William Watkins (1834–1926) was an architect who worked in Lincoln, England, and is particularly noted for his Terracotta Revival Architecture.
Career Watkins was articled to the Worcester architect Henry Day between 1854 and 1859, and he then worked as principal assistant to the Lincoln architect Henry Goddard between 1860 and 1864. He set up his own practice at 200 High Street, Lincoln White's Lincolnshire Directory 1872, pp.80&83 in 1864 and was living at Leyland House Lincoln in 1881. Between 1877 and 1883 he was in partnership with William Scorer (architect). Watkins and Scorer were to move their practice around 1871 to St Edmond's Chambers, on the corner of Bank Street with Silver Street, a building that was designed by William Scorer. Two of Watkin's sons, William Gregory Watkins and Henry (or Harry) Garnham Watkins also became architects. William Gregory (1869-1859) was articled to his father and became a partner with his father in 1897. Harry Garnham Watkins (1870/71-1956), joined the practice of Albert Nelson Bromley, formed the partnership of Bromley and Watkins from 1912 to 1928, and was to become a leading architect in Nottinghamshire."Brodie" Vol. 2, pg. 242-3 Frank Peck (1863-1931) was articled to Watkins and Scorer between 1879 and 1883 before working in the office of Sir Aston Webb,"Brodie" Vol. 2, pg. 928 He was the architect for the Petwood Hotel in Woodhall Spa and Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson in New Zealand. A Lincoln architect Fred Baker was articled to Watkins from 1891-1895. William Watkins retired from the practice in 1918, and it was continued by his son William Gregory Watkins until 1934, when Bob Coombes (1900-1968) became a partner. The practice had moved to Heslam Chambers, 191 High Street, Lincoln by 1959. The practice later moved to 4 Burton Road Lincoln (now the Bronze Pig restaurant), and it ceased operating about 1990.
Watkins became a member of the City Council in 1877, served as Mayor of Lincoln in 1888-89, and became a Justice of the Peace in 1901.
Watkins' Architectural Practice William Watkins 1864-1881 Watkins and Scorer 1877-1883 Watkins and Son (W.G Watkins) Watkins and Coombes (1934–1948) Watkins, Coombes & Barrell 1948-1951 Watkins, Coombes & Partners 1951-
Works include
Public buildings It is suggested by Antram that the Lincoln Drill Hall was by Watkins"Antram", (1989), 521. The attribution is incorrect – the architect was Henry Goddard.
Royal Albert Orphanage, Henwick, Worcester. 1868. The building cost £5,000 and the contract was won by Watkins in open competition."Scorer" (1990), 38. Funds were raised for the construction of permanent premises for the institution, with a donation of £4,000 being received from local MP Alderman Richard Padmore, and legacy of £1,000 in 1866 from Mr Edward Wheeler. A site was obtained on Henwick Road, Worcester, and a competition held for designs for the new building. The plans put forward by William Watkins and Samuel Dutton Walker were chosen. Infirmary, Kidderminster.(1869) Plans submitted by Watkins were the winning entry for the Infirmary. The Builder 1871 Grantham Guildhall, Grantham. 1867–1869. This is an early work by Watkins in an Italianate/ Jacobethan Revival style with stone dressing and florid Corinthian columns surmounted by a clock tower giving a heavy and ungainly appearance."Antram", (1989), 322. The Guildhall, as originally designed, was made up of three separate buildings – the main building, which housed a ballroom and courtroom (or session's hall); a governor's residence and a gaol for up to 18 men and women on two floors. The work was carried out Mr Wartnaby, of Little Gonerby, for £7,260. In 1991 it was redesigned by the Sleaford architect Tim Benton and re-opened as the council owned Guildhall Arts Centre at a cost of £1.2 million.Guildhall Arts Centre
Doncaster Corn Exchange. The impressive facade and arched Exchange buildings were built to the designs of Watkins of Lincoln, who won an architectural competition in 1870. It is set within an earlier U-shaped Market Hall structure of 1847-1849 by J Butterfield, the architect to Doncaster Corporation. The Corn Market, Market Hall and Fish Markets were further extended in 1930 and the overall complex is Grade II listed.Sheardown W (1979) The Marts and Markets at Doncaster, their rise, progress, sources and supply. The Corn Exchange has advanced central and side bays with projecting stonework to corners, acting as plinths for clasping) corner pilasters and adjacent engaged red sandstone columns to first floor. The balustrade to front has a plinth inscribed Wm Cotterill Clark Mayor 1873. The interior of the corn exchange is very elaborate with a gallery supported on a round arched arcade with alternating plain and panelled pilasters between the arches. Galleries to sides have paired iron columns with foliate capitals supported by round arches of pierced ironwork with sumptuous decoration to the spandrels. Roof with iron arched trusses with decorative bracing, with a large central ridge light supported on foliate trusses.British Listed Buildings General Dispensary, Silver Street, Lincoln. 1879. By Watkins and Scorer. (This was on the south side of Silver Street and was demolished about 1963.)"Scorer" (1990), 40.
Outpatients at Lincoln County Hospital, Sewell Road, Lincoln. 1891."Antram", (1989), 510. Masonic Hall and Concert Room, Newland, Lincoln (1871). Originally built for the Masonic Hall Company. This was not a successful venture and the project became insolvent around 1888.DiXon J (1894) Freemasonry in Lincolnshire, pg. 178. William Watkins was a member of the Witham Lodge of Freemasons in Lincoln. Gothic revival style. Later Palace Theatre and then Plaza Cinema. It was demolished as a result of a fire in the 2nd World War.Yeates-Langley A.(1997), Lincoln: A Pictorial History, Phillimore, Pl.111 Constitutional Club, on corner of Broadgate with Silver Street, Lincoln 1895. With a domed circular vestibule at the corner and enriched with terracotta work presumably from Ruabon."Antram", (1989), 521. County Assembly Rooms, Bailgate, Lincoln. 1914. Watkins added a new facade to this building with a Venetian window set in the gable above the entrance. The building contains a fine interior dating from 1745"Antram", (1989), 516. Lincoln Municipal Technical School (1908) Monks Roads. Brick with stone dressing."Scorer" (1990), 20-21. Now demolished.
