William Fielding (architect)

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William Fielding
Personal information
Born1875
Lower Darwen, Lancashire, England
Died (aged 70)
Wellington, New Zealand
OccupationArchitect
Spouse(s)
Lily Midgley
​
(m. 1900)​
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportLawn bowls
ClubHataitai
Medal record
Men's Lawn bowls
Representing  New Zealand
British Empire Games
Silver medal – second place 1930 Hamilton Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 1930 Hamilton Single

William Fielding (1875 – 26 July 1946) was a New Zealand architect who practised in Wellington. He was also a bowls player, winning two medals at the 1930 British Empire Games.

Early life and family[]

Born in 1875 at Lower Darwen, Lancashire, England, Fielding was the son of Mary (née Turnbull) and Robert Fielding, and was educated at Kilgrimol School in Lancashire.[1][2] In 1900, Fielding married Lily Midgley, and the couple went on to have two children.[2]

Architectural practice[]

The former Evening Post Building, Wellington, designed by Fielding and completed in 1928.

Fielding trained as an architect under John Whitaker, and later became a junior partner with Manchester architect, John Dent Harker.[3] Fielding is known to have worked on the St Annes-on-the-Sea Carnegie Library designed by Harker.[4] Moving to New Zealand around 1908, Fielding established his own practice in Wellington in 1909, and designed nearly 300 buildings in the city and elsewhere.[2][3] SIgnificant examples of his work include:

  • Assembly Hall for the Vogeltown and Mornington Public Hall Society, Vennell Street, Brooklyn.[5]
  • Capitol Theatre, Miramar.[6]
  • Congregational Church, 45 Cambridge Terrace, Te Aro.[3]
  • Evening Post Building, 82 Willis Street, Te Aro.[3]
  • Flats for Mrs Turner-Cottier, 83 Kent Terrace, Te Aro.[7]
  • Kilbirnie Wesleyan Church, Waitoa Road, Hataitai.[8]
  • Lampard Flats, 284–286 Cuba Street, Te Aro.[3]
  • Plumbers Building, 122–124 Wakefield Street, Te Aro.[3]
  • Rosco Tearooms, 2–6 Coleman Place, Palmerston North.[9]
  • St Christopher's Church, 27 Ventnor Street, Seatoun.[3]
  • Ward Memorial Methodist Church and Hall, 69 Northland Road, Northland.[3]
  • Wellington Trades' Hall Building, 124–128 Vivian Street, Te Aro.[3]

He also supervised the restoration of Antrim House in Wellington following a fire in 1940.[10]

Fielding was admitted LRIBA in 1913, and elected a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects in 1915.[2] He served as chairman of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects.[11]

Lawn bowls[]

A member of the Hataitai Bowling Club,[2] Fielding represented New Zealand at the 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario, and competed in the singles, pairs, and fours.[12] He won the silver medal with his partner Peter McWhannell in the pairs event, and In the singles competition he won the bronze medal.[12] The foursome of Fielding, McWhannell, Edward Leach, and Harold Frost finished fifth.[13]

Death[]

Fielding died on 26 July 1946, and his funeral was held at the Congregational Church in Cambridge Terrace, Wellington, which he had designed.[11] He was buried at Karori Cemetery, Wellington.[14]

References[]

  1. ^ "U.S., Border crossings from Canada to U.S., 1825–1960". Ancestry.com Operations. 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e International Press Who's Who N.Z. Wellington: National Magazines. 1938. p. 148.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "William Fielding 1875–1946". Wellington Heritage. Wellington City Council. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Proposed library, St.Annes-on-the-Sea, 1904". amounderness.co.uk. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  5. ^ Harris, Euan (June 2014). "Coordinator's corner" (PDF). Brooklyn Tattler. p. 2. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  6. ^ Rowden, Carmel (20 May 2013). "Good as gold". Urbis. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  7. ^ Bowman, Ian (September 2011). "Heritage assessment: buildings on the corner of Kent Terrace and Ellice Street, Wellington" (PDF). New Zealand Transport Agency. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  8. ^ McKirdy, P. (October 2014). "Hataitai Methodist Church (originally Kilbirnie Wesleyan Church)". Heritage Help. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  9. ^ "2–6 Coleman Place & 31 George Street — former Rosco Tearooms". Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  10. ^ "Antrim House". Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  11. ^ a b McKirdy, P. (February 2012). "Local people". Heritage Help. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  12. ^ a b "William Fielding". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  13. ^ "Empire Games: keen bowling contest". Auckland Star. 9 October 1930. p. 18. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  14. ^ "Cemeteries search". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
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