Charles Henry Driver
Charles Henry Driver (1820-1900)
1901 Obituary [1]
CHARLES HENRY DRIVER, Architect and Engineer, late of Victoria Street, Westminster, died on the 27th October, 1900, at the age of 68. He was a man of varied talents, and was a recognised authority on ornamental cast ironwork.
Born on the 23rd March, 1832, Mr. Driver began his career as a draughtsman in the office of the late Mr. Frank Foster, Engineer to the Commissioners of Sewers, London.
From 1852 to 1857, he filled a similar position with Messrs. Liddell and Gordon, under whom he was engaged on designs for bridges and stations on the Leicester and Hitchin Railway.
He was next, from 1860 to 1863, a draughtsman in the Engineer's Office of the London and Brighton Railway, under Mr. R. Jacomb-Hood.
From 1864 to 1866, he assisted the late Sir Joseph Bazalgette, Past-President, in preparing designs for the masonry of the landing stages and the ornamental masonry of the Thames Embankment, and for the Pumping-stations at Abbey Mills and Crossness.
Between 1869 and 1873, he designed and carried out the Aquarium, Orangery, and repairs to the Water Towers for the Crystal Palace Company.
From 1873 to 1892, he assisted the late Sir James Brunlees, Past- President, and Mr. McKerrow in preparing designs for King's Lynn Bridge, Clifton and other stations, and Llandudno, Nice and Southend Piers.
From 1882 to 1894, he assisted Sir Douglas Fox, Past-President, and Mr. Francis Fox in preparing designs for Preston Station on the West Lancashire Railway, and for Southport and other stations on the Cheshire lines extension; between 1868 and 1870, he assisted Mr. Edward Woods, Past-President, in preparing designs for Santiago Market, and stations on the Boca and Ensenada Railway; and from 1894 to 1895, he assisted Mr. A. C. Pain in preparing designs for stations on the Tottenham and Forest Gate Railway.
Amongst other things, he designed for the late Mr. R. P. Birch the West Pier Pavilion at Brighton, and during the past three years acted as Architect for the stations (including the Main Central Station) on the Sao Paulo Railway, under the direction of the Consulting Engineers to the Company, Messrs. D. M. Fox and A. Mckerrow, and Mr. James Pforde, M. Inst. C.E., the Engineer-in-Chief.
Amongst some of Mr. Driver’s architectural work may be mentioned the Town Hall, Waterworks, Union and many large shops and private residences at Dorking, Banbury Hospital, the late Sir Tatton Sykes and Ellesmere Memorials, and the Mark Masons’ Hall in Great Queen Street. Mr. Driver was first an Associate and subsequently Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
He was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 6th March, 1900.