Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect. Joseph Patrick Alcock was born in Liverpool in 1905. After leaving school he spent four years in an electrical research laboratory and eighteen months teaching before entering Liverpool School of Architecture. While he was a student he was president of Liverpool University Architectural Society. On graduating in 1933, he practised in Liverpool and became assistant to the Liverpool architect F.X. Velarde. In the late 1930s he moved to Dublin and become senior assistant in the office of JOSEPH VINCENT DOWNES JOSEPH VINCENT DOWNES ; he was chief assistant in charge of the erection of the Kilkenny County Hospital. In the mid-1940s he was appointed to the Sanatoria Section of the Department of Local Government and Health, where he was one of two senior architects working on the design of the three regional sanatoria at Dublin, Galway and Cork. He moved to the Office of Public Works in 1949 and was appointed assistant principal in charge of new works in 1954. He died suddenly in Dublin on 7 July 1966, after brief holiday in Venice. He was remembered as a genial personality, who was active in the AAI drama group. He was survived by his wife, Kathy, a well known figure in musical circles.

AAI:(1) elected member 1936; member of committee, 1940-41, 1946-61; hon. sec., 1941-44; hon. librarian, 1944-45; president 1945-46; vice-president 1948-49.
RIAI: elected member 10 Feb 1939, proposed by Joseph V. Downes and seconded by F.B. MEEHAN  MEEHAN and EOGHAN D. BUCKLEY EOGHAN D. BUCKLEY ;(2) fellow, 1951;(3) council member 1952-55 & 1957.(4)
RIBA: associate, 18 June 1934, proposed by Lionel B. Budden, and seconded by Edward R.F. Cole and Bernard H. Miller.(5)

Addresses: Work: 53, Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, 1940-44.
Home: Grey Gates, Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin, <=1945-1966.

See WORKS and BIBLIOGRAPHY. BIBLIOGRAPHY.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the obituary of Alcock by Raymond McGrath in the Irish Times, 8 Jul 1966, from the biography in AAI Green Book (1946), 22 (with portrait photograph); and from the obituary in Oibre 4 (September 1966), 3 (with portrait photograph). Other obituaries are in RIAI Year Book (1967), 19 (also by Raymond McGrath) and AAI Green Book (1967), 26 (by J.F.G., probably James F. Green).

(1) From lists of members and officers in AAI Green Books; IB 87, 10 May 1945, 230.
(2) Jones transcripts from RIAI minutes in Jones file A19; JRIAI (1940), 18.
(3) IB 94, 2 Feb 1952, 94.
(4) RIAI lists of officers.
(5) RIBAJ 41 (1933-34), 837.


7 work entries listed in chronological order for ALCOCK, JOSEPH PATRICK


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Building: CO. WICKLOW, BALTINGLASS, POLICE STATION
Date: 1953
Nature: Tenders invited for erection of same for Office of Public Works, Sep 1953.
Refs: IB 95, 26 Sep 1953, 1018; Irish Times, 8 Jul 1966 (obituary); Oibre 4 (Sep 1966), 3 (obituary)

Building: CO. WATERFORD, WATERFORD, EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE
Date: 1953a
Nature: For OPW, with T. Ryan.
Refs: Illus. in Architectural Survey 1953, 27; Irish Times, 8 Jul 1966 (obituary); Oibre 4 (Sep 1966), 3 (obituary)

Building: ?, LAND COMMISSION HOUSES
Date: 1960
Nature: For OPW, with A. Guignan
Refs: IB 102, 3 Sep 1960, 657 (illus)

Building: CO. GALWAY, GALWAY, EGLINTON STREET, POST OFFICE
Date: 1960
Nature: For OPW with C.A. Manahan
Refs: Irish Times, 8 Jul 1966 (obituary); IB 102, 11 Jun 1960, 427; Oibre 4 (Sep 1966), 3 (obituary)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, KILDARE STREET, LEINSTER HOUSE (DAIL EIREANN)
Date: 1966
Nature: Important adds for OPW, consisting of 5-floor office building.
Refs: Irish Times, 8 Jul 1966 (obituary); Oibre 4 (Sep 1966), 3 (obituary);  date of building from Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 503.

Building: CO. GALWAY, ATHENRY, GARDA STATION
Date: ?
Nature: For OPW
Refs: Irish Times, 8 Jul 1966 (obituary); Oibre 4 (Sep 1966), 3 (obituary)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, FOSTER PLACE, NO. 006 (CURRENCY COMMISSION ALIAS CENTRAL BANK OF IRELAND)
Date: ?
Nature: Improvements for OPW
Refs: Irish Times, 8 Jul 1966 (obituary); Oibre 4 (Sep 1966), 3 (obituary)

Author Title Date Details
Alcock, Joseph Patrick 'Architecture without architects' 1941 IB 83, 1 Mar 1941, 109. (Summary of paper read to RIAI)
Alcock, Joseph Patrick 'Future of the IAA' (inaugural address as president of AAI) 1945 IB 87, 6 Oct 1945, 506.
Alcock, Joseph Patrick 'Future of the IAA' 1945 IB 87, 6 Oct 1945, 506
Alcock, Joseph Patrick 'Plea for spring-cleaning'
1945 RIAI Year Book (1945), 4-6.

O'rourke, Dermod Breffni 'The modern house in Ireland' 1945 IB 87, 13 Jan 1945, 7. (Includes photo and plan of house by Alcock.)