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Isidor George Beaver (December 1859 – 24 October 1934), sometimes misspelt "Isidore" and "Beevor", and frequently initialised as "J. G. Beaver", was an architect from England who had a substantial career in Adelaide, South Australia and Melbourne, Victoria. He was also significant in the early history of ice skating in Australia.

Early life

Isidor George Beaver was born between September and December 1859, the son of watchmaker and jeweller Louis Beaver of Manchester, England, a Jewish émigré from Prussian Poland. He had two sisters, Evelyn and Laura, who migrated to Melbourne and Adelaide respectively before Isidor left England.

His given name was often later misspelt as "Isidore", and his surname as "Beavor" or "Beevor", and he was often referred to "J. G. Beaver", even in his own advertisements.

Career

19th century

Beaver emigrated to the colony of South Australia sometime before August 1883, the date of the commencement of his architectural partnership with William McMinn in Adelaide. The partnership did not last long as McMinn died in February 1884.

In 1885 he had an office at Torrens Chambers on Victoria Square, Adelaide. H. E. Fuller served his articles with him for four years from 1884. He joined with partners Edmund Wright and James Henry Reed to form Wright, Reed & Beaver in on 31 March 1886, with offices at the Queen's Chambers on Pirie Street. In 1886 their design for the Jubilee Exhibition Building was awarded second prize. Artist Frank H. Bartels and Henry E. Fuller were articled to the practice during the 1880s,and the practice continued under the same name even after the death of Wright in 1888.

In 1889 they won a design contest for the National Mutual Life Association's new Melbourne premises at the south-west corner of Queen and Collins Streets (address 388-399 Collins Street), and set up offices in Queen Street. The office and project were headed by Beaver. The eight-storey building in Federation Gothic / Gothic Revival style, later known as A.C. Goode House, and then Bank of New Zealand in Australia (BNZA) House, is now heritage-listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. The foundation stone was laid 28 July 1891, and the building completed in March 1893. The entry foyer has marble details. The ceiling of the main chamber is ornamented, consisting of a plaster beam and panel system with freestanding Corinthian columns. The building is unnamed, and has mixed tenancy, with a Zendesk sign above the door in 2022.

On 9 August 1893 Wright, Reed and Beaver was dissolved, and Beaver remained in Melbourne with offices at 125 Queen Street. In 1894 he relocated to the Fourth Victoria Building, 243 Collins Street. R. H. Solly trained as a junior under Beaver and was for four years his chief draftsman before becoming an architect with Wunderlich Ltd. (who had offices in the same building).

20th century

In 1901 his office was located at 11 Elizabeth Street, then moved to Altson's Buildings, 82 Elizabeth Street, on the Collins Street corner. In 1915 Arthur William Purnell joined him to form the partnership Beaver & Purnell, which lasted until 1925.

A notable design of this time was the Wattle Path Palais de Danse on the Esplanade at St Kilda, Victoria, a large dance hall, opened in October 1923, architects Beaver & Purnell, though their relative inputs are not yet known. It was built by built by H. H. Eilenberg of Caulfield. The building became a film studio, Efftee Studios, for Frank W. Thring in December 1933; Thring abandoned the project in 1937. H. H. Kleiner and his wife transformed it into the St. Moritz Ice-skating Palais, which opened in 1939 and finally closed in 1982.

Other roles and activities

Beaver was a foundation member of the Holdfast Bay Yacht Club which opened in 1883, and was likely the J.G. Beaver who was recorded as participating in chess tournaments in the 1880s.

Beaver was a vice-president of the South Australian Architects Association in 1885, and a founding member of the South Australian Institute of Architects in 1886.

In 1887, he taught building construction at the School of Design under Harry P. Gill.

He was honorary treasurer of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects in 1910.

