Frank Kenneth Milne(18 July 1885 – 3 October 1980), usually referred to asF. Kenneth Milne,was an Australian architect based inAdelaide,South Australia.He was regarded as one of the leading architects in the state in 1920, and continued to design buildings even in retirement. He went into partnership with a series of other architects over the course of his career, including John Richard Schomburgk Evans,[a]Charles Alexander Russell, and Rolfe Vernon Boehm. He is also known for his work as a cinema architect, having been the appointed architect forOzone Theatresin the 1930s.
Frank Kenneth Milne | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 July 1885 Adelaide,South Australia,Australia |
| Died | 3 October 1980(aged 95) Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Spouse | Hazel Muir Fotheringham |
| Children | Lance Milne |
| Practice | F. Kenneth Milne & Evans F. Kenneth Milne, Evans & Russell F. Kenneth Milne, Dawkins & Boehm Others |
| Buildings | South Australian Brewing Co. Woodards House Arbury Park(later Raywood) Sunnyside,North Adelaide,his own residence Ozone Marryatvilleremodelling |
He and his wife established the Kenneth and Hazel Milne Travelling Scholarship at theUniversity of Adelaidein 1958. Several of his designs survive today, with many heritage-listed, includingWoodards HouseinWaymouth Street,Adelaide, the remodelledRegal TheatreinKensington Park,and his own home in Stanley Street,North Adelaide.
Early life and education
editFrank Kenneth Milne was born on 18 July 1885 in the eastern Adelaide suburb ofTusmore,the seventh of eight children of land agent John Milne and his wifeLucy Edith Macgeorge.His grandfather was SirWilliam Milne.[4][5]
He attended both private school and state schools atGlenelgandNorth Adelaide.His art teacher at Mrs Kingston's school in Glenelg, Mary Overbury, taught him drawing.[4]
Career
edit
Milne wasarticledto the Adelaide architectAlfred Wells[b][6]from 1903 to 1906, being taught there by chiefdraftsmanStuart Clark.[4]
In 1906 Milne moved toSydney,and worked as a draftsman with G. B. Robertson & T. J. Marks for three years.[4]
After returning to Adelaide in April 1909, he set up a practice inGrenfell Street.His style became more and moreeclectic,using elements ofArt Nouveau,Beaux Arts Classicism,Art Deco,Gothic,andItalian Renaissance architecture.He designed many types of building, including banks, hotels, churches, houses, andpicture theatres.[4]
From 1912 until 1946, he was contracted to theSouth Australian Brewing Companyto supervise their building works.[4]
In 1920 John Richard Schomburgk Evans joined his practice (F. Kenneth Milne and Evans), and in 1925 Charles Alexander Russell joined them,[7]becoming Milne, Evans, and Russell.[8]The practice was dissolved in early 1930.[4]
By the 1920s Milne was regarded as one of the state's leading architects.[9]In October 1928, architects Milne, Evans, and Russell submitted their plans for extensions and alterations to theCrown & Anchor HotelinGrenfell Street.[8][10]The work was completed in 1929,[11]with the alterations costing £5,000.[12]In 1928-9 Milne (then in practice as Milne & Evans) designed and supervised construction of an office building at 47-49Waymouth Street,Adelaide, known as theNorwich Union Building(laterWoodards House), forNorwich Union Fire Insurance Society,which Milne regarded as one of his finest works.[9]In the same year, the firm designed a large extension to theKensington Gardens Bowling & Tennis Club.[13]
In 1933-4 Milne travelled to Europe on a study tour, and was impressed byGeorgian architecture,especially that ofJohnandJames Adam.[4]
