Henry Hunter (architect)

Henry Hunter
Born	October 10, 1832 Nottingham, United Kingdom
Died	October 17, 1892 (aged 60) Brisbane, Australia
Nationality	British
Alma mater	Nottingham School of Design
Occupation	Architect
Practice	Crawford Padas Shurman Architects
Buildings	Hobart Town Hall, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

Henry Hunter (1832–1892) was a prominent architect and civil servant in Tasmania and Queensland, Australia. He is best known for his work on churches. During his life was also at various times a state magistrate of Tasmania, a member of the Tasmanian State Board of Education, the Hobart Board of Health, a Commissioner for the New Norfolk Insane Asylum and President of the Queensland Institute of Architects.^[1]

Life

Hunter was born in Nottingham, England, son of Walter and Tomasina Hunter. His father was also an architect, and he studied the craft under his father before attending the Nottingham School of Design. He immigrated to Australia in 1848 with his two sisters and parents, originally settling in South Australia before moving to Tasmania. Upon the death of his parents 2-3 years after arrival in Australia, he moved to Tasmania where his older brother George Hunter had already settled.^[2]

Hunter spent a short period in the Victorian goldfields on his way to Tasmania, before properly immigrating to the island state. He became engaged in the Huon Valley timber trade for several years, and in 1858 married a Miss Robertson - orphan daughter of an officer. He began work as an architect the same year.^[2]

He worked in Tasmania for thirty seven years, during which he also engaged in a number of civic roles and was a noted local singer. He co-starred with Amy Sherwin in an amateur performance of Il trovatore, and was leader of the St Joseph's Church Choir for 30 years. He moved to Brisbane in 1888 where he opened an architectural firm with his former apprentice Leslie Corrie. Upon his departure a farewell dinner was organised by builders and architects of Hobart, attended by the Lord Mayor of Hobart, Premier of Tasmania and the state Attorney General.^[2][3] During his time in Brisbane he remained a prominent architect, being President of the Queensland Institute of Architects in 1890 and Vice President in 1891. His most notable works in Brisbane were additions made to the All Hallows' School convent and the design of the Queensland Deposit Bank.^[3]

Works

Public buildings

Henry Hunter's plans for Hobart Town Hall

• Hobart Town Hall, Hobart^[3]
• Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart^[3] (later extensions not by him)
• Old Marine Board Building, Hobart ^[3]
• St Joseph's Orphanage, Hobart^[4] (demolished)
• General Hospital, Hobart ^[4] (demolished)

Churches

• St David's Cathedral, Hobart (supervising architect)^[3]
• St Mary's Cathedral, Hobart (supervisor of 1st cathedral, built in 1860 and partly demolished in 1876 due to faulty work. Second cathedral designed by Hunter)^[2]
• St Mary's Anglican Church, Hagley (with Richard Cromwell Carpenter)^[5][6]
• Church of the Apostles, Launceston^[7]
• St James Anglican Church, Jericho^[8]
• St Michael's Catholic Church, Campbell Town^[9]
• St John's Church, Franklin^[10]
• St Mary's Church, Franklin^[11]
• All Saints Anglican Church, South Hobart^[12]
• The Mariners Church (now St Peters, Sandy Bay/Wellspring Anglican)^[13]
• St Peter's Church, New Norfolk^[14]
• Holy Redeemers Church, Deloraine^[15]
• Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Westbury^[16]
• St John's Church, Glenorchy^[15]
• St Peter’s Church, Fingal^[15]
• St Johns Church, Ross^[15]
• St Patrick’s Church, Latrobe^[15]
• All Saints Church, Swansea^[15]
• Sacred Heart Church, Ulverstone^[15]
• St James Church, Cygnet (demolished)^[17]

