William Ellison Fenwick or Fenwicke

• Birth date            29 May 1862 at Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland
• Christening         18 June 1862 at St Andrew, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland
• Marriage              Oct-Dec 1903 to Gwendoline Lucy Lister at Newcastle
• Death date          7 January 1952
• Burial                 10 Jan 1952 at Jesmond, Northumberland,

William Ellison Fenwick or Fenwicke was born on 29 May 1862 at Newcastle, the son of Henry William Fenwick (1814-1867) and Charlotte Ellison. Nothing is yet known of his education but in 1881 he was in lodgings in Brighton describing himself as a student of architecture on the census return. By 1891 he had returned to Newcastle and by this time was possibly employed by Dunn Hansom and Dunn. The Shields Daily Gazette of 21 February 1891 having reference to “George (sic) Fenwick architect with Messrs Dunn”.

The Fenwicks and Dunns were certainly known to each other. By 1890 William’s brother, Percival Chennell Fenwick, had established himself as a solicitor with an office at the same building as the Dunns - 23 Eldon Square, Newcastle and it was Percival who witnessed the signatures of the partners when Archibald Matthias Dunn retired in 1893. In 1894 William Ellison Dunn entered into partnership with Archibald Manuel Dunn and Hansom under the style “Dunn Hansom and Fenwicke” having added an “e” to his surname. With the death of Edward Joseph Hansom in 1900 and the resignation of Archibald Manuel Dunn in 1903, Fenwicke found himself the only active partner. Fenwicke continued to practice under the style of Dunn, Hansom, and Fenwicke until he took on new partners in 1906, whereupon the firm became Fenwicke, Watson and Curry. Harry Sidney Curry left the partnership in 1908, with the remaining partners, William Ellison Fenwicke and Arthur Edward Watson, continuing the business under the style of "Fenwicke and Watson" until 1921. Subsequently William Ellison Fenwicke worked alone, on occasion reverting to the name of the original partnership of Dunn Hansom and Fenwick. Among his works were the Newcastle Throat and Ear Hospital (1913), Bowes Memorial Church, Barnard Castle and the Church of the Holy Name, Jesmond, Newcastle. His name appeared in the RIBA Kalendar until 1936.

Wiliam Ellison Fenwick died on 7 January 1952 and was interred at Jesmond Cemetery on 10 January.

Address
1906-1920    Pearl Buildings, Northumberland Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
1921-1936    Emerson Chambers, Blackett Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Residence
1901-1902    26 Burdon Terrace, Newcastle

Reference    The Shields Daily Gazette 21 February 1891 page 3
Reference    London Gazette 19 May 1903 page 3182 – resignation of Archibald Manuel Dunn
Reference    London Gazette 8 September 1908 page 6558 resignation of Harry S. Curry
Reference    London Gazette/ Newcastle Daily Chronicle 20 August 1921 page 5