Francis Greenway

Francis Greenway

Francis Howard Greenway (20 November 1777 – September 1837) was an iconic colonial architect in Australia.

Life and career

Greenway was born at Mangotsfield near the English city of Bristol, son of Francis Greenway and Ann, née Webb.^[1] Greenway became an architect "of some eminence" in Bristol and Bath. His only remaining building in the United Kingdom is the Clifton Club in Bristol, originally the Clifton Hotel and Assembly Rooms. In 1809 he became bankrupt, and in 1812 he pleaded guilty "under the advice of his friends", to forging a financial document and was sentenced to death; this sentence was later commuted to 14 years transportation. Why he pleaded guilty is not now certain; he may have been told it was the only way to save his life. He had been friendly with Admiral Arthur Phillip who was living in retirement at Bath, and Phillip wrote to Lachlan Macquarie recommending Greenway to him.

Greenway arrived in Sydney, New South Wales on the transport General Hewitt in February 1814 to serve his sentence, Greenway commenced work as a colonial architect by designing a geometric stair for Ultimo House. Greenway first met Macquarie in July 1814 it was during this meeting that Macquare raise the construction of a town hall and courthouse giving Geenway an instruction book to follow. Greenway was so offended by this that he responded with a letter exclaiming his skills and quoting Sir William Chambers that his Excellency should utilise the opportunity for a classical design.^[2]

...immediately copy the drawing Your Excellency requested me to do, notwithstanding it is rather painful to my mind as a professional man to copy a building that has no claim to classical proportion and character.

—Francis Greenway

Between 1816 and 1818, whilst still a convict, Greenway was responsible for the design and construction of the Macquarie Lighthouse on the South Head at the entrance to Port Jackson^[1]. After the success of this project he was emancipated by the Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie, and in the role of Acting Civil Architect and Assistant Engineer responsible to Captain J. M. Gill, Inspector of Public Works, went on to build many significant buildings in the new colony.

Greenway's works include Hyde Park Barracks, the Government House and what is considered to be his masterpiece;^[who?] St. James Church, Sydney (chosen as one of Australia's only two man-made objects by Dan Cruickshank in the BBC series Around the World in 80 Treasures). There are still 49 buildings in central Sydney attributed to Greenway's designs.

Greenway fell into disrepute when Macquarie accused him of charging high fees whilst on a government retainer, and he was dismissed by the next governor, Thomas Brisbane, in 1822^[1]. He continued to follow his profession with little success. Although he got his grant of land, he does not appear to have received the promised cattle.

In 1835 he advertised that "Francis Howard Greenway, arising from circumstances of a singular nature is induced again to solicit the patronage of his friends and the public". ^[3] In other words, he was destitute.

Greenway died of typhoid near Newcastle in 1837, aged 59. The exact date of his death is not known. He was buried in the East Maitland Cemetery on 25 September 1837, but his grave is unmarked.

Posthumous tributes

Greenway's face was shown on the first Australian decimal-currency $10 note (1966-93), making him probably the only convicted forger in the world to be honoured on a banknote.

Greenway is the eponym of a NSW Federal electorate, a suburb of Canberra, a suburb of Newcastle, and a high school in Beresfield.

Francis Greenway Drive in the suburb of Cherrybrook is named in honour of Francis Greenway.

The Vaucluse home of the renowned Australian architect Leslie Wilkinson (1882-1973) was named "Greenway" in honour of Francis Greenway.

List of Works

The following Greenway buildings are listed on the Register of the National Estate.^[4]

• Macquarie Lighthouse, Watsons Bay

• Windsor Court House

• Government House, Sydney (partly designed by Greenway)

• St Matthew's, Windsor

• Supreme Court, Sydney

• Judge's House, Sydney (attributed to W.Harper by some sources^[5])

• St James's, Sydney

• Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney

• Obelisk, Macquarie Place (1818)

• St Luke's, Liverpool

• Conservatorium of Music, Sydney (Originally constructed in 1821 as the Government Stables)

• Liverpool College (formerly Liverpool Hospital)

• Government House, Parramatta (timber portico only)

• Hobartville, Richmond (uncertain)

• Cleveland House, Surry Hills (uncertain)

• Cadman's Cottage (construction supervised by Greenway^[6])

St James Church	St James, interior	St Lukes, Liverpool	Macquarie Lighthouse, Watsons Bay, a replica based on the original design by Greenway
Conservatorium of Music, Sydney	St Matthews Church, Windsor, interior	St Matthews	Judge's House, Sydney
Supreme Court, Sydney	Government House, Sydney	Obelisk, Macquarie Place, Sydney	Cleveland House, Surry Hills
Hyde Park Barracks, Old Colonial Georgian architectural style; drawing by William Hardy Wilson in 1914	Cadman's Cottage, Circular Quay (1816)[7]

See also

• History of Sydney

References

• Serle, Percival (1949). "Greenway, Francis". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus and Robertson. http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogG.html#greenway1+accessdate=2008-12-27. 
• Dictionary of Australian Artists Online
• Francis Greenway Drive