Basic Biographical Details Name: | (Sir) Aston Webb & E Ingress Bell | Designation: | | Born: | c. 1880(?) | Died: | | Bio Notes: | Aston Webb was born at Clapham on 22 May 1849 the son of Edward Webb an engraver and watercolour artist. He was articled to Banks & Barry from 1886 to 1871, during which period he took classes at the Architectural Association. He made an extensive continental study tour in 1871-1872 and won the Pugin Studentship in 1873. He commenced independent practice in that year but the next two years were principally spent in assisting other architects. He was admitted ARIBA on 9 February 1874, his proposers being Charles Barry Junior, Augustus Frere and Henry Currey.
After some years Webb took into partnership Edward Ingress Bell who was considerably older, born 1837 and apprenticed to his father who was a civil engineer. Previously in partnership with H V Bacon from 1860, Bell had extensive experience having worked for George Gilbert Scott and Richard Cromwell Carpenter (? Richard Herbert: Richard Cromwell died in 1855 when Bell was eighteen) Rhode Hawkins, William Wilkinson Wardell, William Bonython Moffat, William and Andrew Moseley, Sir Charles Barry and Joseph Aloysius Hansom. He was admitted ARIBA on 3 December 1866, his proposers being Robert William Edis, Moseley and Thomas Edward Knightley. Circumstance compelled him to retire in 1869, but he was readmitted on 17 February 1873 and became architect to the Crown Agents for the Colonies in 1882.
In 1885 the partnership of Webb & Bell made its name by winning the competition for the Birmingham Law Courts and in 1891 that for the South Kensington Museum; that for Christ's Hospital in Horsham followed in 1894. These successes brought in their wake a long series of public commissions and further competition successes notably that for the improvement of the Mall in 1901.
Webb was President of the RIBA in 1902-04 and was knighted in the latter year. He received the Royal Gold Medal in 1905 and the American Gold Medal in 1907. He was President of the Royal Academy 1919-24.
Ingress Bell died on 30 August 1914 at St Stephen's Winchester Road, West Worthing. By that date Webb had taken his son Maurice Everett Webb, born 23 April 1880, into partnership.
Webb died on 21 August 1930. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | London, England | Business | | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Gray, A Stuart | 1985 | Edwardian Architecture: A Biographical Dictionary | | | | | Service, Alastair | 1975 | Edwardian Architecture and its Origins | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 29 August 1930 | | | Obituary of Webb | | Builder | 5 September 1930 | | | Obituary of Webb | | Builder | 19 December 1930 | | | Obituary of Webb | | Building News | 3 January 1980 | | | | | RIBA Journal | 20 September 1930 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Obituary of Webb pp710, 744 |
|