Selected works

• Beaver was associated with William McMinn in the design of extensions to the Masonic Hall in Waymouth Street, Adelaide, in 1883, although McMinn is cited as the main architect; Beaver was supervising architect after McMinn's death in February 1884.
• In 1885 he designed a substantial residence in Stirling West, near the Mount Lofty railway station, for William Milne Jnr, which employed solid stone window piers 9 feet (2.7 m) tall, and extensive use of Mintaro slate.
• He designed an institute building at Manoora and a house Mile End
• Wright, Reed and Beaver: Cabra Dominican Convent in Cumberland Park (1886); Federal Building Society and Savings Institute, King William Street, Adelaide (1887); Bank of New South Wales, corner of King William Street and North Terrace, Adelaide (1888)
• Supervised National Mutual Life building (now Goode House) at 389-399 Collins St, Melbourne, 1889-93, contribution to design not known.
• Extensions to the Fourth Victorian Building Society's building at 243 Collins Street (which same building he later occupied) in 1894
• He designed the Outpatients' wards at the Queen Victoria Hospital, opened in 1902, and nine years later their operating theatre dedicated by the National Council of Women as a memorial to Dr. Mary Page Stone.
• He designed the Toorak Bowling Club's original wooden pavilion, which was erected in 1914 and still stands, heritage listed.
• "Carinya", the Toorak mansion built in 1926 for Herbert William Lee, was designed by Beaver and Purnell.

Other activities

He conducted classes in technical drawing at the School of Design from 1889.

He was a member, with his yacht Bonita, of the Holdfast Bay Yacht Club, and swam competitively in the Glenelg pool.

From 1901 he rode to hounds with the Melbourne Hunt Club, and was still riding regularly until two months before his death in October 1934.

From 1913 he was a member of the Toorak Bowling Club.

He was an expert skater, a member of the Original London Skating Club and a director of the company (H. W. Allen, I. G. Beaver, H. Kendall, Dr. C. F. Macgillicuddy, A. G. Outhwaite, and V. C. Turner) which was formed in 1926 to take over the lease on the Melbourne Glaciarium, 10 City Road South Melbourne, when it was facing closure. The company became Glaciarium Ltd. sometime before the 1930 season opened, with L. R. Molloy, manager of the Glaciarium, as managing director. The Glaciarium showed a profit almost every year until the 1950s.

Beaver was president of the National Ice Skating Association in 1928 and perhaps longer, president of the Victorian Ice Skating Association in 1932. He was a sponsor of ice hockey, and one of the first four teams in Melbourne (and in Australia) was named "The Beavers" in recognition of his support.

Personal life

Beaver may have been a Freemason. He never married. The chief beneficiary of his will was a niece. Although a member of a Jewish family, there is (unlike his sisters) no mention of him in the Jewish press.

Evelyn Salenger (1847–1934) of Sydney, and Laura Schlank (1851–1918) of Adelaide were sisters who emigrated to South Australia aboard the SS Somersetshire in 1870. Laura was married to Salis Schlank ( –1892), a well-known manufacturing jeweller.

Albert Beaver (died 16 March 1909), who was arrested for embezzlement in 1897, and then released under curious circumstances was a brother.

Death and legacy

He died at his home, 23 Wynstay Road, Armadale and was buried in the Melbourne Cemetery, Carlton, Victoria.

Footnotes

1. His birth record may be found via the General Register Office website after registering, here. It shows his name as Beaver, Isidor George, born in the December quarter of 1859 in Manchester, mother's maiden name Mayer. (GRO Reference: Volume 08D, p.308.)

