A mason by trade, Wallis worked mainly as a builder and as an overseer, but was responsible for the design of several buildings at the Cape where he was active between 1848 and 1900. Wallis was born at Bushey, Herts, England and arrived in the Cape in 1848. He was first employed by M BUTLER, a builder, before leaving in 1854 to prospect for copper in Namaqualand (Northern Cape), but had returned to Cape Town by 1856 and was employed by the PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT in Cape Town. He tendered unsuccessfully for the Congregational Church in Caledon Square in 1856, but as ROBB & WALLIS built the churchyard wall and porch of Holy Trinity church, Caledon. From 1858 until 1859 he acted as clerk of works on the new South African library and museum building in Cape Town.
By 1859 Wallis was living at George. He supervised the erection of gaols at Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay, George and Prince Alfred, and 1862 he had returned to live in Claremont, again acting as clerk of works for the South African library and museum building which had formally been opened in 1860 but was only completed in 1864. He undertook further work at St Saviour's Church in 1865 and was clerk of works on the Dutch Reformed Church building at Cradock, designed by WELCHMAN & READ, which was completed 1868. He rejoined the PWD in 1871 and supervised gaol buildings at Swellendam and Beaufort West in 1872. He settled in Oudtshoorn in 1871, having apparently provided the original plans for the Dutch Reformed Church in Oudtshoorn, a building which Radford (1979:191) describes as 'the most ambitious piece of church building undertaken in the Western Cape in the late 1850's ... a little too ambitious. It was started in 1857 and finished in 1879, thus taking 22 years to complete.' Radford points out that while Wallis supplied the plans it is probable that these were by W KÖHLER. The completion of the building was taken over by O HAGER in 1877. Wallis continued to supervise, design and build many buildings in the Cape. He died in Oudtshoorn and was buried at St Saviour's Church in Claremont, Cape Town.
(Die Ruiter 19 Mar 1948:27) All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon. List of projects With photographs
 With notes
* Indicates buildings on the Pryce-Lewis list
11 Cottages for Ingle: 1896. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| 2 Cottages for A van Niekerk: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| 2 Cottages for A van Niekerk: 1896. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| 2 Single-storey cottages for Chaise: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| 2 Single-storey cottages for Moos Salie: 1894. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| 2 Single-storey cottages for Mrs A Stegman: 1894. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| 2 Single-storey cottages for Salie J Hadje: 1896. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| 4 Single-storey cottages for CS Powrie: 1895. District Six, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| 4 Single-storey cottages for M van Niekerk: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| 5 Cottages for workmen for WL Edwards: 1896. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| Cottages for Soffel Samuels: 1800s : 1896. Claremont, Claremont, KwaZulu-Natal - Architect *
| Drostdy Museum Complex - Gaol: late 1700s onwards. Swellendam, Western Cape - Architect
| Gaol: 1871. Beaufort West, Western Cape - Architect
| Gaol: 1861. George, Western Cape - Project Architect
| Gaol: pre 1862. Mossel Bay, Western Cape - Project Architect
| Gaol: pre 1862. Oudtshoorn, Western Cape - Project Architect
| Gaol: pre 1862. Prince Alfred, Western Cape - Project Architect
| Good Shepherd Church: 1880. Klaarstroom, Western Cape - Architect
| House Edmeads - ACVV Offices: 1880. Oudtshoorn, Western Cape - Architect
| Lock-up shop for Motaw Damon: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk: 1902. De Rust, Western Cape - Architect
| Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk: 1861 : 1865 : 1879. Oudtshoorn, Western Cape - Architect Supervisor
| Prince, Vintcent and Co Buildings: 1913. Oudtshoorn, Western Cape - Architect
| Single-storey cottage for Amtonie: 1896. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| Single-storey cottage for AO Owen: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| Single-storey cottage for C Suring: 1896. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| Single-storey cottage for E Capes: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| Single-storey cottage for Haybittel: 1894. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| Single-storey cottage for Jardien Kagaar: 1894. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| Single-storey cottage for Martin: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| Single-storey cottage for Moetah Damon: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect Alterations and additions *
| Single-storey cottage for Mrs E Jones: 1896. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| Single-storey cottage for Mrs Mets: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| Single-storey cottage for R Featherstone: 1896. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| Single-storey cottage for Salie Moos: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| Single-storey cottage for W Johnson: 1895. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect *
| St John the Baptist Anglican Church: 1895. Prince Albert, Western Cape - Architect
| St Jude's Anglican Church: 1860-1863 : 1880 : 1887 : 1897. Oudtshoorn, Western Cape - Architect
| St Saviour's Church: 1850 : 1871 : 1904. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Contractor *
| Stables for E Capes: 1896. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| Studio for A Jarman: 1896. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect (Ascribed) [No initial given in entry] *
| Synagogue: 1886. Oudtshoorn, Western Cape - Architect
| Templars' Hall: n.d.. Oudtshoorn, Western Cape - Architect
| Victoria Memorial Hall: 1902. Oudtshoorn, Western Cape - Architect
|
Articles citing WALLIS Unknown. 1982. . Restorica: Journal of the Simon van der Stel Foundation No 11, July
| Ferreira, Naas. 1983. J.E. Vixseboxse 1836 - 1943. Restorica: Journal of the Simon van der Stel Foundation No 13, April
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Books citing WALLIS Fransen, Hans. 2004. The old buildings of the Cape. A survey of extant architecture from before c1910 in the area of Cape Town - Calvinia - Colesberg - Uitenhage. Johannesburg & Cape Town: Jonathan Ball Publishers. pp 141, 505, 506, 507, 511, 590
| HSRC. 1987. Dictionary of South African Biography Volume V. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council. pp 865
| Kesting, DP. 1978. Afrikaans Protestantse kerkbou : erfenis en uitdaging. Port Elizabeth: Unpublished PhD. pp
| Langham-Carter, RR. 1979. Nineteenth century architects etc. in the Western Cape. Cape Town: Unpublished MS, UCT Library. pp
| Radford, D. 1979. The architecture of the Western Cape, 1838-1901. A study of the impact of Victorian aesthetics and technology on South African architecture. Johannesburg: Unpublished Ph.D thesis. Dept of Arch. University of the Witwatersrand. pp 136
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