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Charles James Dawson 1850-
Distinguished Barking Architect
Bill George
In the last few years the centre of Barking has changed dramatically. Since I moved to Barking in 1982 the town centre has been altered virtually beyond recognition. For example East Street has been pedestrianised, a gyratory has been created, the old swimming baths and fire station demolished, Marks and Spencers has closed, Vicarage Field developed, the Barking Learning Centre has grown out of the library, flats built in the town centre, a new town square created and a bandstand opened. Change and decay, development and progress continue apace. This short note gives an account of Charles Dawson who gave more than 50 years service as surveyor and eminent architect to Barking from 1883 until his death, aged 82, in 1933. He was responsible for many of the public buildings and spaces in Barking. His legacy survives in the Magistrates Court, Barking Park, Ripple Cemetery and many schools.
Family Matters: His grandfather was Charles Greenwood Dawson (1795-
Children of Charles James Dawson and Hannah Maria Ford |
||
Names |
Dates |
Notes |
Charles Ford Dawson |
1876- |
Alive 1934 |
Henry Holmes Dawson |
1878- |
Estate £1,933 |
Frank Holden Dawson |
1879- |
|
Ernest Greenwood Dawson |
1881- |
|
Reginald Dawson |
1882- |
Estate £297 |
Edmund Ainsworth Dawson |
1884- |
Estate £2,069 |
Kathleen Hannah Dawson |
1886- |
Estate £1,745 |
Douglas James Septimus Dawson |
1888- |
Estate £88 |
Winifred Dawson |
1890- |
Estate £1,450 |
Dorothy Norah Ellen Dawson |
1891- |
Estate £5,373 |
Eleanor Sarah Dawson |
1893- |
|
Agatha Martha Dawson |
1894- |
Buried 30th May 1895 aged 6 months |
Edgar Octavius Dawson |
1896- |
Estate £19,183 |
Geoffrey Novem Dawson |
1899- |
Alive in 1976 |
Charles James Dawson was born in Barking on 21 st August 1850. He married Hannah Maria Ford in 1875 at St. Saviours, Southwark. She was a daughter of an Aylesbury grocer who moved to Barking in 1842 (Frogley Manuscript page 337). They had fifteen children. Ten survived their parents. Details of some of his children are listed above.
Character: Charles James Dawson was, according to his obituary in the local paper, one of the greatest and most highly esteemed, of Barking’s citizens. He was a gifted architect and had a kindly, genial personality, and a delightful sense of humour which made him very popular and well known in Barking and further a field. At his funeral, the Vicar Canon H.C. Robins, recalled that Dawson was a character marked by consideration for others by sterling integrity, and by incomparable devotion to duty and to work. The Deputy Mayor, who had known Dawson for 60 years testified that he was a true type of the English gentleman who was well known for his generosity, kindness, and sympathy, and the great help he rendered to those in distress.
Career: Dawson’s mother noted her son’s bent for drawing and articled him to Mr. S.J. Thacker, A.R.I.B.A., a London architect and surveyor. Dawson later spent several years working with the eminent firm of London Builders Messrs. Holland and Hannen. He gained much experience which later fitted him to conduct a varied and extensive practise as an architect for 54 years. Dawson was elected the first surveyor of the Barking Town Local Board when it was formed in 1882. He started on 1 st February 1883 and worked part time for the Board, with an annual salary of £80. In addition to his salary he received a percentage upon all undertakings by the Board. Frogley observed "thus in consequence of the costly improvements that took place yearly, his appointment rapidly advanced him" (Frogley Manuscript page 253). In April 1888 Dawson submitted plans for improvements to Longbridge Road, which included the planting of trees (Frogley Manuscript page 464). In 1889 C.J. Dawson was paid £3.63p fees out of Sir Charles Fanshawe’s charity. This annoyed Frogley because the costs of the charity outweighed the income and as a result no money was able to be paid to the deserving poor (Frogley Manuscript page 141). In 1893 Dawson was appointed architect for the Ilford School Board. From 1895 until 1899 he worked for the District Council. In March 1896 his son Charles Ford Dawson was appointed Assistant Surveyor under his father at £90 per annum. Later Dawson senior resigned as surveyor and his eldest son Charles Ford Dawson succeeded him as surveyor to the council.