References

1. ^ "Legends of Australian Ice: Builders". Ross Carpenter B.Arch. (RMIT). Retrieved 14 December 2015.
2. ^ Collins, Julie; Fazakerley, Ruth. "Beaver, Isidore(sic) George". Architects of South Australia. University of South Australia. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
3. "The intercolonial railway". South Australian Register. Vol. LI, no. 12, 372. South Australia. 9 July 1886. p. 5. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "Architects' Association". Adelaide Observer. Vol. XVII, no. 936. South Australia. 10 September 1859. p. 2. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
5. ^ "Advertising". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XXII, no. 6, 514. South Australia. 12 September 1885. p. 1. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia. at my office. J. G. BEAVER, Architect... Torrens Chambers, Victoria-square.
6. "General news". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XX, no. 5, 886. South Australia. 20 August 1883. p. 2 (Second edition). Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "The Adelaide Jubilee Exhibition". The South Australian Advertiser. South Australia. 21 June 1887. p. 9. Retrieved 7 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
8. ^ Peter Maltezos (25 June 2013). "Goode House (Former National Mutual Building)". Walking Melbourne – The National Trust guide to the historic and architectural landmarks of central Melbourne. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
9. Stuart Harrison (2013). "The Development of Melbourne" (PDF). Monash Architecture. p. 71. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
10. ^ "Bank of New Zealand in Australia building, 388-399 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria". RIBA pix. 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
11. "Personal". Table Talk. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 6 June 1890. p. 3. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
12. ^ "Former National Mutual Life Association Building". Victorian Heritage Database. 3 February 2000. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
13. Dimech, Adam M. (25 July 2004). "Melbourne Buildings". Adam Dimech. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
14. "388 Collins Street". Google Maps street view. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
15. "Advertising". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 9 August 1893. p. 4. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
16. F. J. Kendall, 'Solly, Robert Henry (1883–1968)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, , published first in hardcopy 2002, accessed online 13 December 2015.
17. "Classified Advertising". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 23, 785. Victoria, Australia. 28 October 1922. p. 21. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
18. "Wattle Path Palais". The Herald. No. 14, 496. Victoria, Australia. 1 November 1923. p. 8. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia. There were more than 5000 on the dancing floor...
19. "New dancing palais for St. Kilda". The Herald. No. 14, 714. Victoria, Australia. 16 May 1923. p. 14. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
20. "Making Films at St. Kilda". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 29 December 1933. p. 6. Retrieved 15 December 2015. Hollywood does not seem to be so far away now that Efftee has moved in to the old Wattle Path Palais building on the Esplanade at St. Kilda.
21. "St Moritz – The Skating Lady" (PDF). St Kilda Times: St Kilda Historical Society Newsletter (218): 1. May 2016.
22. "The Advertiser Friday, September 11, 1885". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 11 September 1885. p. 4. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
23. "Institute of Architects". The Age. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 23 February 1910. p. 14. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
24. "Thursday, August 30, 1883". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 30 August 1883. p. 5. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
25. "New Masonic Hall". Adelaide Observer. Vol. XL, no. 2200. South Australia. 1 December 1883. p. 37. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
26. "General News". Adelaide Observer. National Library of Australia. 28 November 1885. p. 29. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
27. "Advertising". The Age. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 10 May 1894. p. 8. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
28. "Queen Victoria Hospital". The Age. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 13 May 1902. p. 6. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
29. "Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital". The Age. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 28 August 1911. p. 6. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
30. Heritage citation report, City of Stonnington, citation 101014 10 October 2014, accessed .pdf 13 December 2015
31. "For Sale: Carinya, Spanish Mission in Toorak". Retrieved 13 December 2015.
32. "The School of Design". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 13 February 1889. p. 6. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
33. "Aquatics". South Australian Weekly Chronicle. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 8 December 1883. p. 16. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
34. "Swimming Matches, Glenelg". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 11 March 1890. p. 7. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
35. "Glaciarium Carnival". Table Talk. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 15 September 1932. p. 49. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
36. "Glaciarium to Reopen". The Age. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 22 March 1926. p. 11. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
37. "Mrs. Evelyn Salenger". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 26 May 1934. p. 20. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
38. "Managing Jeweller Arrested". The Australasian. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 4 December 1897. p. 36. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
39. "The Beaver Case". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 25 December 1897. p. 7. Retrieved 18 February 2015.

• Architects from Adelaide
• Architects from Melbourne
• Australian ice hockey people
• 1859 births
• 1934 deaths
• English emigrants to colonial Australia
• 19th-century Australian architects