Francis Greenway

His designs incorporated neoclassical architectural principles and responded to the practical needs of the developing colony.

• Name — Francis Howard Greenway • Born — 20 November 1777 • Birthplace — Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire, England • Died — 1837 9 (aged 59) • Place of death — near Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia • Resting Place — Glebe burial ground, East Maitland, New South Wales • Monuments — Francis Greenway High School, Beresfield. Francis Greenway Correctional Complex, Berkshire Park NSW. • Occupation — Architect • Years Active — 1800–1835 • Known for — Early colonial Australian architecture • Notable Works — List of works • Criminal Charge — Forgery • Criminal Penalty — 14 years transportation to Australia • Criminal Status — Discharged • Children — 7

Greenway was born in Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire (near the English city of Bristol), the son of Francis Greenway and Ann Webb. Greenway became an architect 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, although only the front facade is his work, due to bankruptcy in 1809. In 1812 he pleaded guilty to forging a financial document. While initially sentenced to death, it was commuted to 14 years' transportation. Whilst awaiting deportation to Sydney, Greenway spent time in Newgate Prison, Bristol, where he painted scenes of prison life. • Illustration — Painting by Greenway of a mock trial in Newgate Prison, Bristol, 1812, held at the State Library of New South Wales Greenway arrived in Sydney, New South Wales, on the transport General Hewitt in February 1814 to serve his sentence. On board the ship was the surgeon Dr John Harris who was to give Greenway his first private commission in the colony which involved extending his residence on his Ultimo estate. Greenway first met Lachlan Macquarie in July 1814, to whom he had come recommended by Admiral Arthur Phillip. During the initial meeting, Macquarie sought to test Greenway by asking him to copy a design of a town hall and courthouse from a pattern book. Greenway responded with a letter asserting his professional qualifications and urging Macquarie to consider a classical design, citing Sir William Chambers. He added that he would "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." Between 1816 and 1818, while still a convict, Greenway was responsible for the design and construction of the Macquarie Lighthouse on the South Head 2 km from the entrance to Port Jackson. After the success of this project, he was emancipated by the governor Lachlan Macquarie on 16 December 1817 at the Lighthouse. In the role of Acting Civil Architect and Assistant Engineer responsible to Captain J. M. Gill, Inspector of Public Works, he went on to build many buildings in the new colony. Greenway's works include Hyde Park Barracks, extensions to First Government House, the stables for a projected new Government House (condemned for their 'useless magnificence' by a visiting British official, the building is now home to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music), and St James' Church, Sydney, which was chosen as one of Australia's only two man-made 'treasures' by Dan Cruickshank in the BBC series Around the World in 80 Treasures. He submitted designs for the first Catholic church in Sydney, St Mary's but they did not match the ambitious scale envisaged by the priest Fr Therry, and were not proceeded with. Greenway was dismissed by the next Governor, Thomas Brisbane, in 1822. In 1835 he was destitute, advertising in the Sydney Gazette that "Francis Howard Greenway, arising from circumstances of a singular nature is induced again to solicit the patronage of his friends and the public". Greenway died of typhoid near Newcastle, New South Wales in 1837, aged 59. The exact date of his death is not known. He is believed to have been buried in the Glebe burial ground at East Maitland on 25 September 1837, but his grave is unmarked.

The following works were either designed by Greenway or were influenced by Greenway: • Structure name — Location — Period — Architectural style — Contribution — Heritage status — Image — Notes • Cadmans Cottage — The Rocks — 1815–1816 — Supervised construction — • Cleveland House — Surry Hills — Contribution uncertain • Clifton Hotel and Assembly Rooms building — Bristol — 1806–1809 — Supervised construction — Grade II* listed building on the National Heritage List for England — • First Government House, Sydney — Bridge Street, Sydney — 1810–1820 — Italianate — Extensions — • Hobartville — Richmond — Contribution uncertain • Hyde Park Barracks — Macquarie Street, Sydney — 1818–1819 — Architect — • Judge's House — Sydney — Also attributed to W. Harper • Liverpool Technical College (formerly Liverpool Hospital) — Liverpool — • Macquarie Lighthouse (1816–1878) — Watsons Bay — 1816–1818 — Architect — • Obelisk — Macquarie Place — 1818 — Architect — • Old Government House — Parramatta — Timber portico only — • St James' Church — Queen's Square Phillip Street, Sydney — 1820–1824 — Architect — New South Wales State Heritage Register — • St Luke's Anglican Church — Liverpool — 1818–1820 — Architect — New South Wales State Heritage Register — • St Matthew's Church — Windsor — 1817 — Architect — • Supreme Court of New South Wales — Cnr King and Elizabeth streets, Sydney — 1820–1828 — Architect (dismissed before completion) — New South Wales State Heritage Register — • Sydney Conservatorium of Music — Macquarie Street, Sydney — Architect — New South Wales State Heritage Register — • Windsor Court House — Windsor — 1821 — Architect