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{{Short description|English-born architect, surveyor and public servant (1796–1879)}}
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{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
[[File:1 Mortimer Lewis002.jpg|thumb|300px|Mortimer Lewis and his wife Elizabeth]]
[[File:1 Mortimer Lewis002.jpg|thumb|300px|Mortimer Lewis and his wife Elizabeth]]
'''Mortimer William Lewis''' (1796 – 9 March 1879) was an English architect and surveyor who migrated to Australia and became Colonial Architect in the state of [[New South Wales]] 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.
'''Mortimer William Lewis''' (1796 – 9 March 1879) was an English-born architect, surveyor and public servant who migrated to Australia and became [[New South Wales Government Architect|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 [[New South Wales State Heritage Register|heritage listed]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
Lewis was born in London in 1796. 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, Australia. 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.<ref name=adb>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography
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.<ref name=adb>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography
|last=Herman
|last=Herman
|first=Morton
|first=Morton
Line 17: Line 19:
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.<ref name="test">[http://www.jenwilletts.com/searchaction.php?page=7&surname=&ship=dunvegan%20castle%201830&firstname=], additional text.</ref>
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.<ref name="test">[http://www.jenwilletts.com/searchaction.php?page=7&surname=&ship=dunvegan%20castle%201830&firstname=], additional text.</ref>


From 1830 Lewis worked in the office of surveyor-general of New South Wales under Sir [[Thomas Mitchell (explorer)|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.<ref>{{Oxford Art Online|last=Spens|first=Michael|title= Sydney|accessdate=9 April 2011 }}</ref>
From 1830 Lewis worked in the office of surveyor-general of New South Wales under Sir [[Thomas Mitchell (explorer)|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.<ref>{{cite book|title=Oxford Art Online|last=Spens|first=Michael|chapter= Sydney|year=2003 |doi=10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.T082736 |isbn=978-1-884446-05-4 |access-date=9 April 2011|chapter-url=https://www.oxfordartonline.com/groveart/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao-9781884446054-e-7000082736}}</ref>


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,<ref>The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.70</ref> in particular the Doric variation, although he did not exclusively design in this style.
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,<ref>The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.70</ref> 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.<ref name=adb/>
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.<ref name=adb/>


==Notable works==
==Notable works==
*[[Gladesville Mental Hospital]], Gladesville, New South Wales, 1836–1838
===Gladesville Mental Hospital===
⚫
{{main|Gladesville Mental Hospital}}
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.<ref name=eaa>{{The Early Australian Architects |title= The Early Australian Architects and Their Work
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.<ref name=eaa>{{cite book |title= The Early Australian Architects and Their Work |author=Morton, Herman |publisher= Angus and Robertson |pages=190–206}}</ref> 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.
|author=Herman Morton
|publisher= Angus and Robertson
|author=Herman Morton |page= p.190-p.206}}</ref> 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, Camden, New South Wales, 1849 (completed)
===St John's Anglican Church, Camden===
St John's Anglican Church of Camden New South Wales, completed in 1849, is regarded as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Australia . 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.
St John's Anglican Church of {{NSWcity|Camden}}, completed in 1849, is regarded as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Australia.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} 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.


*Darlinghurst Courthhouse, Darlinghurst (1835–1844)
===Darlinghurst Courthouse===
{{main|Darlinghurst Courthouse}}
Said to be one of Lewis’ most important works,<ref name=eaa/> 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.<ref name=eaa/> 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.
Said to be one of Lewis’ most important works,<ref name=eaa/> 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.<ref name=eaa/> 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.


*[[Bronte House]], Bronte, New South Wales (1843–1845)
===Bronte House===
⚫
{{main|Bronte House}}
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, 1st Viscount Sherbrooke|Robert Lowe]].
The four square 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.<ref name=her>{{Statement of Significance Heritage branch database |author= Broadbent James |website=http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04_1.cfm, Retrieved 9 April 2011|}}</ref> 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.<ref name=her/> 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.
Lewis acquired land in what was to become the beachside suburb of {{NSWcity|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, 1st Viscount Sherbrooke|Robert Lowe]]. The four square{{clarify|date=November 2017}} 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.<ref name=bronteSHR/> 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.<ref name=bronteSHR/> 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.


*Richmond Villa, Millers Point, New South Wales (1850)
===Richmond Villa, Millers Point===
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.
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.