Residences

• Macquarie Manor, Hobart^[18]
• Stonehenge House, Oatlands^[19]
• Ashleigh House, Hobart^[20]
• Glenelg House, Gretna^[21]
• Airlie House, Hobart^[20]
• Lebrena House, Hobart^[20]
• 2 Mawhera Ave, Hobart^[20]
• Bishopscourt, Hobart^[22]
• St John's Church (now Pendragon Hall) Parsonage, Goulburn Street, Hobart^[23]
• 121 Harrington Street, Hobart.^[24]
• Gattonside, Battery Point^[25][26]
• Maffra, Glebe (former home of Errol Flynn)^[27]
• Maylands, New Town^[28][29]

Schools

• Presentation House, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Launceston^[30]
• Macquarie Street State School, Hobart (now former Macquarie St Adult Education building)^[31][32]
• parts of All Hallows' Convent, Brisbane (with Corrie)^[33]
• Trinity Hill State School, North Hobart^[4] (demolished)
• New Norfolk State School^[4] (now New Norfolk Primary School)
• Battery Point Model School^[34] (burnt down/demolished)
• St Columba's School, Hobart (demolished)^[35]
• Convent of St Mary's College, Hobart^[35]

Other

The Queensland Deposit Bank building in 1903.

• 24 Murray St (Old Masonic Hall), Hobart ^[3]
• Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company Offices, Hobart^[4] (demolished)
• Royal Insurance Building (previously Derwent and Tamar Building), Hobart^[3][36]
• AMP Building, Hobart (demolished, entrance arch stands in Royal Hobart Botanical Gardens)^[3]
• Queensland Deposit Bank and Building Society, Brisbane (with Corrie)^[37]
• Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane (with Corrie and JH Buckeridge)^[38]
• Cornelian Bay Cemetery chapel, superintendents residence and shelter, Cornelian Bay ^[39]

Legacy

The Henry Hunter gallery in the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

The Henry Hunter Prize for Architect is a prize awarded triennially to architectural projects that involve the "recycling or conservation of historic buildings".^[40] The Henry Hunter Galleries, the main permanent art exhibition at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery are also named in his honour.^[41] A collection of 1800 of his architectural drawings and notes are held by the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.^[42]

In 2006 the architectural firm founded by him (presently known as Crawford Padas Shurman Architects) celebrated its 150th anniversary of continuous business.^[43]

Several of his apprentices went on to be influential architects in their own right; Alan Cameron Walker went on to construct several other notable Tasmanian landmarks, including the General Post Office, Hobart^[44] and Leslie Corrie went on to become a prominent Brisbane architect and later Mayor of Brisbane.^[45]

