Walter Aubrey Thomas was born in Tranmere, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England on 14 December 1863 [1] and was baptised at St. Nicholas Church, Liverpool on 12 July 1864. His father, Thomas Glegge Thomas (1829-1881) was an architect. He was articled to James Francis Doyle (1840-1913) in Liverpool and subsequently established an architectural practice in Liverpool. [2].
His address was given as New Hall, Thornton Hough, Cheshire in 1891; and Parkgate, Neston, Cheshire in 1901
Thomas retired in 1933 and died in Wirral, Cheshire on 13 September 1934
A biographical file available on request from the Enquiry Desk, Royal Institute of British Architects Library, London.
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[1] His year of birth is often given as 1859 or as 1864, however, the Church of England [record of] Births and Baptisms [for] Liverpool 1860-1869 clearly gives his date of birth as 14 December 1863
[2] It is usually stated that Thomas commenced practice in c.1876 but this is unlikely as he would only have been about 13. It is more likely that he established his practice in the mid to late 1880s.
Notable buildings designed by Walter Aubrey Thomas included the Philharmonic Hotel, Hope Street, Liverpool (1892); New Zealand House at 18 Walter Street, Liverpool (c.1893); extension to Philharmonic Hotel, Hope Street, Liverpool (1898); Lord Street Arcade, 81-89, Liverpool (1901); Ceylon Café. 35, Market Street Manchester (1904); Brooke House in Neston, Cheshire (1904); State Insurance Building, 14 Dale Street, Liverpool (1906); the Tower Building 1-11 Tower Gardens, Liverpool (1906); The Vines Public House, Lime Street, Liverpool (1907); Royal Liver building at the Pier Head. Liverpool (1908-11); the Crane Building at Hanover Square, Liverpool (1913-15); and Dunstan Wood, a house built for himself in Burton, Cheshire (1926). Other work by Thomas included alterations and extensions to Elmhurst on Parkgate Road in Neston, Cheshire; and Neptune Theatre in Neston, Cheshire.
Source of Images
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 147, 28 September 1934 p. 528
‘Royal Liver Friendly Society building, Liverpool’ [Architect: W. Aubrey Thomas] Builders Journal & Architectural Engineer 20 May 1908 p. 433
‘Royal Liver Friendly Society building, Liverpool’ [Architect: W. Aubrey Thomas] Architectural Review October 1911 pp. 209-215
‘The Royal Liver Building, Liverpool’ [Architect: W. Aubrey Thomas]. The Builder vol. 98, 9 April 1910 pp. 402-405.