==Partial list of works==
==Partial list of works==
The following Lewis buildings are listed on the Register of the National Estate.<ref>The Heritage of Australia, p.96</ref>
The following buildings, designed by Lewis, are listed on the (now defunct) [[Register of the National Estate]].<ref>The Heritage of Australia, p.96</ref>
* [[Australian Museum]], Sydney, 1849<ref>{{cite book|last=Jahn|first=Graham|title=Guide to Sydney Architecture (Architecture Guides)|year=2006|publisher=Watermark Press|isbn=978-0949284327|url=http://www.sydneyarchitecture.com/cbd/cbd2-005.htm}}</ref>

* [[Bronte House]], Sydney, 1838<ref name=bronteSHR>{{cite NSW SHR|5045208|Bronte House|fn=5045208|accessdate=22 November 2017|date=8 December 2003}}</ref>
⚫
* Toll House, Windsor (probably by Lewis), circa 1835
* [[Callan Park Hospital for the Insane]], 1878<ref name=shr1>{{cite NSW SHR|5051544|Callan Park Conservation Area & Buildings|fn=EF14/4846; 09/3201; H00/507|accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref><ref name=shr2>{{cite NSW SHR|5014136|Callan Park House - Rozelle Hospital|fn=09/3201; S91/05974; S90/07360|accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref><ref name=shr3>{{cite NSW SHR|5012311|Rozelle Hospital - Broughton Hall|fn=EF14/4860; H09/3201;S91/5974|accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref>
* Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum ([[Gladesville Mental Hospital]]), 1836
⚫
* Police Station, Victoria Road, Ryde, 1837
* [[Parramatta Courthouse]], 1837
* Former [[Darlinghurst Gaol]], Sydney, 1836
⚫
* National Trust (originally military hospital), remodelled by Lewis, 1850s
⚫
* Court House, Darlinghurst, 1836
* Original [[Customs House, Sydney]], 1844
⚫
* Legislative Council Chamber, Sydney, 1843
* Original Museum contained within Australian Museum, Sydney, 1849

* Treasury Building and Premier's Office, Sydney, 1849
⚫
* Police Station, Phillip Street, Sydney, 1869
* [[Bronte House]], Sydney, 1838
* Toll House, Windsor circa 1835 (probably Lewis)
⚫
* Signal Station, Vaucluse, early 1840s
⚫
* Former Court House, Sloane Street, Goulburn, 1849
* Court House, Berrima, 1838
* Court House, Berrima, 1838
⚫
* Former Court House, Sloane Street, Goulburn, 1849
⚫
* Court House, Hartley, 1837
⚫
* Court House, Raymond Terrace, 1841
⚫
* Former Court House, Scone, 1848–49
* Former Court House, Wollombi, 1866
* Former Court House, Wollombi, 1866
* [[Customs House, Sydney]], 1844–45<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5044985|Customs House (former)|fn=S90/02762 & DHC 890138|date=2007|accessdate=22 November 2017}}</ref>
* Gaol, East Maitland, 1844–48
* [[Darlinghurst Courthouse]], 1836, with additions by [[James Barnet]]<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5045340|Darlinghurst Court House and Residence|fn=S95/00338/1|accessdate=22 November 2017}}</ref>
* Former [[Darlinghurst Gaol]], Sydney, 1836<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|2420101|Former East Sydney Technical College and Darlinghurst Gaol Including Buildings A|accessdate=22 November 2017}}</ref>
* ''[[Fernhill (Sydney)|Fernhill]]'', {{circa|1840}}<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5045436|Fernhill|fn=EF14/5162; 09/4636; S90/6146|date=9 April 2013|accessdate=26 November 2017}}</ref>
* [[Gladesville Mental Hospital]], formerly known as the Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum, 1836<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|3540297|Gladesville Hospital Precinct|date=1 December 1995|accessdate=22 November 2017}}</ref>
* [[Hornby Lighthouse]], 1858<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5051353|South Head Signal Station|fn=S90/04948/1|accessdate=15 September 2017}}</ref>
⚫
* Legislative Council Chamber, Sydney, 1843
* [[Maitland Gaol]], 1844–48<ref>{{Cite NSW SHR|5012147|Maitland Correctional Centre|fn=S91/02320/02, 09/00740|accessdate=5 April 2009}}</ref>
⚫
* National Trust (originally military hospital), remodelled by Lewis, 1850s
* [[Nugal Hall]], Randwick, 1853<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5045442|Nugal Hall|fn=14/5228; 11/22057; S90/6217|date=31 July 2014|accessdate=26 November 2017 }}</ref>
* [[Parramatta Correctional Centre]]<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5000657|Parramatta Correctional Centre|fn=S90/06416; H00/00112|accessdate=17 September 2017}}</ref>
* [[Parramatta Courthouse]], 1837<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nswbar.asn.au/circulars/parramatta_court.pdf|title=Parramatta Courthouse|publisher=New South Wales Bar Association}}</ref>
* Police Station, Hunter Street, Newcastle, 1849
* Police Station, Hunter Street, Newcastle, 1849
⚫
* Police Station, Phillip Street, Sydney, 1869
⚫
* Court House, Raymond terrace, 1841
⚫
* Police Station, Victoria Road, Ryde, 1837
⚫
* Former Court House, Scone, 1848–49
⚫
* Signal Station, Vaucluse, early 1840s
* Court House, Hartley, 1837
* [[St John's Anglican Church, Newcastle|St John's Church]], Newcastle, 1860<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5045733|St. John's Church, Hall & Grounds|fn=S90/07112 & HC 30470|date=4 May 2000|accessdate=26 November 2017}}</ref>
* Nugal Hall, Randwick, 1853
⚫
* Toll House, Windsor (probably by Lewis), circa 1835
* [[Treasury Building, Sydney|Treasury Building and Premier's Office]], Sydney, 1849<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5044997|Intercontinental Hotel former Treasury Building|fn=S90/04483 & HC 32431|accessdate=7 November 2017}}</ref>
* Wentworth Mausoleum, Vaucluse, 1873 (attributed to Mansfield brothers by some sources)<ref>Sydney Architecture, John Haskell (UNSW Press) 1997, p.75</ref>
* Wentworth Mausoleum, Vaucluse, 1873 (attributed to Mansfield brothers by some sources)<ref>Sydney Architecture, John Haskell (UNSW Press) 1997, p.75</ref>


