Edward Guy Dawber [commonly known as E. Guy Dawber; also known as Sir Edward Guy Dawber] was born in King's Lynn, Norfolk, England, on 3 August 1861 and was articled to William Adams (1806-1885) of William Adams & Son in King's Lynn for four years. He worked in the office of Thomas Newnham Deane (1828-1899) in Dublin until 1882; and in the office of Sir Ernest George (1839-1922) and Harold Ainsworth Peto (1854-1933) until January 1889. He also attended the Royal Academy Schools. in London He qualified as an architect in 1889 and was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) later that year. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1903.
Dawber commenced independent practice in Bourton-on-the Hill, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire in c.1890. He relocated his practice to London in 1891. From 1897 to 1900 he was in partnership with Francis Albert Whitwell (1871-1943) as E.Guy Dawber & Whitwell. Shortly before World War, Dawber formed a partnership with Noel Waugh Hadwen (1886-1916) who was killed in the Battle of the Somme. In the early 1920s, Dawber was in partnership with John Oliver Brook Hitch (1887-1953), and from 1930 until his death he was in partnership with Albert Robert Fox (1892-1976).
Dawber wrote extensively on vernacular architecture and furniture. He was awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 1928. In 1927 he was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) in 1927, and a Royal Academician (RA) in 1935. From 1904 to 1906 he was President of the Architectural Association and from 1925 to 1927 he was President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (PRIBA). He was also President of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England. Dawber was knighted for his services to architecture in 1936. He died in London on 24 April 1938.
Spring Hill House, Snowshill, Gloucestershire (1890); Itton Court, Chepstow, Monmouthshire (1892, 1914-19); 13-14 Streatham Common North, south London (1893); Hartpury House, Ashleworth, Gloucestershire (1895); Boys School, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire (1896); St John the Baptist Chapel, Matlock Dale, Derbyshire (1897); The Court, Broadway, Worcestershire (1898); Middle Hill, Broadway, Worcestershire (1898); The White House, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire (1898); The Post Office, Broadway, Worcestershire (1899); Donnington Hurst, Newbury, Berkshire (1899); The Green, Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk (1900); Purton Manor, Wiltshire (1900); Pittern Hill House, Kineton, Warwickshire (1902); Westhope Manor, Diddlebury, Shropshire (1902); Tattenham Lodge, Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey (1902); Stanstead House, Caterham, Surrey (1902); Juniper Hill, Lower Kingswood, Surrey (1903); Nether Swell Manor, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire (1904, extended 1909); Bibsworth, Broadway, Worcestershire (1904); Cottages, Broadway, Worcestershire (1904); Cottages, Hidcote, Gloucestershire (1904); Upton Wold Farmhouse, Blockley, Gloucestershire (1904); Coldicote, Evenlode, Gloucestershire (1904); Park Down, Banstead, Surrey (1904); The Rectory, Great Warley, Essex (1904); Village club, inn and cottages, Sandon, Staffordshire (1904-06); Wynnes Parc, Denbigh, North Wales (1905); Soloms Court, Banstead, Surrey (1905); Hendford, Howell Hill, Surrey (1906); Deanscroft, Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey (1907); 59-60 Pall Mall, London (1907); Maes Heulyn, Denbigh, North Wales (1907); Conkwell Grange, Limpley Stoke, Wiltshire (1907); Caldy Manor, Cheshire (1907); Hampstead Garden Suburb, London: 6 Linnell Drive, 5-6 Ruskin Close, 36 Hampstead Way, 38-48 Temple Fortune Way (1907-10); 46 Hollycroft Avenue, Hampstead, London (1907); Copseham House, Oxshott, Surrey (1908); Village club, Aston-sub-Edge, Gloucestershire (1908); Wiverton Hall, Cley-next-the Sea, Norfolk (1908); Heath Lodge, Headley, Surrey (1909); Tuesley Court, Godalming, Surrey (1909); Eyford Park, Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire (1911); Dawber House, Long Wittenham, Oxfordshire (1911); Burdocks, Fairford, Oxfordshire (1911); Millfield, Tadworth, Surrey (1911); Church Hall, New Brighton, Cheshire (1912); Hamptworth Lodge, Wiltshire (1913); Bowling Green House, Milborne Port, Somerset (1914); Armscote Manor, Ettington, Warwickshire (1914); Lord Wandsworth Institute, Long Sutton, Hampshire (1915-1928); Wormington Grange, Wormington, Gloucestershire (1920); Nether Swell estate cottages, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire (1920); War memorials in Northiam, East Sussex; Moreton-in-Marsh, Batsford and Aston-sub-Edge, Gloucestershire; Long Wittenham and Wallingford, Oxfordshire (1920); War Memorial Chapel, Ely Cathedral (1921); White Shoots, Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire (1922); Cottages at Farncombe, Broadway, Worcestershire (1922); Eastgate House, Rochester, Kent (1922); House, Addington Park, Surrey (1922); Stowell Hill, Templecombe, Somerset (1923); Eyewell House, Queen Camel, Somerset (1923); Ashley Chase House, Abbotsbury, Dorset (1924); Memorial Chapel, Kirkby Malham Church, Yorkshire (1924); Foord Almhouses, Rochester, Kent (1925-35); Reptile House and Main Entrance, London Zoo (1926-28); Berry Leas House, Elton, Huntingdonshire (1929); The Homestall, East Grinstead, Sussex (1933); and Dudwick House, Buxton Lamas, Norfolk (1938)
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We would like to thank Alan Calder for invaluable contributions to this entry on Edward Guy Dawber.