In 1934, he was commissioned byOzone Theatresas sole practitioner to design the rebuild of theVictor TheatreatVictor Harbor,after a fire. He was then was appointed architect for all of their South Australian projects until about 1942, when the war intervened. Ozone was a family-owned company that became the largest in South Australia. The Victa Cinema was particularly significant in the history ofcinemaarchitecture in the state, as the buildings adapted to "talkies"and architectural design embraced the principles ofStreamline Moderne,a form ofArt Deco.The design of the Victor had considerable impact on future new cinemas, both in modern architectural expression and with its planning for both sightlines andacousticsin the new era of talkies. More attention was also paid to concealed lighting, ventilation, and gathering spaces for patrons.[14]
In 1936, he designed a home for his own family, at 229 Stanley Street,North Adelaide,called "Sunnyside". The home was stateheritage-listedon theSouth Australian Heritage Registeron 11 September 1986.[15]
In 1941, he was engaged to do an extensive remodelling of theOzone Marryatville(now the Regal Theatre,Kensington Park).[6]The then Chelsea Cinema was state heritage-listed on 24 March 1983.[16]
Later associates in his practice, from the late 1940s onwards, included L. C. Dawkins and Rolfe Vernon Boehm (1946);Russell Stuart Ellis(1947); F. P. Bulbeck (by 1957); J. R. N. Twopeny (1960); and James Hodge (by 1964).[4]
Practice names
editMilne's practices operated under the following names:[c]
- F. Kenneth Milne (1909–1920)
- F. Kenneth Milne & Evans (1920–1925)
- F. Kenneth Milne, Evans & Russell (1925–1930)
- F. Kenneth Milne (1931–1946)
- F. Kenneth Milne, Dawkins & Boehm (1946–1947)
- F. Kenneth Milne, Dawkins, Boehm & Ellis (1947–1955)
- F. Kenneth Milne, Boehm, Ellis & Bulbeck (1956–1959)
- F. Kenneth Milne, Boehm, Bulbeck & Partners (1960–1961)
- F. Kenneth Milne, Boehm, Twopeny & Moss (1961–1963)
- Milne Boehm Twopeny & Hodge (1963–1973)
Other activities
editMilne was president of theSouth Australian Institute of Architects(SAIA) from 1937 to 1939. He promoted the architectural profession in public lectures, and was a co-founder of the school of architecture at theUniversity of Adelaide.[4]
He also belonged to theEnglish-Speaking Unionand theLiberal and Country League of South Australia.[4]
He was a fit man, and belonged to theAdelaide Rowing Club,the Amateur Sports Club and theSouth Australian Rugby Union.[4]He also playedAustralian Rules football,tennis and golf, and excelled at swimming and diving, earning trophies in these as well as rowing.[5][19]
Awards
edit- 1944: Inaugural SAIA Merit Award for Domestic Architecture, for Sunnyside[6][4]
- 1953:Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal[6]
- 1970: Life Fellow,Royal Australian Institute of Architects[6]
Personal life
editOn 12 March 1913 Milne married Hazel Muir Fotheringham (d.1968) atChalmers Church(later Scots Church) onNorth Terrace.They had one child,Kenneth Lancelot Milne,who was founding president of the South Australian division of theAustralian Democratsin 1977 and was elected to state parliament in theSouth Australian Legislative Council.[4]
Later life, death and legacy
editMilne semi-retired in 1957, but continued to undertake alterations to buildings designed by him, and some work for old clients until he finally retired fully in 1973.[4]
At the age of 91, Milne rowed on theRiver Torrenswith three family members as crew. He died on 3 October 1980, aged 95, atCalvary Hospital, North Adelaide,and was cremated.[4]
Milne and his wife Hazel gave £5000 to establish the Kenneth and Hazel Milne Travelling Scholarship in Architecture in 1958,[4]which continues as of 2024[update].The scholarship, now worthA$20,000,is awarded to the selected "graduates of the Master of Architecture to travel and undertake study abroad and then return to Adelaide".[20]
Selected works
editNorwich Union Building