==Gallery==
⚫
<center><gallery>
⚫
<gallery class="center">
Image:East0058.jpg|Signal Station, Vaucluse
Image:East0058.jpg|Signal Station, Vaucluse
Image:(1)_National_Art_School_gates.JPG|Former Darlinghurst Gaol
Image:(1)_National_Art_School_gates.JPG|Former Darlinghurst Gaol
Line 80: Line 84:
Image:1_Bronte_House1.jpg|Bronte House, Bronte
Image:1_Bronte_House1.jpg|Bronte House, Bronte
Image:WentworthMausoleom.JPG|Wentworth Mausoleum, Vaucluse
Image:WentworthMausoleom.JPG|Wentworth Mausoleum, Vaucluse
Image:VictoriaRoad7.JPG|Police Station, Ryde
Image:Ryde Police Station.jpg|Police Station, Ryde
Image:CourtHouse.JPG|Darlinghurst Court House
Image:CourtHouse.JPG| Darlinghurst Courthouse
Image:(1)National_Trust.jpg|National Trust, Sydney
⚫
</gallery></center>
⚫
</gallery>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

⚫
{{commons category|Bronte House}}
==Further reading==
⚫
{{commons|Gladesville mental hospital}}
{{commons category|Mortimer Lewis}}
#Lewis, Mortimer (William), Tibbits, George, Oxford Art Online, www.oxfordartonline.com, Retrieved 9 April 2011
*{{cite web |title=Lewis, Mortimer (William) |author=Tibbits, George |publisher=Oxford Art Online |url=http://www.oxfordartonline.com |access-date=9 April 2011 }}
⚫
#Statement of Significance, Heritage branch database, Schofield, http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04_1.cfm, Retrieved 9 April 2011
#Statement of Significance, Heritage branch database, Broadbent, James, http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04_1.cfm, Retrieved 9 April 2011
*Statement of Significance, Heritage branch database, Schofield, http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04_1.cfm, Retrieved 9 April 2011
⚫
*Statement of Significance, Heritage branch database, Broadbent, James, http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04_1.cfm, Retrieved 9 April 2011
#Sydney Architecture, Paul McGillick 2005, p.&nbsp;36-p.&nbsp;37
*{{cite book |title=Sydney Architecture |author=McGillick, Paul |year=2005 |pages=36–37 }}
#The Early Australian Architects and Their Work, Herman, Morton, 1973, Angus and Robertson Publishers, p.&nbsp;190-206
*{{cite book |title=The Early Australian Architects and Their Work |author=Herman, Morton |year=1973 |publisher=Angus and Robertson Publishers |pages=190–206 }}