Banks
Peacock and Willson's Bank, 1900-1, High Street Lincoln. 1897. (Now Jack Wills). This building is an important example of Flemish Gothic Revival style and is probably Watkins finest work. Watkins provided the drawings used to fashion the elaborate terracotta mouldings which were provided by Doulton and Company, probably from their production plant at Rowley Regis in the West Midlands. It was restored to its original appearances at street level in 1992."Stratton" (1993), 230"Antram", (1989), 524.British Listed Buildings HSBC, High Street Lincoln, 1893. Formerly the Lincoln and Lindsey Bank, later Midland Bank, The earlier building was occupied by Hepworths the clothiers. Watkins left the upper part of the building untouched, but the exterior walls and the ground and first floors were removed and the stone facade and strongrooms were inserted. The new banking hall has an impressive ceiling with Elizabethan style strap-work decoration and the coats of arms of the Lincolnshire Boroughs. The building was extended between 1923 and 1926."Scorer" (1990), 41. Sleaford. The Midland Bank (now HSBC) was built in 1903, designed by William Watkins and Son, in a stone faced Jacobethan/Renaissance Revival style with shaped gables and oriel windows. The ground floor entrance at the corner of Westgate with Southgate Street has a heavily moulded entrance with a corner tower above and the ground floor windows are set between columns."Antram", (1989), 655. Lloyd's Bank, Northgate, Sleaford 1905. Baroque revival."Antram", (1989), 656. Formerly Peacock Willson & Co Bank which was established in 1792 in a house built in 1702 for Robert Alvey. Watkins and Son extended this building in a matching architectural style to the north of the original building which is adjacent to the Sleaford Sessions house. The new building was technically advanced, heated with low pressure hot water with electric lighting throughout. The 9 foot diameter glass dome in the centre of the banking chamber was fitted with a patent air extractor."Scorer" (1990), 46
The HSBC Bank, Lincoln, Gallery: work by Watkins
Shops
42 Silver Street, Lincoln. 1873. Originally built as a warehouse by William Watkins for Mr J HarrisonSurvey of Lincoln, City Building Applications no. 413- 04/03/1873 and in 1896 was Lincoln Working Man's Conservative Club.White's Directory,1896, pg 356 An example of Romanesque Revival Architecture in the Florentine style, but it shares many similarities with Bristol Byzantine architecture. Brick with stone dressings. Three storeys. Quoins, bracketed string courses, wavy corbel table, billeted frieze, pierced, balustrade, ringed wall shafts."Antram" (1989) pg.521
365-7 High Street, Lincoln. On the corner of Portland Street with the High Street and dated 1874.Lincoln County Record Office: Lincoln City Building Applications, No. 529, 05/05/1874 Originally built for Messrs. Usher and Axtell. Three brick buildings with stone dressings, with shaped or Dutch Gables facing the High Street, and a larger and smaller gable facing onto Portland Street. The High Street gables have been offset to emphasise the individuality of the buildings. At the time the style would be described as ‘‘Elizabethan’’, but to-day as Jacobethan.
37 Silver Street, Lincoln. Brick with terracotta embellished corner pilasters. Prominent Dutch gable on the street frontage with gables also on the sides. Full width glazed balcony display window. Frontage altered for R. C. CarlineLincoln City Building application no1908 16/05/1889
305/6 High Street, Lincoln. 1900, designed for Hewitt Brown & Co. (Now Fat Face). Brick with terracotta dressings-terracotta dressings were made by the Hathern Station Brick Co. of Loughborough. Flemish Renaissance Revival style. Giant pilasters, those at the angles with domed finials, enriched moulded cornice and coped gable. 4 storeys plus attics, 3 bays. Windows have terracotta mullions and transoms. Fascia with a full-width glazed panel above it. Above, window flanked by single bow windows, and above that a gable has a 4-light ogee-headed window with a blind arcade and a latticed round-headed opening in the gable peak, flanked by pilasters with domed finials. 216 High Street Lincoln. 1902. Shop for C. J. Fox and Co. This has been demolished and is now the site of Primark.
Restoration work
Greyfriars, Free School Lane (formerly the City and County Museum). Watkins converted the undercroft of the Franciscan Friary into a museum in 1909."Antram", (1989), 508. The High Bridge, Lincoln. The 16th-century jettied timber framed shops on the bridge were partly dismantled and re-erected by Watkins in 1900–01."Antram", (1989), 523.
Churches
St. Mark, High Street Lincoln 1871–72. Large church in 13th. century style without aisles and with lancet windows and tracery. Slender north tower with spire."Pevsner" & "Harris" (1964), 143-4. St Botolph, High Street, Lincoln. Nave and north aisle 1861, by Henry Goddard. The chancel was rebuilt in 1878, and the south aisle and south chapel added 1884 by William Watkins. Dressed stone and ashlar with slate roof.British Listed BUildings All Saints Sixhills, Lincolnshire. Partial rebuilding and restoration of church for Edward Heneage. Lincolnshire Chronicle - Friday 07 August 1868 pg 1, Pevsner states that this work was by James Fowler of Louth,"Antram", (1989),663. but this appears to be incorrect. St Mary-le-Wigford, Lincoln. Restoration of the tower in 1908"Antram", (1989),498.