Wilkinson, Leslie
Born: 12 October 1882, New Southgate, Middlesex, England
Died: 20 September 1973, Vaucluse
Family: Father, Edward Henry Wilkinson (commercial clerk); Mother, Ellen Barker
Married: 11 April 1912, St Stephens parish church, Ealing, Alice Dorothy Ruston (dec. 1947), (1 son, 2 daughters)
Education:
Private tuition
1896 St Edwards School, Oxford
1902 Royal Academy of Arts school of architecture, London
1904 Silver Medal and travelling scholarship (Royal Academy of Arts school of architecture)
1905 Gold Medal and travelling scholarship (Royal Academy of Arts school of architecture)
1907 Completed his final examination for the Royal Institute of British Architects
1970 Hon D.Litt. (Usyd)
Career:
1900 apprenticed to C.E. Kempe, staned-glass designer
October 1900 articled to the London architect, James S. Gibson
1903 assistant to James S. Gibson (worked on commercial and municipal projects)
1905, 1906 travelling studentships - toured France, Italy, Spain, and Britain
1907 made an associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects
1908 became assistant to Professor F.M. Simpson at University College, London; won the RIBA Silver Medal for Drawings
1909 RIBA Arthur Cates Prize
1910 to 1918 Assistant Professor, University College, London
1914 enlisted in the Territorial Force
October 1914 commissioned in the University of London Officers Training Corps
June 1915 promoted to Lieutenant, commanding Company of the University of London Infantry Regiment and lectured in field engineering and topography
1918 interviewed for the new chair of architecture at the University of Sydney (dressed in tailcoat and top hat; application in the form of an illuminated address); obtained the post easily
19 August 1918 arrived in Sydney (via North America) and met by the premier, the lord mayor and other dignitaries; his chair was in the Faculty of Science but he argued strongly for a separate Faculty of Architecture
1918 Fellow, IANSW (councillor from 1921, and president 1933); also elected a Fellow of the Royal British Institute of Architects
1919 appointed University architect; responsible for completing Edmund Blackets Gothic Revival quadrangle; also built School of Physics, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Botany Building, part of Anderson Stuart, the Vice-Chancellors Garden, the Botany Court, lodges, gateways, etc.
1920 Faculty of Architecture created
1920 to 1947 Wilkinson Dean, Faculty of Architecture; four year architecture course with the emphasis on philosophy, theory and practice of design, aesthetics and attractive rendering; subjects included free-hand and water-colour drawing and the history of architecture
1922 to 1947 Original member of Board of Architects of NSW
1923 incorporated the Italian palazzo faades, removed from the George Street premises of the Commercial Banking Co. of Sydney, into a new chemistry building at the university (later the premises of the Post Office and the National Australia Bank); built Greenway, his first residence which was at once a Mediterranean villa and a Georgian house
1923 to 1947 Original member of Housing Commission of NSW
1925 visited Great Britain and Europe
1926 Institute of Architects of NSW protested at the weakness of students practical knowledge and Alfred Hook appointed associate professor in charge of construction and related scientific fields; Wilkinson restricted to architectural design and history
1926 designed the Mediterranean-style Physics Building
1930 built the best of his flats, Silchester, Bellevue Hill (a four-storey block in the Mediterranean style)
1930s involved in campaign to save Burdekin House
1930 Associate, Royal Australian Institute of Architects
1931 Fellow, Royal Australian Institute of Architects
1933 President, Institute of Architects NSW
1933 to 1968 Lay Canon, St Andrews Cathedral
1934 President, Institute of Architects NSW and NSW Chapter of Royal Australian Institute of Architects
1935 awarded the Sulman Medal of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects; built Greayleaves, Burradoo; Jubilee Medal George VI, Coronation Medal George VI
1936 built Samuel Horderns house at Bellevue Hill; visited Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Palestine and Egypt (13 month tour)
1937 Maiala at Warrawee; Hazeldean, Cooma
1942 awarded the Sulman Medal of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects for his work on St Michaels Church, Vaucluse
1947 retired from University of Sydney; made a Life Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects
1948 Emeritus Professor, University of Sydney; represented Australia at UIA congress in Zurich; visited Italy and France, attended Town Planning congress in Zurich, attended RIBA congress in Liverpool, England
1954 Visited South Africa, the Canary Islands, and Great Britain, attended RIBA congress at Torquay
1956 resigned from Union Club in protest at the members decision to demolish their Wardell-designed clubhouse
1958 Based the colours for repainting St Matthews Church, Windson on a Capstan cigarette-box which he happened to have in his pocket
1960 First Gold Medal of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and its housing award was named in his honour
1960s was still building houses that combined a Mediterranean villa with a Georgian house; involved in campaign to save Subiaco
1969 appointed OBE
17 September 1973 (few days before his death) he attended the opening of an exhibition of some of his early architectural drawings (at the University of Sydney)
His finest work was often in opening up vistas in an established building by using existing elevations and spaces. He retained the right to private practice and carried out domestic and ecclesiastical commissions. He was Anglican diocesan architect and was responsible for a number of church buildings as well as the skilful completion of Blackets St Michaels, Vaucluse. Advocated the conversion of Elizabeth Bay House to flats.
Two portraits - one by Judy Cassab and one by Norman Lindsay held by the University of Sydney; another held by the Wilkinson family