editIn 1928-9 Milne (then in practice as F. Kenneth Milne, Evans & Russell) designed and supervised construction of an office building at 47-49Waymouth Street,Adelaide, forNorwich Union Fire Insurance Society,which included ground floor offices for theCommercial Bank of Australia.[5]Milne regarded this building as one of his finest works.[9]The building contractor was prominent local builder Frederick Fricker, who died suddenly while on holiday, inPort Said,before the building was completed.[21][22][23]The building was officially opened on 5 June 1929, after a dinner the previous night attended by many local dignitaries.[24]Later renamedWoodards House,the building was stateheritage-listedon theSouth Australian Heritage Registeron 23 August 2013, and described as "an outstanding example of a building constructed in the Inter-WarCommercial Palazzostyle ". An additional floor was added in 1953.[25]
Other buildings
edit- Hampshire Hotel,Grote Street(1910)[4]
- South Australian Cricket Associationscoreboard,Adelaide Oval(1911)[4]
- South Australian Brewing Co.(from 1912),[4]"numerous hotels"[5]
- Edments building,Rundle Street(1920s, with Evans & Russell)[4]
- Crown & Anchor Hotel,Grenfell Street(1928–9, with Evans & Russell)[8][10]
- Lister House, 196North Terrace(1928–9, with Evans & Russell),[4]for Peeks Limited,[5][26]tailors, with rooms for doctors & dentists on upper floors; named afterJoseph Lister,medical doctor who developedantiseptic surgery;building purchased byCommonwealth Oil Refineriesin 1946; described as "Modern Gothic" and including a;[27]renamed Tobin House 2002,[d]later used asUniSAstudent accommodation[28]
- Victor Theatre,Victor Harbor, rebuild (1934)[14]
- Arbury Park,Bridgewater(1934), a residence forSir Alexander Downerin theAdelaide Hills[4]
- Sunnyside,North Adelaide(1936), his own home[4]
- Goldsbrough, Mort & Co.offices (1935)[4]at 172-174 North Terrace, Adelaide; additional storey being in 1935–36; named Goldsbrough House, now serves as an entry to the Myer Centre; state heritage-listed in 1986[29][30]
- Ozone Marryatvilleremodelling (1941)[6]
- H. C. Sleigh Ltdoffices (1955)[4]
- Eringa,Unley Park,home ofSir Sidney Kidman[5]
- Woolstores atPort Adelaidefor Goldsborough, Mort & Co.[5]
- Several banks for theEnglish, Scottish & Australian Bank[5]
- Australian Mutual Provident Societyoffices atClare[5]
Footnotes
edit- ^John Richard Schomburgk "Jack" Evans (14 February 1892 – 26 June 1948)[1]was born in Brompton, South Australia, a son of Dr John Herbert Evans (died before 1914) and Hermine Rosalie "Rosie" Evans (née Schomburgk, daughter of DrRichard Schomburgk) who married on 8 April 1891,[2]of Grange Road, Hindmarsh, later of Northcote terrace, Medindie. He was educated atSt Peter's Collegeand enlisted with the 1st AIF in September 1915, served with 18th Battery, 6th Field Artillery Brigade. He was awarded theMCfor action atMont St Quentinon 2 September 1918.[3]He married Jocelyn Bowman (born 1904), daughter of Edmund Bowman (perhaps died 1921), on 4 April 1934.
- ^Wrongly named as William Alfred Wells in ADB.
- ^Note that contemporary firm Kenneth Milne Architects of Wyatt Street, Adelaide, appear to have no connection with F. Kenneth Milne.[17][18]
- ^shortly after the murder ofMargaret Julia Tobin
References
edit- ^"Death of Mr J. R. S. Evans".The Advertiser (Adelaide).Vol. 90, no. 27994. South Australia. 28 June 1948. p. 2.Retrieved22 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"Family Notices".South Australian Register.Vol. LVI, no. 13, 856. South Australia. 11 April 1891. p. 4.Retrieved22 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"Army records NAA: B2455, Evans J R S".National Archives of Australia.Retrieved22 April2024.
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzFrancis, Rosemary (2000)."Frank Kenneth Milne".Australian Dictionary of Biography.ANU.Retrieved21 April2024.
This article was published in hardcopy inAustralian Dictionary of Biography,Volume 15, (Melbourne University Press), 2000
- ^abcdefghi"Home Plots and Houses".News (Adelaide).Vol. XII, no. 1, 795. South Australia. 17 April 1929. p. 10 (Home edition).Retrieved22 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^abcdefCollins, Susan (2008)."Architect Details: Frank Kenneth Milne".Architects of South Australia.University of South Australia.Retrieved21 April2024.
- ^"Milne, F. Kenneth Collection"(PDF).Architecture Museum,University of South Australia.6 September 2017. p. 20.
