PEARCE, Henley Dawson

Architect

Also referred to as DAWSON-PEARCE, Henley.

Pearce was born and educated in Norwich, England. He was the son of the architect JB Pearce, FRIBA, of Norwich, to whom J PENDER-WEST was articled. After leaving school in 1891, Pearce spent a year in his father's office before being apprenticed to Cornish & Gaymen, ecclesiastical contractors in North Walsham, Norfolk, so as to 'gain insight into the building trade' (LRIBA nom papers 1911). He returned to his father's office in 1895 where he seems to have remained until he left for South Africa in 1897, coming to East London where he worked as an assistant to J FORT for three years. He set up independent practice in 1900 in East London. In his papers for Licentiate membership of the RIBA (1911) he said that until 1908 the business was carried out under the style of PEARCE & PEARCE, and, since no evidence of the other Pearce in this partnership has yet been found, it has been assumed that he was in partnership with his father in England. The partnership Pearce & Pearce was listed at an address in Terminus St, East London in 1906. In about 1906 Pearce represented MILNE & SLADDIN on work on Lloyd's Building in East London. He became a member of the ISAA in 1927 and continued to practice there until he retired in 1934, resigning from the ISAA.

A directory of 1937 lists Dawson-Pearce, H., Architect, and provides his residential address as 2 Buller Street, Cambridge, East London.

(East London Red Book 1904, 1906; East London & Frontier Red Book 1937:150; ISAA mem list; LRIBA nom papers (1911); SAWW 1916)

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

B Stevenson's warehouse (Grain merchant): pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Belgrave Hotel, rebuilt: 1931. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Farmers' Co-op Wool Store: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Flats I Blumenthal: 1932. Kensington, East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Grocott & Sherry, Stationers bldg: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

H&B Stevenson's Wool Store, built from concrete blocks: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

House A Addleson: 1932. Selborne, East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

House J Mills Ellis: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

House R Symons: 1923. Qonce (King William's Town), Eastern Cape - Architect

House Ross-Watt: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Knobel & Co, Grocers: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Knobel's Grocery & Bottle Store: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Lloyds Building: c1906. East London, Eastern Cape - Supervising Architect

Morum Bros Agricultural Store: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Morum Bros Wool Store: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk and Manse: 1905. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Park Hotel - Vincent Hotel: pre-1911. Clifton, East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Savoy Hotel, rebuilt after fire: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Seamen's Institute: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Stewart's Bldg: pre-1911. East London, Eastern Cape - Architect

Books citing PEARCE

Brown, SM. 1969. Architects and others: an annotated list of people of South African interest appearing in the RIBA Journal 1880-1925. Johannesburg: Unpublished dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand. pp

ISAA. 1927. Register of Members the Institute of South African Architects. Johannesburg: ISAA (Unpublished Record). pp P7