Mortimer William Lewis (1796 – 9 March 1879) was an English-born architect, surveyor and public servant who migrated to Australia and became Colonial Architect in the colony of New South Wales (now a state of Australia) from 1835 to 1849. Lewis was responsible for designing and overseeing many government buildings in Sydney and rural New South Wales, many of which are heritage listed.
Lewis was born in Middlesex, England, in 1796, to Thomas Arundel Lewis and Caroline Lewis (née Derby) At the age of nineteen, he started work as a surveyor and draughtsman in the London office of the Inspector General of Fortifications. In 1819, he married Elizabeth Clements, who bore him three sons and a daughter. Another son was to be born later in Sydney, New South Wales. Lewis lived in the Eyre Estate at 11 South Bank, near St Johns Wood. After eight years in private practice, Lewis received an appointment as assistant surveyor in the office of surveyor-general of New South Wales. He set sail with his family in 1829 and arrived in Sydney in March, 1830. [1]
Lewis arrived in Sydney via Hobart on 1 April 1830 as a free settler aboard the convict ship the Dunvegan Castle, which left Britain on 28 September 1829. [2]
From 1830 Lewis worked in the office of surveyor-general of New South Wales under Sir Thomas Mitchell, and during this time mapped the Great Dividing Range, 130 kilometres west of Sydney. Lewis was appointed to be the Town Surveyor; in 1835 he was further promoted to the position of Colonial Architect which he held for 14 years during a period of great expansion. [3]
A long series of public works throughout New South Wales followed, including court houses, police stations and government buildings. Lewis also supervised the construction of buildings designed by other architects, a notable example being Government House designed in England by Edward Blore. Lewis became the leading proponent in Australia of the Classical Revival style, [4] in particular the Doric variation, although he did not exclusively design in this style.
Lewis's post as Colonial Architect ended sourly after a public controversy concerning the construction of Sydney’s first museum. In the late 1840s he began designing Sydney's first museum, which would later be absorbed into the present Australian Museum. The project experienced substantial cost overruns during construction and Lewis was heavily criticised by both the press and politicians. The museum was completed, but an official inquiry blamed Lewis and he was forced to resign as Colonial Architect in 1849, after twenty nine years in retirement, Lewis died of a kidney ailment in 1879. [1]
In 1835 Governor Bourke made suggestions within reports of that he had finally discovered an architect competent enough to satisfy his needs within the public works sector. Lewis' discovery to Bourke came at a time when there was desperate need of a Lunatic Asylum which was adequate to deal with problem people within the colony. Lewis began work in 1836 and the Gladesville Asylum opened in 1838. His design had a simple traditional facade, symmetrical in plan and elevation. The Ionic columns of the portico would have been one of the first examples of such ornate craftsmanship within Australia at this time. [5] Previously it was more common to see Doric columns with circular detailing at the capitals, requiring far less detail and craftsmanship than the ornate Ionic columns designed by Lewis.
St John's Anglican Church of Camden, completed in 1849, is regarded as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Australia.[ citation needed ] The church was constructed from local materials such as stone and clay. The clay is known to produce bricks with a great variation in colour and the St. Johns church is no exception producing pink, russet, red and orange bricks. Lewis had an affinity with stucco at the time of construction and the bricks of the church were laid with the anticipation of a secondary finish which never occurred for unknown reasons. Ironically the roughly laid bricks resulted in a richness in the facade, adding character and depth.
Said to be one of Lewis’ most important works, [5] the "erudite Greek Classic "Darlinghurst Courthouse was commenced in 1835 and completed in 1844. Lewis’ plan placed the court room in the centre, with a symmetrical arrangement of rooms for magistrates and court officials either side. The entry was through a pedimented porch framed with Doric columns, a direct imitation of an ancient Greek temple, except in this instance the Doric columns do not extend to the ground. It is said that the pattern in the sandstone columns was stopped at a height to avoid damage from passing traffic. [5] Darlinghurst Court was the first purposely designed courthouse to be built in NSW, with the general layout and form referenced for buildings of law in Australia for the next 60 years. These included Lewis’s (c. 1837; destr.) Parramatta Courthouse, New South Wales, and the Supreme Court (1847–51; now Magistrates’ Court House), Adelaide, South Australia, by Richard Lambeth. The building was altered in 1886 by James Barnet to include major flanking court room additions. The extension facing Victoria Street, completed in 1963, was designed by the Government Architect's Office.
Lewis acquired land in what was to become the beachside suburb of Bronte, and started work on the sandstone bungalow which became Bronte House. The house was originally built with the intention of housing his family but Lewis was forced to sell mid-construction during the 1840s recession. The partially built property was purchased by Robert Lowe. The four square[ clarification needed ] asymmetrical plan, including a bay and bow window, was typical of Lewis, except the external detailing, such as the romantic circular and hexagonal corner turrets, were assumed to have been altered to suit the new owners’ needs. [6] The building was sited in the substantial gardens of the naturally irregular site. This picturesque style was not commonly found in Australian Colonial architecture and was thought to be a transition, from the simplicity and symmetry of earlier Georgian building types, to a revivalism of the Victorian era. [6] The house, with garden, remains substantially intact and is owned by Waverley Council, which leases it to private tenants. It is open to the public a few times a year.
