Walter Liberty Vernon

Colonel Walter Liberty Vernon, (11 August 1846 – 17 January 1914) was an English architect who migrated to Australia and pursued his career as an architect in Sydney, New South Wales. In his role as the New South Wales Government Architect he is noted for designing multiple government buildings, many of which are extant with listings on national and state heritage registers.

Early life Vernon was born 11 August 1846 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, the son of a banker's clerk, Robert Vernon and Margaret Liberty. He was articled in 1862 to a London architect, W. G. Habershon, and studied at the Royal Academy of Arts and South Kensington School of Art. After completing his studies, he pursued a practice as an architect in London and married Margaret Anne Jones in 1870 at Newport, Wales. His London practice was successful, but he suffered from bronchial asthma and received medical advice to leave England. He migrated to Australia and arrived in Sydney in November 1883.

Career in Australia Vernon established a private practice in Sydney, and then partnered with William Wardell from 1884 until 1889. Vernon assisted with works already in progress, designed buildings and supervised Wardell's Melbourne projects in 1884–85. Vernon was an alderman on East St Leonards Municipal Council in 1885–90, serving a single term as Mayor from 1887 to 1888. When the Borough of East St Leonards amalgamated to form the Municipality of North Sydney on 29 July 1890, Vernon was an Alderman of the new council, but did not seek re-election when his term expired in February 1891. Elected a fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1885, he joined the (Royal) Art Society of New South Wales in 1884, (Sir) John Sulman's Palladian Club and the Institute of Architects of New South Wales in 1887, and the Sydney Architectural Association in 1891.

On 1 August 1890, Vernon was appointed as the New South Wales Government Architect, however his staff numbers were reduced significantly. Vernon showed that the system of design competitions were twice as expensive and the activities of this office were boosted in 1894 when extra funding was committed as a way of creating relief work during the Depression of the 1890s.

As an architect practising in Australia, Vernon favoured what were later known as the Federation styles, such as the Free Classical, Arts and Crafts, and Free Style.

Examples of the former were his fire station in St Johns Road, Glebe, Jenolan Caves House in the Blue Mountains and the Public School, Military Road, Mosman. Examples of the latter were his fire stations in The Avenue, Randwick; Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst; and Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont. Another example of Federation Free Style is the former police station, Taylor Square, Darlinghurst. In a stylistic departure, he designed the (former) police station in Bourke Street, Surry Hills, in the Romanesque style.

For more substantial public buildings, Vernon continued the tradition whereby such buildings were designed in a Classical style. Notable examples were the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Mitchell Library (part of the State Library), Central railway station and Newcastle Court House. The Art Gallery has been described as "masterly symmetry featuring Ionic colonnades." Central Station has been described as "the grandest railway station in Australia."

Vernon also designed significant additions to existing buildings, such as Customs House in Circular Quay; Randwick Police Station; the Chief Secretary's Building, Sydney; Balranald Post Office; Armidale Post Office; and the former Premier's Office, Sydney. His office was also responsible for the public decorations during the Federation celebrations of 1901.

in 1906, he advocated Mahkoolma, near the future site of Lake Burrinjuck, as the site of Australia's new national capital.

He retired as New South Wales Government Architect in 1911 and returned to private practice, establishing a partnership with Howard Joseland. The latter, also born in England, was a practitioner of the Federation Arts and Crafts and Federation Bungalow styles. One of the buildings designed by Vernon and Joseland was the Paterson Reid and Bruce building, York Street, Sydney. In 1911, Vernon judged the competition entries for Parliament House in Wellington, New Zealand, after the original buildings were destroyed in a 1907 fire.

Death and funeral Following the amputation of a leg, Vernon died of septicaemia and gangrene on 17 January 1914 in Darlinghurst and his "impressive funeral" at St James' Church, Sydney on 19 January was attended by "a large and representative gathering of mourners". He is buried in the Anglican section of the Gore Hill Cemetery.

Legacy Vernon had an outstanding career as an architect, with many of his buildings being listed on various national and/or state heritage registers. He is known as a key practitioner of various Federation styles. The Vernon lectures in town planning, instituted at the University of Sydney in 1916, were endowed in his honour. Vernon Circle in Canberra is named in his honour, as is the Vernon Pavilion in Sydney's Centennial Park.

Partial list of works The following buildings and structures were designed either in part or in full by Vernon, that are listed on active Commonwealth or State heritage registers include:

