John James Clark
Encyclopedia
John James Clark an Australia
n architect
, was born in Liverpool
, England
. Clark’s 30 years in public service, in combination with 33 in private practice, produced some of Australia’s most notable public buildings, as well as at least one prominent building in New Zealand
.
, Australia in March 1852, in hopes of capitalising on the Victorian Goldrush
.. Whilst other family members took up employment working in the gold fields, 14 year old Clark pursued his interest in Architecture
and was employed as a draftsman for the colonial architect’s office . JJ continued in public service until 1878 when he was retrenched in the Black Wednesday dismissals . Clark took a brief sabbatical in 1858 to tour Europe
In 1865 Clark married Mary Taylor Watmuff (1845–1871) they remained married until her untimely death at the age of 26 in 1871. The couple had one child, Edward James, in 1868. In 1889 when Edward was 21, Clark took him on a tour of Europe
and America
, mirroring that of the one Clark took in his own youth.
In 1880 Clark set up private practice in central Melbourne. Between 1881 and 1896 Clark relocated several times between Victoria
, New South Wales
, Queensland
and Western Australia
in pursuit of commissions and employment. One of Clark’s most notable achievements, during this time, was his appointment as Queensland colonial architect.
In 1896 Clark and his son formed a professional partnership that lasted until his death , and saw them complete works in Perth
, Brisbane
and Melbourne. Clark died at his residence in St Kilda, Melbourne
on 25 June 1915.
J J Clark is the subject of a biography to be published in 2011 by UNSW Press.
Old Treasury Building
Old Treasury Building
is considered by many as one of the finest examples of Renaissance Revival architecture in Melbourne. Clark began designing this building in 1857 when he was nineteen. Construction began in 1858 using bluestone
, sourced from Broadmeadows
for its foundations, and sandstone
, from Baccus Marsh, for its intricate external facade. The building was completed in 1962.Originally the treasury was designed to hold Victoria’s state gold, and also offices major colonial leaders. In 1874 the Treasury offices were relocated, however the building was still used weekly for meetings with the Governor General. In 1992 the building was restored, and from 2005–2010 it was the home of the City Museum.
Melbourne City Baths
Designed by Clark and his son Edward James in 1904, the Melbourne City Baths were the result of a winning competition entry to redesign the existing baths.
A significant example of the Edwardian Baroque
style, the building uses a bold two tone palette of red brick and cream yellow rendered concrete. The highly articulated facade wraps around the corners of the site and displays multiple classical instances of cupola
s, archways and triangular pediment
s that is considered by some as ‘Federation Freestyle’. These motifs also reflected a mesh of architectural styles popular in England and America at that time.
Queen Victoria Women’s Hospital
Clark’s original design for the Queen Victoria Hospital occupied an entire block in Melbourne’s CBD
. In later years the hospital was relocated and subsequently a significant portion of the building was deconstructed. Currently all that remains of the original design is one of the three pavilion
s that ran along Lonsdale Street
. Designed by Clark whilst in partnership with his son Edward James, the hospital was completed in 1910 in an Edwardian Baroque style. The design worked as a network of pavilions connected by a large central corridor that ran through the site. Raised upon a bluestone base the red brick ‘blood & bandage’ building is ornamented with rendered concrete flanked by cupola topped turret
s. The building’s remnants are currently occupied by the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre.
Victoria, Melbourne
Victoria, Regional
Queensland
New South Wales
Western Australia
New Zealand
Clark’s obituary
stated his partnership with son Edward James Clark, became his most professionally successfully period in respect to competition wins with the firm winning in succession competitions for:
Additionally in later years the firm successful campaigned for
His other competition awards were produced from individual work, partnerships and associations with architectural firms.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n 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...
, was born in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
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...
. Clark’s 30 years in public service, in combination with 33 in private practice, produced some of Australia’s most notable public buildings, as well as at least one prominent building in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Biography
John James Clark, commonly referred to as JJ, was born in Liverpool, England on 23 January 1838 to parents George and Mary Clark. Clark was one of six children. The family relocated from Liverpool to MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia in March 1852, in hopes of capitalising on the Victorian Goldrush
Victorian gold rush
The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s. In 10 years the Australian population nearly tripled.- Overview :During this era Victoria dominated the world's gold output...
