Gerald Sanville

• Born      19 August 188
• Died       4 May 1966

Gerald Sanville was born Gerald Sanville Salomons the second son of the Manchester architect Edward Salomons and his second wife, Gertrude Bruce Roberts. However, within a few months of his father’s death in 1906, the family changed their names to Sanville. "I have now changed my name of Salomons; so my proper name is now Gerald Sanville, and not Gerald Sanville Salomons”  [Building News 21 September 1906 Page 399]

He was educated at Bedford Grammar School and Manchester School of Art and Technical Schools, receiving a Hon mention in the RIBA Measured Drawings Competition of 1904. Supposedly he was articled to his father, Edward Salomons (who by this stage was in semi-retirement) and remained as assistant to Salomons and Steinthal before commencing independent practice in 1908.  During the First Wold War he served in the Royal Engineers and on 10 August 1918 at Christ Church Clifton, Gerald Sanville, Second Lieutenant R E of Manchester married Mary, the only daughter of Mr and Mrs F Richardson, 15 Percival Road Clifton.  Gerald Sanville appears to have entered into formal partnership with Frank Page Oakley in 1920, with offices at 60 King Street, Manchester, although both men had previously occupied separate offices in Howarth’s Buildings on Cross Street. Frank Page Oakley retired from the practice during the 1930s. However, his connections with the Manchester diocese would endure until the 1960s. (Vicarage St Andrew Dearnley (1963-1967)

Gerald Sanville was an enthusiastic amateur photographer even before the First World War and travelled the country by train and on bicycle to record buildings of interest. During the Second World War he was employed by the Ministry of Works to photograph historic buildings in Cheshire, during which time he also started providing images to the National Buildings Record. In the later stages of his career he worked for the Council for the Care of Churches.

About 1960 John Brian Blayney joined him in partnership under the style Oakley Sanville and Blayney, still with offices on the top floor of 60 King Street. Now in his eighties Gerald Sanville worked part-time continuing to carry out church inspections, including crawling in the roof space to inspect the roof timbers.  His remained the most immaculate of survey notes.

Gerald Sanville died on 4 May 1966 at Bel-Air Nursing Home Alderley Edge Cheshire, survived by his widow, Mary.

Address
1904    G S Salomons Prudential Chambers 78 King Street Manchester
1911    G Sanville 89 Howarth's Buildings, Cross Street. (Slater's Directory)
1913    G Sanville 89 Howarth's Buildings, Cross Street. (Slater's Directory)
1916    G Sanville 89 Howarth's Buildings, Cross Street . (Slater's Directory)
1916    G Sanville ARIBA FMSA.89 Howarth's Buildings, Cross Street. (Slater's Directory)

1919    G Sanville 60 King Street, Manchester (RIBA Kalendar)
1923    G Sanville ARIBA. Oakley & Sanville 60 King Street Manchester (Slater's Directory)
1926    G Sanville ARIBA. 60 King Street Manchester. Tel CEN 4916 (Who’s Who in Arch 1926)
1938    G Sanville FRIBA. Oakley & Sanville 60 King Street Manchester (Slater's Directory)
1963    G Sanville FRIBA. Oakley Sanville & Blayney. 60 King Street Manchester

Residence
1952    Brow Cottage Bollin Hill Wilmslow Cheshire