Charles Henry Holden
Main details
| Reference number | 1999/27150 |
|---|---|
| Name | Charles Henry Holden |
| Collection | |
| Object type |
|
| Completeness | 35% |
-
Biography
Attribute Value Biography Charles Henry Holden was born in Bolton, Lancashire on 12 May 1875, the youngest child of Joseph and Ellen Holden. His father had an engineering background, being a trained fitter and turner, but for many years ran a number of drapery and millinery stores. In 1883, two tragic events occurred - Joseph Holden was declared bankrupt after a failed business venture, and Ellen Holden died following a fall. The family moved to the nearby town of St Helens, where Joseph resumed work as a fitter and turner, and later remarried.
Charles Holden was educated locally; upon leaving school at the age of 13, he first worked as a railway clerk and later in the laboratory of a chemical works. He also attended evening classes in mechanical drawing at the St Helens YMCA, where he won a prize; such drawing particularly attracted him because it had a function and purpose.
Holden then returned to Bolton, where he helped prepare house plans for local builders on behalf of his brother-in-law, David Frederick Green, who was primarily a surveyor. Green was impressed by Holden's work, and suggested that he receive formal architectural training. Accordingly, in April 1892, Holden was articled to Manchester architect Everard W Leeson.
During his period of articles, he attended evening classes firstly at the Manchester Municipal School of Art (where he received an 'excellent' grade in architecture), and then at Manchester Technical School, where he achieved first class honours in Building Construction and Brickwork and Masonry - he also supplemented his income by assisting the instructor in the former subject. He achieved considerable success in design competitions organised by 'The Building News'.
In May 1896, Holden completed his articles and returned to Bolton to work for Jonathan Simpson. In the following year, however, he moved to London to become assistant to C R Ashbee, a leading Arts and Crafts designer. There are conflicting accounts as to Holden's attitude towards Ashbee's rather aesthetic approach to architecture, but, in any event, in October 1899, he left Ashbee to become Chief Assistant to H Percy Adams, who specialised in hospital design. Holden quickly established himself with his designs for the King Edward VII Sanatorium at Midhurst in Sussex (1903), and the Bristol Central Reference Library (1903-06), where, for the first time, he collaborated closely with other artists, such as sculptors; from this time dated his belief that architecture and the other arts were complementary. He became a partner in the firm in 1907, and in the years before World War 1 (WW1), he designed a new headquarters building for the British Medical Association (BMA) in The Strand, where the figures carved by Jacob Epstein on the exterior caused immense controversy, and Norwich House, a five-storey office block in Southampton Place.
Holden continued working in London during WW1, until in September 1917 he went to France as a lieutenant in the Directorate of Graves Registration and Enquiries (DGR&E), whose task was to mark and register the graves of soldiers killed in battle. A year later, he was appointed a major in the Imperial War Graves Commission (IWGC); he became one of the four Principal Architects to the IWGC in 1920, and over the next eight years helped design many war cemeteries in France and Belgium.
In 1915, Holden met Frank Pick, then Commercial Manager of the UERL, at the inaugural meeting of the Design and Industries Association (DIA) and afterwards they kept in touch through their involvement in the organisation. Pick was determined to raise the overall design standards of the Underground Group, including the stations, which he believed should have to pass a 'fitness for purpose' test, ie they had to be well-designed, friendly and easy to use. Holden agreed very much with Pick on both practical and aesthetic issues, and was the architect Pick chose to implement his plans.
In 1922, Holden received his first commission from Pick when he was asked to redesign a side entrance at Westminster station.Employment Helped prepare house plans for David Frederick Green, Pre April 1892Articled to Everard W Leeson, April 1892 - May 1896Worked for Jonathan Simpson, May 1896 - 1897Assistant to C R Ashbee, 1897 - October 1899Chief Assistant, H Percy Adams, October 1899 - 1907Partner in Adams Holden & Pearson, Architects, 1907 - 1960Role Staff,