.. Whilst other family members took up employment working in the gold fields, 14 year old Clark pursued his interest in 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...
and was employed as a draftsman for the colonial architect’s office . JJ continued in public service until 1878 when he was retrenched in the Black Wednesday dismissals . Clark took a brief sabbatical in 1858 to tour Europe
In 1865 Clark married Mary Taylor Watmuff (1845–1871) they remained married until her untimely death at the age of 26 in 1871. The couple had one child, Edward James, in 1868. In 1889 when Edward was 21, Clark took him on a tour of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, mirroring that of the one Clark took in his own youth.
In 1880 Clark set up private practice in central Melbourne. Between 1881 and 1896 Clark relocated several times between Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in pursuit of commissions and employment. One of Clark’s most notable achievements, during this time, was his appointment as Queensland colonial architect.
In 1896 Clark and his son formed a professional partnership that lasted until his death , and saw them complete works in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and Melbourne. Clark died at his residence in St Kilda, Melbourne
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
on 25 June 1915.
J J Clark is the subject of a biography to be published in 2011 by UNSW Press.
Works
Old Treasury Building
Old Treasury Building, Melbourne
The Old Treasury Building on Spring Street in Melbourne, was once home to the Treasury Department of the Government of Victoria, but is now a museum of Melbourne history, known as the Old Treasury Building.-History:...
is considered by many as one of the finest examples of Renaissance Revival architecture in Melbourne. Clark began designing this building in 1857 when he was nineteen. Construction began in 1858 using bluestone
Bluestone
Bluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of dimension or building stone varieties, including:*a feldspathic sandstone in the U.S. and Canada;*limestone in the Shenandoah Valley in the U.S...
, sourced from Broadmeadows
Broadmeadows, Victoria
Broadmeadows is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hume...
for its foundations, and sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, from Baccus Marsh, for its intricate external facade. The building was completed in 1962.Originally the treasury was designed to hold Victoria’s state gold, and also offices major colonial leaders. In 1874 the Treasury offices were relocated, however the building was still used weekly for meetings with the Governor General. In 1992 the building was restored, and from 2005–2010 it was the home of the City Museum.
Designed by Clark and his son Edward James in 1904, the Melbourne City Baths were the result of a winning competition entry to redesign the existing baths.
A significant example of the Edwardian Baroque
Edwardian Baroque architecture
The term Edwardian Baroque refers to the Neo-Baroque architectural style of many public buildings built in the British Empire during the Edwardian era ....
style, the building uses a bold two tone palette of red brick and cream yellow rendered concrete. The highly articulated facade wraps around the corners of the site and displays multiple classical instances of cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
s, archways and triangular pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
s that is considered by some as ‘Federation Freestyle’. These motifs also reflected a mesh of architectural styles popular in England and America at that time.
Queen Victoria Women’s Hospital
Clark’s original design for the Queen Victoria Hospital occupied an entire block in Melbourne’s CBD
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. In later years the hospital was relocated and subsequently a significant portion of the building was deconstructed. Currently all that remains of the original design is one of the three pavilion
Pavilion
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
s that ran along Lonsdale Street
Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Lonsdale Street is located in the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid, it runs roughly east-west. Lonsdale Street's eastern end intersects with Spring Street while its western end intersects with Spencer Street. It is home to multiple office buildings, courts,...
. Designed by Clark whilst in partnership with his son Edward James, the hospital was completed in 1910 in an Edwardian Baroque style. The design worked as a network of pavilions connected by a large central corridor that ran through the site. Raised upon a bluestone base the red brick ‘blood & bandage’ building is ornamented with rendered concrete flanked by cupola topped turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
s. The building’s remnants are currently occupied by the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre.
Further notable works
- 1856 The Government Printing Office
- 1858 The Old Treasury Building
- 1871 The Royal Mint
- 1874 The Titles Office
- 1874 The Supreme Court
- 1874 Government HouseGovernment House, MelbourneGovernment House, Melbourne is the office and official residence of the Governor of Victoria. It is set next to the Royal Botanic Gardens and surrounded by Kings Domain in Melbourne. It was the official residence of the Governor-General of Australia from 1901 to 1930...
- 1876 The Customs House
- 1903 The City Baths
- 1907 Women’s Hospital
- 1907 Carlton Refuge
- 1912 The Queen Victoria Hospital
- 1912 Melbourne Hospital
- - The Kew Mental Hospital
- - The Port Melbourne Post Office
Victoria, Regional
- 1904 The Ballarat National Mutual Building
- - The Geelong Customs House
- - The Geelong Supreme Court
- - The Beechworth Mental HospitalBeechworth AsylumBeechworth Lunatic Asylum, originally known as Mayday Hills Lunatic Asylum is a decommissioned psychiatric hospital located in Beechworth, a town of Victoria, Australia. Mayday Hills Lunatic Asylum was the four such Hospital to be built in Victoria, being one of the three largest...