References

1. "Henry Hunter". UTAS. Retrieved 5 Feb 2014.
2. "Henry Hunter". The Mercury. Retrieved 5 Feb 2014.
3. McDonald, D. I. "Hunter, Henry". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
4. "MR. HENRY HUNTER". The Mercury. 23 March 1888. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
5. Scott, E.G. (1985). Hagley : a short history of the early days of the village and district, with notes on the pioneer families. Launceston, Tas.: Birchalls. ISBN 0-949457-05-1.
6. "St Mary's Anglican Church Hagley". ohta.org.au. Organ Historic Trust of Australia. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
7. "THE NEW ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH". Launceston Examiner. 17 September 1864. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
8. "Museums and Cultural Centres". southernmidlands.tas.gov.au. Municipality of the Southern Midlands. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
9. "OPENING OF SAINT MICHAEL'S CHURCH, CAMPBELL TOWN". The Hobart Town Mercury. 5 October 1857. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
10. "St Johns Anglican Church, Hall and Churchyard". environment.gov.au. Department of Environment. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
11. "Tasmanian Herritage Council Works Committee minutes meeting 420" (PDF). heritage.tas.gov.au. Tasmanian Heritage Council. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
12. "All Saints Restoration Project" (PDF). heritage.tas.gov.au. Heritage Tasmania. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
13. "Maritime Times of Tasmania" (PDF). maritimetas.org. Maritime Museum of Tasmania. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
14. "Memorial Gate Blessed". Trove. The Mercury. 16 Feb 1931. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
15. "http://www.architectsdesignhaus.com/about/150years.pdf" (PDF). architectsdesignhaus.com. Architects Designhaus. Retrieved 22 November 2016. External link in |title= (help)
16. "Holy Trinity Catholic Church Westbury". www.ohta.org.au. Organ Historical Trust of Australia. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
17. "CYGNET NEWS - CYGNET'S NEW CHURCH SUNDAY'S HISTORIC CEREMONY HUON'S CENTRE OF RELIGIOUS FAITH. - Huon and Derwent Times (Tas. : 1933 - 1942) - 3 Oct 1940". Trove. Huon and Derwent Times. 3 October 1940. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
18. "Macquarie Manor History". Macquarie Manor. Retrieved 5 Feb 2014.
19. "Stonehenge homestead in the Oatlands district (Photograph)". catalogue.statelibrary.tas.gov.au. State Library of Tasmania. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
20. "Buying a little piece of history". The Mercury. 13 Jan 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
21. "'Glenelg', Gretna, Tasmania; 1963; TSO00018176". ehive.com. National Trust of Australia. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
22. "Historic". bishopsquarters.com.au. Old Bishop's Quarters B&B. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
23. "LAYING THE COWER STONE OF ST.JOHN'S PARSONAGE.". The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954). Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 31 May 1864. p. 2. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
24. "Damaged historic Harrington St property reveals its secrets - ABC Hobart - Australian Broadcasting Corporation". Abc.net. 15 August 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
25. "Read our review of Gattonside". beautifulaccommodation.com. Beautiful Accommodation Reviews. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
26. "Gattonside, Tasmania". discovertasmania.com.au. Discover Tasmania. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
27. Bevan, Jarrad (21 November 2016). "A Tasmanian home once lived in by actor Errol Flynn has hit the market.". The Mercury. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
28. "Advertising - 29 Nov 1887". The Mercury. 29 November 1887. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
29. "27 Pirie Street, New Town, Tas 7008 - Property Details". www.realestate.com.au. Realestate.com.au. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
30. "The Sacred Heart Convent and School 1873 - now Presentation House". sacredhearthl.tas.edu.au. Sacred Heart Catholic Primary school. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
31. "A treasured icon of South Hobart". Tasmanian Times. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
32. "Sell-off raises hackles". The Mercury. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
33. "All Hallows' Convent Chapel Ann Street, Brisbane". ohta.org.au. Organ Historic Trust of Australia. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
34. "Timeline of Tasmanian Schools". education.tas.edu.au. Department of Education, Tasmania. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
35. "ANECDOTES FROM THE ARCHIVES – HENRY HUNTER". smc.tas.edu.au. St Mary's College, Hobart. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
36. MacMahon, edited by Bill (2001). The Architecture of East Australia: An Architectural History in 432 Individual Presentations. Stuttgart [u.a.]: Menges. p. 233. ISBN 3930698900.
37. "image appearing in Queensland Figaro". bishop.slq.qld.gov.au/. State Library of Queensland. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
38. "Eagle Farm Racecourse and Ascot Railway Station (entry 602195)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
39. "Cornelian Bay History". millingtons.com.au. Millingtons Cemetery's. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
40. "Port Arthur Wins Henry Hunter Prize". Port Arthur Historic Site. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
41. . Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery http://www.tmag.tas.gov.au/whats_on/exhibitions. Retrieved 24 Feb 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
42. "Henry Hunter Architectural Drawings Collection". researchdata.ands.org.au. Research Data Australia. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
43. (PDF). Crawford Padas Shurman Architects http://www.architectsdesignhaus.com/about/150years.pdf. Retrieved 5 Feb 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
44. "Alan Cameron Walker". Australian Dictionary of Biography Volume 12 1980. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 5 Feb 2014.
45. "Personal". Brisbane Courier. 10 Feb 1902. Retrieved 24 February 2014.