Work Suburb/city Type Style Completed Involvement Image Heritage registers Notes Admiralty House Kirribilli Government residence Victorian Italianate 1891–92 Italianate enlargements Annandale Post Office Post office Federation Free Classical 1896 Architect Armidale Post Office Post office Federation Queen Anne 1897 Loggia only Art Gallery of New South Wales The Domain, Sydney Art gallery Federation Academic Classical 1895–1906 ASN Co building 1–5 Hickson Road, The Rocks Warehouse Pre-Federation Anglo Dutch 1884–1885 Australian Museum College Street, Sydney Natural history museum 1896–1899 South wings Banco Road Court St James Road, Sydney Court house Federation Free Classical 1895–1896 Architect Bloomfield Hospital Hospital 1923–1931 Initial design only NSW Register Broken Hill Post Office Broken Hill Post office Federation Arts and Crafts 1890–1892 Alterations and additions Brooklyn Hotel(Façade preserved as the Johnson's Building) 229 George Street, The Rocks Public hotel Free Federation Style 1912-1912 Architect Burwood Post Office (former) Post office Federation Anglo Dutch Revival 1892 Architect Casino Post Office Post office 1879 Alterations and additions Central Local Court House 98 Liverpool Street, Sydney Court house(and former police station) Federation Free Classical 1892 Central railway station Railway Square Terminus railway station 1901–1906 Colonial Secretary's building 121 Macquarie Street, Sydney Government administration Victorian Second Empire 1894–1896 Coroner's Court (former) 102–104 George Street, The Rocks Coroner's Court and morgue Federation Free Style 1906–1908 Architect Kitchen block, Cumberland Hospital andParramatta Female Factory (former) Parramatta/ Hospital 1892–1893 Alterations and additions Customs House Alfred Street, Sydney Customs house 1896–1903 Alterations and additions David Berry Hospital Precinct Hospital 1909 NSW Register Glen Innes Post Office Post office Federation Arts and Crafts 1895–1896 Architect Health Department Building (former) 93–97 Macquarie Street, Sydney Government administration(now a hotel) Federation Free Style 1896–1898 Architect Hestock 14 Crescent Street, Hunters Hill House Federation Arts & Crafts 1885 Architect Inverell Post Office Post office Federation Arts and Crafts 1904 Architect Leura(now part of Cranbrook School, Sydney) 24 Victoria Road, House Federation Queen Anne 1891 NSW Register Lidcombe Hospital Precinct Lidcombe Hospital 1885–1906 Liverpool TAFE College(former Liverpool Hospital, Block F) Teacher's college 1902–1907 Alterations and additions Long Bay Correctional Centre Gaol 1899–1914 Architect NSW Register Maitland Court House Court house Federation Free Classical 1895 Architect Millers Point Post Office Post office Federation Free Classical 1891 Architect Mining Museum (former) 36–64 George Street, The Rocks Museum Federation Warehouse 1902–1909 Architect NSW Register Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW Sydney Library Federation Academic Classical 1906–1910 Architect Mudgee Post Office Mudgee Post office Victorian Free Classical 1902 Alterations and additions Newcastle Court House Court house Victorian Italianate 1902 Alterations and additions Newcastle Customs House Newcastle Customs house Italian Renaissance Revival 1899 Alterations and additions Newcastle Post Office Newcastle Post office Federation Academic Classical 1900–1903 Architect Paddington Post Office Post office Alterations and additions Parkes Post Office Post office 1901–1903 Alterations and additions Pyrmont Post Office Post office Federation Free Style 1901 Architect Randwick Post Office (former)and Jubilee Fountain Post office Federation Free Style 1897–1898 Architect Registrar-General's Building Prince Albert Road, Sydney Government administration Federation Gothic 1908–1913 Principal architect Royal Botanic GardensHerbarium and Shelter House The Domain Herbarium and cottage 1899 Royal Edward Victualling Yard Group Darling Island, Pyrmont Naval warehouse andordinance stores (former) Federation Warehouse 1904–1912 Architect Shop and Residence 182 Cumberland Street, The Rocks Shop and residence Classic Free Style Edwardian 1911–1912 Architect NSW Register Silverwater Correctional Complex,Erwin House and Engineer's Cottage Gaol 1911–1918 Alterations and additions NSW Register Singleton Post Office (former) Former post office 1899 Alterations and additions State Abattoir, Administration BuildingsHomebush Bay / Sydney Olympic ParkFormer offices1915Architect (assisted by Principal Assistant Architect George McRae) Treasury Building (former)now part of the InterContinental Hotel 117–119 Macquarie Street, Sydney Government administration 1898–1900

Other places where Vernon had involvement, either in part or in full, that are not listed on active Commonwealth or State heritage registers include: the Anderson Stuart building, The University of Sydney the former Balranald Post Office (since demolished) Bowral Court House the former Braidwood Courthouse Charles Sturt University, Original Farm and Farm School Buildings, Bathurst Cootamundra Court House Condobolin Court House Cowra Court House Crows Nest Fire Station Darlinghurst Fire Station Darlinghurst Police Station (former) Dubbo Lands Board Office Forbes Lands Board Office Hay Court House Hay Lands Board Office Hunters Hill Post Office Kogarah Post Office (former) Lismore Post Office Narrandera Court House Newtown Post Office Orange Lands Board Office Parkes Court House Pyrmont Fire Station Randwick Police Station Redfern Court House Sargood & Co Warehouse (former) Summer Hill Post Office (former) Surry Hills Police Station (former) Wagga Wagga Court House Western Sydney University Stable Square, Richmond Wyalong Court House

Gallery

Walter Liberty Vernon

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