In 1849, Lewis bought three plots of land behind Macquarie Street, Sydney, facing The Domain. On this plot of land he built his own home, which he called Richmond Villa. It is one of the few examples of Lewis's residential work, since his buildings were generally non-residential. He designed Richmond Villa in a Gothic Revival style, as he had done with Bronte House. The ground floor contained a high verandah with zig-zag lattice-like detailing which contrasted with the building's asymmetrical plan and fenestration. In 1978, the house was dismantled to make way for extensions to Parliament House and was later re-erected in Kent Street, Millers Point.
The following buildings, designed by Lewis, are listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate. [7]
Darlinghurst is an inner-city suburb in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Darlinghurst is located immediately east of the Sydney central business district (CBD) and Hyde Park, within the local government area of the City of Sydney. It is often colloquially referred to as "Darlo".
The Rocks is a suburb, tourist precinct and historic area of Sydney's city centre, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour, immediately north-west of the Sydney central business district.
Francis Howard Greenway was an English-born architect who was transported to Australia as a convict for the crime of forgery. In New South Wales he worked for the Governor, Lachlan Macquarie, as Australia's first government architect. He became widely known and admired for his work displayed in buildings such as St Matthew's Church, St James' Church and Hyde Park Barracks.
Potts Point is a small and densely populated suburb in inner-city Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Potts Point is located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney.
Berrima is a historic village in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. The village, once a major town, is located on the Old Hume Highway between Sydney and Canberra. It was previously known officially as the Town of Berrima. It is close to the three major towns of the Southern Highlands: Mittagong, Bowral and Moss Vale.
John Verge (1782–1861) was an English architect, builder, pioneer settler in the Colony of New South Wales, who migrated to Australia and pursued his career there. Verge was one of the earliest and the most important architect of the Greek Revival in Australia. He also brought more comprehensive range of Regency style than any contemporary architects. His design indicates the increasing of sophistication compared to previous architect's design.
Hartley is a historical village in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, within the City of Lithgow local government area, located approximately 127 kilometres (79 mi) west of Sydney. Hartley is located below the western escarpment of the Blue Mountains.
Elizabeth Bay is a harbourside inner city suburb in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Elizabeth Bay is located three kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney.
Courthouses in New South Wales were designed by the Colonial Architect, later known as the Government Architect of New South Wales, Australia.
Colonel Walter Liberty Vernon was an English architect who migrated to Australia and pursued his career as an architect in Sydney, New South Wales. In his role as the New South Wales Government Architect he is noted for designing multiple government buildings, many of which are extant with listings on national and state heritage registers.
Queen's Square is a public square in central Sydney, Australia. The square is located at the junction of King Street with Phillip Street and Macquarie Street. It is bounded on the south by St James Road and Prince Albert Road.
The Gladesville Mental Hospital, formerly known as the Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum, was a psychiatric hospital established in 1838 in the Sydney suburb of Gladesville. The hospital officially closed in 1993, with the last inpatient services ceasing in 1997.
George McRae was a Scottish-Australian architect who migrated from his native Edinburgh to Sydney, where he became Government Architect of New South Wales and designed some of Sydney's best-known buildings, including completion of the Sydney Town Hall, the Queen Victoria Building, and the lower entrance to Taronga Zoo.
Bridge Street is a street in the central business district of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. Bridge Street runs for 500 metres (1,600 ft) in a west–east direction with traffic flowing in both directions. It is situated in the northern portion of the central business district. The western terminus of Bridge Street is at George Street, with the eastern terminus at Macquarie Street, adjacent to the Chief Secretary's Building. From west to east, Bridge Street crosses Pitt and Phillip streets.
The Central Local Court House or Police Law Courts or Central Police Court is a heritage-listed building located at 98 Liverpool Street, in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales in Australia. Constructed in the Federation Free Classical style based on original designs by Colonial Architect, James Barnet, the building structure was completed in 1892 under the supervision of Barnet's successor, Government Architect, Walter Liberty Vernon. It is also known as Sydney Central Local Court House, Police Law Courts and Central Police Court. The property is owned by the Department of Justice, a department of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The court house is located in a precinct that includes the Downing Centre, and buildings housing the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court in Sydney. Adjacent to the court house is Brickfield Place, a brick paved courtyard with seating and planter boxes, constructed in 1892, assessed as a good example of urban design for public open space.
The Darlinghurst Courthouse is a heritage-listed courthouse building located adjacent to Taylor Square on Oxford Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. Constructed in the Old Colonial Grecian style based on original designs by Colonial Architect, Mortimer Lewis, the building structure was completed in 1880 under the supervision of Lewis's successor, James Barnet. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Ryde police station is a heritage-listed lockup, police residence and police station located at 808-810 Victoria Road, Ryde in the City of Ryde local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Mortimer Lewis and built from 1836 to 1837 by David Taylor; Messrs Brodie & Craig. It is also known as Ryde Police Station (former), Ryde Police Station, Ryde Detective's Offices and Kissing Point Police Watch House or lockup. The property is owned by NSW Police, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Old Registry Office of the Supreme Court of New South Wales is a heritage-listed courthouse at the corner of Elizabeth Street and St James Road, in the Sydney central business district in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Government Architect Alexander Dawson and James Barnet and built from 1859 to 1862. It is also known as Sydney Supreme Court House. The property is owned by the Department of Justice, a department of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
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