Some Buildings designed by Charles James Dawson 1850- |
|
Date |
Building or Scheme |
1896 |
Rippleside Cemetery Chapel, Barking |
1889 |
Barking Church (windows) and 1907 |
1892 |
Gascoigne School, Barking |
1893 |
Public Officers (now Magistrates' Court - |
1895 |
Church Infants School North Street |
1896 |
North Street School (now Northbury) |
1896 |
Rippleside School, Barking |
1896 |
Cleveland Road School, Ilford |
1898 |
Barking Park (with C.F. Dawson) |
1903 |
Denmark Arms, East Ham (extension, interior and entrances) |
1904 |
Westbury School, Barking |
1905 |
Highlands School, Ilford |
1907 |
St. Clement's Church, Park Avenue, Ilford |
1908 |
Friends Meeting House (now Gurdwara Singh Sabha) |
1911 |
Walthamstow High School for Girls, Church Hill |
1912 |
Ripple School |
1913 |
399 High Street, Stratford - |
1921 |
Barclays Bank, 80- |
1927 |
Memorial Hall King George V Hospital Ilford (with partners) |
1929 |
New Park Hall Evangelical Church, Axe Street (with partners) |
1931 |
King George Hospital, Ilford (with partners) |
1932 |
Cambell, Erkenwald, Roding and Monteagle Schools |
1934 |
Woodward Library, Woodward Road, Barking (with partners) |
C.J. Dawson was simultaneously appointed consulting architect to Barking Borough Council at £50 per annum (Frogley Manuscript page 261). C.F. Dawson held the post for 24 years before he left Barking to become City Estates Surveyor and Valuer to the City and County of Bristol 1923-
Death & Wealth: Charles James Dawson died suddenly on Monday afternoon at his property, Wykeham House, Queens Road, Barking on 24 th July 1933. He had been in poor health for some time but was working at the time of his death studying plans when he suddenly fell forward and died almost immediately. Two of his daughters were with him at the time. His wife had died only 12 days before him after. They had been married for 58 years. His funeral took place "amid widespread demonstration of respect and sympathy. A service was held at St. Margaret's church. The church and Town Hall flags were flown at half mast. The hymns "All people that on earth do dwell" and "Rock of Ages" were sung. He was buried in Ripple Cemetery in Plot D50 near the chapel. The funeral was attended by many members of the Dawson family as well as local dignitaries including the Mayor, Alderman, Councillors, town clerk and other council officers, Kenneth Glenny, the Hewetts, Colonel Loftus, F.J. Brand and Mr. F. Frogley. A beautiful bunch of lilies was sent from the Dawson Infants School.
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
CHARLES JAMES
DAWSON
1850-
AND
HIS BELOVED WIFE
HANNAH MARIA
1854-
AND
THEIR FOUR SONS
ERNEST GREENWOOD
1881-
1879-
REGINALD
1882-
DOUGLAS J SEPTIMUS
1888-
GRAVE D50 RIPPLE CEMETERY BARKING (PORTLAND STONE)
Rippleside Cemetery Chapel: Designed by C.J. Dawson 1886
Rippleside Cemetery Chapel: Designed by C.J. Dawson 1886
The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs. J. Cooper and Son, Barking. His estate was valued at £27,610-
Dawson was a prodigious architect who changed the face of Barking with his Jacobean and Georgian style buildings. Probably his most important contribution to Barking was the large number of new schools he designed. A proper full scale account of life and work is long overdue.
References:
Anon. 1933. Death of Mr. C.J. Dawson, of Barking. Remarkable Record of Public Service. And a peaceful ending. Barking, East Ham & Ilford Advertiser. Saturday 29 th July 1933.
Anon. 1933. Charles James Dawson 1850-
Anon. 1933. Charles James Dawson 1850-
Anon. 1964. Henry Holmes Dawson 1878-
Cherry, Bridget. 2005. London 5: East. The Buildings of England. 864 pages. ISBN 0 300 10701 3.
Dawson, C.J. 1932. The Development of School Design in The Schools of Barking by Sir Henry Hadow. Pages 23-
Glenny, K. 1978. Dawsonia – the End of an Era. In Some Notes on Barking & Dagenham History: selected from the pages of the Newsletter of the Barking Historical Society 1970-