Francis Reginald Stevens Yorke [commonly known as F.R.S. Yorke] was born in Stratford upon Avon, England, on 3 December 1906. He trained at Birmingham School of Architecture; and studied Town Planning at Birmingham University. He was in private practice in London from 1930 to 1935 and in partnership with Marcel Breuer in London from 1935 to 1937.
During World War Two Yorke worked under William Holford on government work from 1939 to 1942. In 1944, together with Eugene Rosenberg and Cyril Mardall, he set up the London-based practice of Yorke Rosenberg & Mardall.
In 1932 Yorke was a founder member of the MARS. Modern Architectural Research Group in London. He was assistant editor of ‘The Architects Journal’ (1933) and editor of ‘Specifications’ (1935-42). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) and was a member of the RIBA Council and Executive from 1944 to 1953.
Yorke was the author of several books on architecture including ‘The Modern House’ (1934), ‘The Modern House in England’ (1937) and ‘The Modern Flat’, with Frederick Gibberd (1937). Yorke died in London on 10 June 1962.
Significant projects by Yorke in the 1930s included reinforced concrete houses at Gidea Park, Essex (with William Holford, A. Stephenson & A. Adam, 1933); the Civic Centre at the Future (with Marcel Breuer, 1936); and Sea Lane House in East Preston (with Marcel Breuer, 1937). Work with Yorke Rosenberg & Mardall included Sigmund Pumps Ltd. factory in Gateshead, Co. Durham (1948); Barclay Secondary School in Stevenage, Hertfordshire (1950); London Transport Bus Garage and Depot in Loughton, Essex (1954); Queensmead Secondary Modern School in Ruislip, Middlesex (1953); Gatwick Airport in Gatwick, Surrey (1958–88); YRM's office at Greystoke Place, London (1960-61); the masterplan for Kuwait Airport (1962).
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See also: UK Modern House [link below]
The Architecture of Yorke Rosenberg Mardall 1944-1972. Introduction by Rayner Banham. London: Lund Humphries, 1972
Contemporary Architects. Edited by Ann Lee Morgan and Colin Naylor. Chicago and London: St. James Press, 2nd edition, 1987 [Contains a chronological list of works by F.R.S. Yorke, 1933-1962 p.1016]
Harwood, Elain. Mid-Century Britain: Modern Architecture 1938-1963. London: Batsford, 2021
Melvin, Jeremy. F.R.S. Yorke and the evolution of English modernism. London: Academy Editions, 2003
Melvin, Jeremy and Allford, David. ‘F.R.S. Yorke and “The Modern House”’. Twentieth Century Architecture. The Journal of the Twentieth Century Society [The Modern House Revisited special issue] no.2, 1996 pp.28-40
Mills, Edward David. The New Architecture in Britain 1946-1953. London: The Standard Catalogue Co. Ltd., 1953 [Discusses Susan Lawrence School in Lansbury, Poplar, London designed by Yorke Rosenberg Mardall pp. 161-170]
Powers, Alan. In the Line of Development: F. R. S. Yorke, E. Rosenberg and C. S. Mardell to YRM. London: RIBA Heinz Gallery, 1992
Powers, Alan. Modern. The Modern Movement in Britain. London: Merrell, 2005