Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect, of Belfast. According to his 1911 census return, Godfrey William Ferguson was born in Belfast in 1855 or 1856.   He is probably the person of the same name who was born in Belfast on 3 May 1855, the son of Henry Shaw Ferguson and Alicia, née Gunning.(1) He was articled to CHARLES LANYON CHARLES LANYON , after which he spent seven years in London, where he did an improver in the office of JOHN J. STEVENSON  JOHN J. STEVENSON and E.R. ROBSON ROBSON ,(2) and then worked for the London School Board. He had returned to Belfast by 1883, when he exhibited architectural drawings at the Cork Industrial Exhibition from an address at Lombard Street Chambers.(3) The following year he became a member of the Society of Architects.(4) After practising on his own, he joined the civil engineers JOHN HARRIS HAZLITT SWINEY  JOHN HARRIS HAZLITT SWINEY and JOHN ERNEST CROASDAILE  JOHN ERNEST CROASDAILE in practice.(5) He was architect to the Northern Banking Co. and designed many of its branch banks across the country.

A public-spirited man, Ferguson was a magistrate from circa 1897 and a member of the Grand Jury from about 1905. He became High Sheriff for Co. Antrim in 1935. In his later years, he devoted much time to prisoners' welfare. He was a visiting justice for the prison service and secretary of the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society. He was also secretary to the Church Army and a Freemason.

Ferguson died on 25 Aug 1939, leaving an estate of £30318.(6) According to his 1911 census return, he married his wife, Katherine Harriet, in about 1904 but had no children.  In his will he left £250 to St Peter's Church, Belfast, £50 pounds each to the Masonic Boys and Girls Schools in Dublin, and £50 to the Belfast Masonic Widows' Fund.(7)

RIBA: elected fellow at some point between 1923 and June 1930.(8)
Society of Architects: founder member, 1884;(9) local hon. secretary in 1923-25.

Addresses: Lombard Street Chambers, Belfast, 1883;(10) Avenue Chambers, Royal Avenue, Belfast, <=1896(11) until death.
Home: 4 Antrim Road, Belfast, 1911;  Carnamenagh, Antrim Road, Belfast, at time of death.(12)

See WORKS.



References

All information not otherwise accounted for is from the brief biography of Ferguson in IB 77, 9 Feb 1935, 94, his obituary in IB 81, 16 Sep 1939, 791, and from his entry in Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89.

(1) www.familysearch.org.
(2) Stevenson and Robson were in partnership between 1871 and 1876.
(3) IALE I, 233.
(4) Directory of British Architects 1834-1900, 304.
(5) The practice is named as Swiney, Ferguson & Croasdaile in both Ferguson and Swiney's obituaries in IB, but there are no other references to it under this name elsewhere in IB, where Ferguson's works appear under his name and Swiney & Croasdaile's under theirs.
(6) AJ 90, 28 Dec 1939, 766.
(7) IB 81, 9 Dec 1939, 791.
(8) IB 72, 7 Jun 1930, 522.
(9) C. McArthur Butler, The Society of Architects (1925), 68.
(10) See note 2, above.
(11) See note 3, above.
(12) See note 5, above.


64 work entries listed in chronological order for FERGUSON, GODFREY WILLIAM


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Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ROYAL AVENUE, NO. 028 (ASSN. FOR EMPLOYMENT OF INDUSTRIOUS BLIND)
Date: 1882-83
Nature: New workshops. Tender of Fitzpatrick Bros. (£4,000) accepted, Nov 1882. Additions, 1890. (Destroyed by fire in 1908.)
Refs: IB 24, 1 Dec 1882, 351; Architect 44, 29 Aug 1890, suppl. p.1; Marcus Patton, Central Belfast: an historical Gazetteer (UAHS, 1993), 287

Building: CO. ANTRIM, LISBURN, THOMPSON MEMORIAL HOME FOR INCURABLES
Date: 1884
Nature: New. Hydraulic passenger lift by Waygood & Co., London, to be installed.
Refs: Architect 29, 1 Mar 1884, 149 (B. of I.); F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89

Building: CO. ANTRIM, LARNE, GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Date: 1886
Nature: GF unsuccessful entrant in limited competition.
Refs: IB 28, 1 Aug 1886, 224

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, NORTH QUEEN STREET, CLIFTON HOUSE (BELFAST CHARITABLE SOCIETY)
Date: 1887
Nature: Dining hall.
Refs: Brett, 5.

