthew's Church, Shuttington (1262206)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  19. The Buildings of England: Worcestershire, Nikolaus Pevsner, 1968 p338
  20. Historic England. "Emmanuel Church, Wylde Green (1075819)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 12 October 2006.
  21. Historic England. "Gates and four sets of gate piers to Handsworth Cemetery (1343119)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  22. Historic England. "Lodge to Handsworth Cemetery (1219873)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  23. Historic England. "St Clears, 79 Farquhar Road (1210750)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  24. Historic England. "Grade II (1096067)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 August 2011.

Sources
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