Biography William Robert Davidge

1 biography

1.1 , personal life
1.2 architect
1.3 surveyor
1.4 town planner
1.5 influence in new zealand , australia

biography
early , personal life

william robert davidge born on february 17th 1879 in teddington, middlesex. parents henry thomas davidge , louisa anderson davidge. entered university college in 1896, , studied @ kings college, graduating degree in architecture in 1900. married kathleen mary lane , had 3 children, kathleen enid grace davidge (24 sep 1910), margaret mary davidge (6 jun 1912), , helen joyce jane davidge (15 may 1919).

architect

from 1902 1907 davidge assistant w.e. riley in architect s department of london county council. became associate member of royal institute of british architects in 1904. in july 1912 made fellow of royal institute of british architects.

surveyor

while student davidge articled marshall hainsworth, surveyor teddington urban district council. 1907 1916 district surveyor lewisham, greenwich, , woolwich. in 1919 became housing commissioner southern counties , later london area.

town planner

in 1900s davidge took interest in emerging british garden city movement. in 1909 presented paper institution of surveyors (later become royal institution of chartered surveyors) in support of housing, town planning, &c. act 1909 proposed make mandatory local authorities in united kingdom introduce town planning systems.

from 1921 davidge practiced consulting town planner , architect-surveyor, , in 1926 elected president of royal town planning institute, serving chair of executive of garden cities , town planning association (later become town , country planning association). davidge prepared professional planning reports places throughout united kingdom, including recommendations bedfordshire, berkshire, buckinghamshire, cambridgeshire, hertfordshire, west kent , belfast, northern ireland. being member of architecture , planning institutes, associate member of institution of civil engineers.

influence in new zealand , australia

in 1914, davidge travelled new zealand , there australia. in both new zealand , australia davidge gave series of public lectures charles reade (1880 - 1933), enthusiast of town planning, promote new planning paradigms. result of tour davidge drew new zealand s first civic improvement scheme, plan taranaki city of new plymouth. davidge s plan not, however, implemented.