==External links==
==External links==
* http://www.brontehouse.com/history/history_land.html Official Bronte house website
* [http://www.brontehouse.com/history/history_land.html Official Bronte house website]
* http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/index.html Heritage Branch Database
* [http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/index.html Heritage Branch Database]
* [https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/tqqf2h/alma99183959420902061 Colonial Secretary's papers 1822-1877], [[State Library of Queensland]]- includes digitised letters written by Lewis to the [[Colonial Secretary of New South Wales]]

⚫
{{Authority control}}


⚫
{{Authority control|VIAF=96597578}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Lewis, Mortimer
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British architect
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1796
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 9 March 1879
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Mortimer}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Mortimer}}
[[Category:1796 births]]
[[Category:1796 births]]
[[Category:1879 deaths]]
[[Category:1879 deaths]]
[[Category:English architects]]
[[Category:Architects from London]]
[[Category:Australian architects]]
[[Category:Architects from Sydney]]
[[Category:English emigrants to colonial Australia]]

Latest revision as of 20:17, 24 March 2024

Mortimer Lewis and his wife Elizabeth

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.

Early life[edit]

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]

Career in Australia[edit]

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]

Notable works[edit]

Gladesville Mental Hospital[edit]

Main article: Gladesville Mental Hospital

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, Camden[edit]

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.

Darlinghurst Courthouse[edit]

Main article: Darlinghurst Courthouse

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.

Bronte House[edit]

Main article: Bronte House

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.

Richmond Villa, Millers Point[edit]

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.

Partial list of works[edit]

The following buildings, designed by Lewis, are listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate.[7]

Gallery[edit]

  • Signal Station, Vaucluse
    Signal Station, Vaucluse
  • Former Darlinghurst Gaol
    Former Darlinghurst Gaol
  • Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum (Gladesville Mental Hospital)
    Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum (Gladesville Mental Hospital)
  • Court House, Hartley
    Court House, Hartley
  • Bronte House, Bronte
    Bronte House, Bronte
  • Wentworth Mausoleum, Vaucluse
    Wentworth Mausoleum, Vaucluse
  • Police Station, Ryde
    Police Station, Ryde
  • Darlinghurst Courthouse
    Darlinghurst Courthouse
  • National Trust, Sydney
    National Trust, Sydney

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Herman, Morton (1967). "Lewis, Mortimer William (1796 - 1879)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  2. ^ [1], additional text.
  3. ^ Spens, Michael (2003). "Sydney". Oxford Art Online. doi:10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.T082736. ISBN 978-1-884446-05-4. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  4. ^ The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.70
  5. ^ a b c Morton, Herman. The Early Australian Architects and Their Work. Angus and Robertson. pp. 190–206.
  6. ^ a b c "Bronte House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 22 November 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  7. ^ The Heritage of Australia, p.96
  8. ^ Jahn, Graham (2006). Guide to Sydney Architecture (Architecture Guides). Watermark Press. ISBN 978-0949284327.
  9. ^ "Callan Park Conservation Area & Buildings". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 18 September 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  10. ^ "Callan Park House - Rozelle Hospital". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 18 September 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  11. ^ "Rozelle Hospital - Broughton Hall". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 18 September 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  12. ^ "Customs House (former)". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 22 November 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  13. ^ "Darlinghurst Court House and Residence". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 22 November 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  14. ^ "Former East Sydney Technical College and Darlinghurst Gaol Including Buildings A". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 22 November 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  15. ^ "Fernhill". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 26 November 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  16. ^ "Gladesville Hospital Precinct". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 22 November 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  17. ^ "South Head Signal Station". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 15 September 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  18. ^ "Maitland Correctional Centre". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 5 April 2009. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  19. ^ "Nugal Hall". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 26 November 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  20. ^ "Parramatta Correctional Centre". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 17 September 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  21. ^ "Parramatta Courthouse" (PDF). New South Wales Bar Association.
  22. ^ "St. John's Church, Hall & Grounds". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 26 November 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  23. ^ "Intercontinental Hotel former Treasury Building". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 7 November 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  24. ^ Sydney Architecture, John Haskell (UNSW Press) 1997, p.75

Further reading[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mortimer Lewis.

External links[edit]

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