R. Frank Atkinson

R. Frank Atkinson.
R. Frank Atkinson in 1912
Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool
Waring & Gillow, Oxford Street, London

Robert Frank Atkinson (1869 – 15 June 1923) was a British architect.

Career

Atkinson was born in Liverpool and began his career as an articled apprentice to John Francis Doyle in the same city. He remained as Doyle's assistant for 6 years after completing his apprenticeship, before opening his own office in Liverpool in 1897, and in London in 1901.[1] At his London office he had as an assistant Robert Atkinson (no known relation) who went on to become a famous architect.[2] He died on 15 June 1923 in Leeds.[1]

Notable works

Atkinson designed the Waring & Gillow department store at 164–182 Oxford Street. It was built in 1905–06 and was made a Grade II listed building in 1973.[3]

In 1907 Atkinson collaborated with the Chicago architect Daniel H. Burnham on the design of the steel-framed Selfridges store in London.[4]

In 1912 six leading architects of the day were chosen to submit designs for Whiteley Village, Surrey, by the trustees of Whiteley Homes. Each architect received £50 for the plans they submitted. The winning architect was Atkinson, who received a prize of £150. Although a number of his original designs were altered because of cost, his distinctive octagonal "spider's web" design for the central portion of the village was retained.[5]

Also in 1912 Atkinson designed the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool for the Midland Railway Company.[4][6] On its opening in 1914 it was described as "the world's most palatial hotel" and is still the city's largest hotel.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 "Robert Frank Atkinson". Dictionary of Scottish Architects.
  2. ↑ "Robert Atkinson". Dictionary of Scottish Architects.
  3. ↑ "164-182, OXFORD STREET W1". Historic England.
  4. 1 2 Curl, James Stevens (2000). "Atkinson, Robert Frank". A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.
  5. ↑ Brown, Alan (1992). The Whiteley Homes Trust. Phillmore & Co. Ltd.
  6. ↑ "Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, 1926". ingenious. National Museum of Science and Industry.
  7. ↑ The Britannia Adelphi Hotel Liverpool: The story of a great undertaking (booklet available from the hotel, undated, but published after 2007)
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