- - The Ararat Mental Hospital
- - The Sale Court House
- - The Rutherglen Court House
- - The Bright Post Office
- - The Castlemaine Post Office
- - The Yackandandah Post Office
- - The Kilmore Post Office
- 1894 The Brisbane Children’s Hospital
- 1885 The Brisbane Treasury Building
- 1885 Townsville Post and Telegraph OfficeTownsville Post OfficeThe Townsville Post Office is a building in Townsville CBD.- World War II :During the war, after the first raid on Townsville, the defence department became concerned that the clock tower would become a target for Japanese bombers after the post office clock in Darwin was bombed.- After World War...
- 1885 Townsville HospitalTownsville HospitalThe Townsville Hospital is a public tertiary care hospital in the city of Townsville and serves patients from the entire North Queensland region, with patients from as far as Mount Isa and Cape York being airlifted or transported to the Hospital on a daily basis. The hospital is relatively new and...
- 1885 Charters Towers CourthouseCharters Towers CourthouseCharters Towers Courthouse is located at 26–30 Hodgkinson Street, Charters Towers in Queensland, Australia.The courthouse was completed in 1886 and remains substantially unchanged since its completion...
- 1885 Mackay CourthouseMackay CourthouseMackay Courthouse is located at 12 Brisbane Street, Mackay in Queensland, Australia.The complex contains the current and former courthouses as well as police residences and other police buildings.-History:...
- 1895 The Booroodabin Public Baths
- 1901 Brisbane Central Railway StationCentral railway station, BrisbaneCentral railway station is, as the name suggests, the central railway station for the Queensland Rail City network in the Brisbane central business district, the state capital of Queensland, Australia...
- 1901 an unexecuted design for the Townsville Railway Station
- - Gympie Town Hall (first stage)
- - Warwick Town Hall
- - Maryborough Railway Station
- - Brisbane Masonic Memorial Temple
New South Wales
- 1899 A new scheme for the Newcastle Hospital (of which only the Nurses' Quarters and operating Theatre were built)
- 1903 The Maitland Hospital
- 1862 A unexecuted design for the Sydney Free Public Library
- 1881 The Waverley Town Hall (unexecuted)
- 1882 The Orange Town Hall
- 1880 The Wagga Wagga Town Hall (unexecuted)
- 1897 Perth St Andrew's Presbyterian Church
- 1897 Fremantle Town HallFremantle Town HallFremantle Town Hall is a town hall located in the portside city of Fremantle, Western Australia and situated on the corner of High, William and Adelaide Streets. The opening coincided with the celebration of Victoria's Jubilee and occurred on 22 June 1887....
, alterations and extensions - 1898 Perth Royal Children’s Hospital (unexecuted)
- 1898 Vasse Butter Factory
New Zealand
- 1907 Auckland Town HallAuckland Town HallThe Auckland Town Hall is a historic building on Queen Street in downtown Auckland, New Zealand, known both for its original and ongoing use for administrative functions , as well as for its famed Great Hall and its separate Concert Chamber...
- - A design for the Auckland Supreme Court
- - A design for a Christchurch Court House
Awards
Clark placed in 38 of the 47 competitions he entered throughout his career; of these, 24 were first placements.Clark’s obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
stated his partnership with son Edward James Clark, became his most professionally successfully period in respect to competition wins with the firm winning in succession competitions for:
- Fremantle Town Hall Auditorium Alterations (Fremantle, 1897)
- Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Perth, 1897)
- Royal Children’s Hospital (Perth, 1898)
- Newcastle Hospital (Newcastle, 1899)
- Maitland Hospital (Maitland, 1903)
- The City Baths (Melbourne, 1903)
Additionally in later years the firm successful campaigned for
- National Mutual Building (Ballarat, 1904)
- Women’s Hospital (Melbourne, 1907)
- Carlton Refuge (Melbourne, 1907)
- Auckland Town Hall (Auckland, 1907 )
- Melbourne Hospital (Melbourne, 1912)
His other competition awards were produced from individual work, partnerships and associations with architectural firms.
External links
- http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/1527216
- http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3214204