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, FOUNTAIN STREET, NO. 48-50 (CHALET D'OR)
Date: 1888
Nature: For Lyle & Kinahan, wine merchants.
Refs: Marcus Patton, Central Belfast: an historical Gazetteer (UAHS, 1993), 152

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, HENRY STREET, NO. 031 (NORTHERN BANK)
Date: 1889
Nature: Internal alterations to accommodate increased number of staff resulting from acquisiton of Ball's Bank by Northern Bank in 1888. Contractor: J. & W. Beckett, Dublin. (Remodelled building absorbed into General Post Office, 1904.)
Refs: Irish Times, 6 Nov 1889.

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, CHARLEMONT STREET, PREMISES
Date: 1890
Nature: Additional premises, erection of gangway and roofing.
Refs: Estimates from James Henry,  H. & J. Martin, William McCammond & Son, Robert Corry and William Dixon contractors of Belfast, 1 Sep 1890, for erection of same in PRONI, D3563/A/J/16-20 (see PRONI e-catalogue).

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ROYAL AVENUE, NO. 028 (ASSN. FOR EMPLOYMENT OF INDUSTRIOUS BLIND)
Date: 1890
Nature: Adds.
Refs: B. of I.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, BALBRIGGAN, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1891
Nature: New branch bank.
Refs: Date inscribed on gable (information from Brendan Grimes, Apr 2015);  IB 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465.

Building: CO. TYRONE, BENBURB, POST OFFICE
Date: 1894
Nature: New post office, for James Bruce.
Refs: Letter from James Henry, contractor, Belfast, to GWF, 9 Apr 1894, quoting £1,276 as price for erecting post office and shop at Benburb, in PRONI, D1957/1/233 (see PRONI e-catalogue).

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, CRUMLIN ROAD, MATER INFIRMORUM HOSPITAL
Date: 1894
Nature: GWF wins 3rd prize in competition.
Refs: B 67, ? ? 1894, 12

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, EASTLAND STREET (SHANKILL ROAD), SCHOOL
Date: 1895
Nature: New schools in connection with St Luke's Church, Belfast. Architect: G.W. Ferguson, who received assistance from Herbert Ewart. Opened by Countess of Shaftesbury Oct 1895. Builder: H.& J. Martin.
Refs: B 69, 26 Oct 1895, 299

Building: CO. DONEGAL, DUNGLOE, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1896
Nature: New branch bank. Builder: John Colhoun, Derry.
Refs: 3 designs, s. & d. 7 Feb 1896, in collection of Northern Bank Ltd, see Hugh Dixon, Ulster Architecture 1800-1900 (UAHS, 1972),26, no. 128(illus.); IB 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465 (illus. in supplement); Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 267

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ISLANDBRIDGE, UNIVERSITY BOAT CLUB HOUSE
Date: 1897-98
Nature: New.
Refs: IAA, PKS B17/39, B18/02, A08 (Jul 1897, Jan 1898)

Building: CO. DERRY, CLAUDY, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1898
Nature: New branch bank, 'free mixture of Dutch gable, Palladian window, and pagoda-roofed Tuscan porch' (Rowan).
Refs: Northern Bank archivwes, NB/C; IB 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465; Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 191

Building: CO. ARMAGH, LURGAN, WINDSOR AVENUE, MASONIC HALL (FREEMAN'S HALL?)
Date: 1899-1900
Nature: FS laid 9 Aug 1899. Dedicated 2 Nov 1900. 2-storey, 5-bay building with 2-bay shaped gale and stair tower on street front.  Red brick with terra-cotta dressings. Builder: Thomas McMillan, Belfast.
Refs: IB 41, 15 Sep 1899, 130; 47, 28 Jan 1905, 62; B 78, 17 Nov 1900, 450;  Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 432.

Building: CO. LEITRIM, MOHILL, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1901
Nature: New branch bank and manager's house.  Tenders invited, Jul, Aug 1901.
Refs: Irish Times, 31 Jul,2 Aug 1901;   IB 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465

Building: CO. ARMAGH, LURGAN, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1901-03
Nature: Opened Feb 1903. Italian Renaissance style. Builder: J. & R. Thompson, Belfast. Cost: £4000.
Refs: Drawings dated 1901 in ?Northern Bank archive, ref. NB/L; IB 43, 15 Aug 1901, 832; 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465; Building News 84, 27 Feb 1903, 299;  Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 433.

