Charles Henry Driver

• Born      23 March 1832
• Died       27 October 1900
• Burial     West Norwood Cemetery,

 Although he carried out a number of purely architectural schemes such as Dorking Town Hall, Charles Henry Driver was very much an engineer’s architect, providing the decorative elements to a considerable number of otherwise utilitarian projects.

Born on the 23rd March, 1832, Charles Henry was the son of Frederick Driver, a clerk in an insurance office, and his wife Frances. Her began his career as a draughtsman in the office of 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 engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette, on perhaps his best-known work, the Embankment, Westminster, London. Working on the massive construction of the London sewerage system, Driver completed the architectural design for the for the masonry of the landing stages and the ornamental masonry of the Thames Embankment and the cast-iron street furniture. In addition, he and provided designs the pumping houses at Abbey Mills and Crossness, - decorative temples to Victorian engineering and steam power. 

Between 1869 and 1873, he designed and carried out the Aquarium, Orangery, and repairs to the Water Towers for the Crystal Palace Company. Based on the success of the Crystal Palace aquarium, Driver won a contract in 1872 with the Council of the Vienna Exhibition for a permanent aquarium in Vienna. 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 (sic) 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 Fforde, M Inst C E, the Engineer-in-Chief. 

His architectural work included the Town Hall, Waterworks, Union and many large shops and private residences at Dorking, Banbury Hospital, the late Sir Tatton Sykes Memorial and the Ellesmere Memorial at Worsley; and the Mark Masons’ Hall in Great Queen Street. He was first an Associate and subsequently Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. . He was a man of varied talents and was a recognised authority on ornamental cast ironwork. In the course of his career he was variously in partnership with Josiah Webber and later with Charles Henry Rew. 

Charles Henry Driver died on the 27th October, 1900, at the age of 68.  The Times noted: Mr Stanley Barratt has entered into partnership with Mr Charles Henry Driver in order to carry on, in conjunction with his own, the practice of the late Charles H Driver FRIBA AICE. The style of the firm will be Barratt and Driver and the address will be 53 Bloomfield Road, Maida Vale. [The Times 5 January 1901 page 11]

Address
1858-1860    Driver & Webber Seymour Chamber, York Buildings, Adelphi London
1877        Driver and Rew, 5, Victoria Street, Westminster
1890-1896    Abbey Buildings 12 Victoria Street
1897        14 Victoria Street

Residence
1851    West Square Southwark
1871    Long Ditton, Surrey
1881-1897    9 Goulden Road Wandsworth
1900    72 Jeffrey’s Road Clapham (probate)