John Richard Schomburgk Evans...became Milne's first partner, the practice becoming F. Kenneth Milne and Evans. Milne's second articled pupil, Charles Alexander Russell, became a partner in 1925.
- ^abc"Grenfell Street, Adelaide"(photo + caption).State Library of South Australia.31 July 1928.Retrieved17 April2024.
- ^abc"Woodards House".Experience Adelaide.Heritage Places of Adelaide.City of Adelaide.16 September 2019.Retrieved22 April2024.
- ^abStewart, Hannah (23 November 1901)."Crown and Anchor Hotel".SA History Hub.History Trust of South Australia.Retrieved17 April2024.
- ^"Milne, F. Kenneth Collection"(PDF).Architecture Museum,University of South Australia.6 September 2017. p. 20.
John Richard Schomburgk Evans...became Milne's first partner, the practice becoming F. Kenneth Milne and Evans. Milne's second articled pupil, Charles Alexander Russell, became a partner in 1925.
- ^"Money in hotels".The News (Adelaide).Vol. XII, no. 1, 778. South Australia. 27 March 1929. p. 13 (Home edition).Retrieved17 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"Additions to clubhouse".News (Adelaide).Vol. XII, no. 1, 843. South Australia. 12 June 1929. p. 3 (Home edition).Retrieved26 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^abSouth Australian Heritage Council (25 November 2022)."Summary of state heritage place: Victa Cinema (former Ozone Theatre)"(PDF).
- ^"229 Stanley Street, North Adelaide".The South Australia Heritage Places database: SA Heritage Places Database Search.Retrieved21 April2024.
- ^"275 Kensington Road Kensington Park".The South Australia Heritage Places database: SA Heritage Places Database Search.Retrieved21 April2024.
- ^"City of Adelaide Heritage Survey (2008) [Section on Hill-Smith Fine Art Gallery, 113 Pirie Street]".Adelaide City Council.
- ^"Studio Philosophy".Milne Architects.Retrieved21 April2024.
- ^"Personal and anecdotal".The Mail (Adelaide).Vol. 17, no. 863. South Australia. 8 December 1928. p. 2.Retrieved22 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"The Kenneth and Hazel Milne Travelling Scholarship in Architecture".University of Adelaide.University Scholarships. 4 December 2023.Retrieved21 April2024.
- ^"Mr. F. Fricker".The Chronicle (Adelaide).Vol. LXXI, no. 3, 762. South Australia. 27 October 1928. p. 36.Retrieved26 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"Death of Mr. F. Fricker".The Register (Adelaide).Vol. XCIII, no. 27, 205. South Australia. 24 October 1928. p. 19.Retrieved26 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"Norwich Union Building".The Advertiser (Adelaide).South Australia. 6 June 1929. p. 11.Retrieved22 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"Norwich Union Building".The Advertiser (Adelaide).South Australia. 5 June 1929. p. 12.Retrieved22 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"47-49 Waymouth Street Adelaide".The South Australia Heritage Places database: SA Heritage Places Database Search.Retrieved22 April2024.
...an outstanding example of a building constructed in the Inter-War Commercial Palazzo style... additional floor constructed in 1953...
- ^"Lister House on North Terrace"(photo + text).State Library of South Australia.16 February 1930.Retrieved22 April2024.
Lister House, erected on a vacant site in 1928-9, North Terrace east, 16 February 1930.
- ^"Modern Gothic building".The Register News-pictorial.Vol. XCIV, no. 27, 331. South Australia. 21 March 1929. p. 14.Retrieved22 April2024– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"Adelaide Lister House".Flickr.Retrieved22 April2024.
- ^"Myer Centre (former Goldsbrough House)".Experience Adelaide.16 September 2019.Retrieved22 April2024.
- ^"Goldsbrough House: 172-174 North Terrace"(PDF).City of Adelaide.1996.
The internal lift lobbies and stairwell are of particular note and have survived a major refurbishment to link the Myers department store through to North Terrace. The projected redevelopment of Myers will retain little more than the North Terrace facade.... The text in this Information Sheet was copied from theHeritage of the City of Adelaide: An Illustrated Guide(1996).