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ARDOYNE, FIRE STATION
Date: 1902
Nature: For Belfast Corporation. £7000.[Paul Larmour says not by GWF but by Young & Mackenzie]
Refs: IB 44, 14 Aug 1902, 1358

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, GREAT PATRICK STREET, WAREHOUSE
Date: 1902
Nature: New. £1500.
Refs: IB 44, 14 Aug 1902, 1358

Building: CO. DONEGAL, RAMELTON, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1903-1906
Nature: New branch bank. Classical. Sandstone & brick.Builder: John Colhoun, Derry
Refs: Drawing(?) dated 1903 in Northern Bank archives; IB 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465 (illus. in supplement); Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 464

Building: CO. DOWN, HOLYWOOD, SULLIVAN PLACE, MASONIC HALL (MCCAMMON MEMORIAL)
Date: 1904
Nature: New hall with 50 ft frontage; red brick & white stone. Builder: J. & R. Thomson, Belfast. Opened Dec 1904 or Jan 1905.
Refs: IB 46, 12 Mar 1904, 158; 47, 28 Jan 1905, 62; B 88, 21 Jan 1905, 68

Building: CO. ANTRIM, WHITEHEAD, EDWARD ROAD, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1905
Nature: New bank opened, 1905. Builder: Laverty & Son, Belfast & Carrickfergus.
Refs: IB 47, 23 Sep 1905, 670; 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465 (illus. in supplement)

Building: CO. TYRONE, OMAGH, TYRONE COUNTY CLUB HOUSE
Date: 1906
Nature: New. Laganvale brick. Tenders invited Jun 1906; 'progressing towards completion', Oct 1906. Builder: H. Keith, Belfast.
Refs: B 90, 2 Jun 1906, 626; IB 48, 30 Jun,6,20 Oct 1906, 526,804,850; F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89

Building: CO. DOWN, BANBRIDGE, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1906-07
Nature: New bank. Tenders invited, Feb 1906. Alts. 1907.
Refs: IB 48, 24 Feb 1906, 130; 49, 1 Jun 1907, 393; 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465 (illus. in supplement)

Building: CO. LEITRIM, DRUMSHANBO, MAIN STREET, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1907
Nature: New branch office. Builder: Henry Laverty & Sons, Belfast
Refs: IB 49, 5 Oct 1907, 693; 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465

Building: CO. ANTRIM, LARNE, MAIN STREET, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1907-08
Nature: New branch office. £3,500. Builder: Henry Laverty & Sons, Belfast
Refs: IB 49, 4 May 1907, 326; 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465 (illus. in supplement)

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, GLENRAVEL STREET, LAUNDRY
Date: 1908
Nature: For Belfast Charitable Society. Builder: James Henry.
Refs: IB 51, 9 Jan 1909, 18

Building: CO. TYRONE, BERAGH, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1911
Nature: New branch office. Builder: Henry Laverty & Sons, Belfast.
Refs: Drawing(s) in Northern Bank archive, NB/B; IB 53, 23 Dec 1911, 850

Building: CO. ROSCOMMON, ELPHIN, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1911
Nature: New branch office.
Refs: IB 53, 5 Aug 1911, 530

Building: CO. CAVAN, BAILIEBOROUGH, MAIN STREET, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1912
Nature: New branch bank. Italianate 12-storey, 5-bay block.
Refs: Drawing? in Northern bank archives, NB/(Bailieborough); F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89;  Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013),  150.

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, OLD CAVEHILL ROAD, HOUSES (002-10)
Date: 1914
Nature: Builder: William Gillen
Refs: IB 56, 17 Jan 1914, 48

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, MAY STREET, NO. 078 (NORTHERN BANK)
Date: 1919-21
Nature: New bank for Markets area. Free classical style. Builder: Henry Laverty & Sons, Belfast.
Refs: Drawings, 1920, in Northern Bank archive; IB 65, 21 Apr 1923, 298; F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89; Edwin D. Hill, The Northern Banking Company (1925), 45; Marcus Patton, Central Belfast: an historical Gazetteer (UAHS, 1993), 235

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, GLENRAVEL STREET, PREMISES
Date: 1920
Nature: Additions.
Refs: IB 72, 4 Jan 1930, 27

Building: CO. CAVAN, SHERCOCK, NORTHERN BANK
Date: 1920ca
Nature: Conversion of existing house into branch bank.
Refs: F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89;  Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 533.

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, KINCORA AVENUE, HOUSES (002)
Date: 1923
Nature: 2 villas. Builder: Thomas Glover.
Refs: IB 65, 29 Dec 1923, 1009

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, KERRSLAND PARADE, HOUSES (018)
Date: 1923
Nature: 18 villas. Builder: Robert Hewett.
Refs: IB 65, 29 Dec 1923, 1009

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, RUGBY ROAD, HOUSES (008)
Date: 1923
Nature: Plans for 8 villas approved by City Surveyor.
Refs: IB 65, 29 Dec 1923, 1009

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, NORTH QUEEN STREET, BOILER HOUSE
Date: 1923
Nature: -
Refs: IB 65, 11 Aug 1923, 620

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, SOMERTON ROAD, HOUSE
Date: 1923
Nature: For R. Garrett Campbell.
Refs: IB 65, 16 Jun 1923, 464

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, PETER'S HILL, SHOPS & STORES
Date: 1923
Nature: Builder: H. & J. McKibben.
Refs: IB 65, 29 Dec 1923, 1009

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, MALONE PLACE, RESCUE & MATERNITY HOME
Date: 1924
Nature: Tenders invited, Sep 1924, for removing existing premises and rebuilding.
Refs: IB 66, 28 Jun 1924, 577;  Irish Times, 25 Sep 1924;  B 127, 26 Sep 1924, ?

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, RUGBY ROAD, HOUSES (005)
Date: 1924
Nature: Plans for 5 villas approved by City Surveyor.
Refs: IB 66, 8 Mar 1924, 193

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, CASTLE PLACE, NO. 23 (ULSTER CLUB)
Date: 1924
Nature: Additions.
Refs: IB 65, 17 Nov 1923, 891; 66, 12 Jan 1924, 25

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, MALONE PARK, NO. 047
Date: 1925
Nature: Elizabethan inspired Arts & Crafts style house.
Refs: Paul Larmour, The Architectural Heritage of Malone & Stranmillis (UAHS, 1991), 92(illus.),96

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, NORTH QUEEN STREET (& CLIFTON STREET), PREMISES
Date: 1925
Nature: Additions.
Refs: IB 67, 18 Apr 1925, 313

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, MALONE ROAD, RESCUE HOME
Date: 1926
Nature: Adds. Plans approved by City Surveyor.
Refs: IB 68, 6 Feb 1926, 98

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, OLD CAVEHILL ROAD, HOUSE
Date: 1927
Nature: Adds. to villa, for W.J. Moore. Plans approved by City Surveyor.
Refs: IB 69, 8 Jan 1927, 23

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ROSAPENNA DRIVE, HOUSES (005)
Date: 1928
Nature: -
Refs: IB 70, 28 Apr 1928, 372

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ROSAPENNA STREET, HOUSES (006)
Date: 1928
Nature: -
Refs: IB 70, 10 Nov 1928, 964

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, HARCOURT STREET, HOUSES (006)
Date: 1929
Nature: -
Refs: IB 71, 25 May 1929, 464

Building: CO. ANTRIM, LARNE, CURRAN ROAD, CHURCH HALL (CI, INVER PARISH)
Date: 1930-31
Nature: New. Builder: H. Girvan & Sons, Larne.
Refs: IB 72, 15 Mar,7,21 Jun 1930, 252,522,564; 73, 4,18 Jul 1931, 594,646

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, CAVEHILL ROAD (& MADISON AVENUE), HOUSE
Date: 1932
Nature: Adds., for Mrs E.H. Peacocke.
Refs: IB 74, 21 May,18 Jun 1932, 480,568

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ANTRIM ROAD, HOUSES (004)
Date: 1933
Nature: For Matthew Sloan.
Refs: IB 75, 245 Mar 1933, 247

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, GLENRAVEL STREET (NEAR), MORTUARY
Date: 1937
Nature: -
Refs: IB 79, 1 May 1937, 402

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, NORTH QUEEN STREET, CLIFTON HOUSE (BELFAST CHARITABLE SOCIETY)
Date: 1938
Nature: Gate lodge.
Refs: Marcus Patton, Central Belfast: an historical Gazetteer (UAHS, 1993), 241

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, NORTH QUEEN STREET, HOUSE
Date: 1939
Nature: For Belfast Charitable Society.
Refs: IB 81, 18 Feb 1939, 153

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ROYAL AVENUE, NO. 109-111 (NORTHERN BANK)
Date: ?
Nature: -
Refs: F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89

Building: CO. TYRONE, FIVEMILETOWN, NORTHERN BANK
Date: ?
Nature: New.
Refs: IB 52, 23 Jul 1910, 465

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, NEWTOWNARDS ROAD, NO.411-413 ( NORTHERN BANK)
Date: ?
Nature: -
Refs: F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89

Building: CO. DOWN, HOLYWOOD, NORTHERN BANK
Date: ?
Nature: -
Refs: F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89

Building: CO. DOWN, PORTAFERRY, NORTHERN BANK
Date: ?
Nature: -
Refs: F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89

Building: CO. LONGFORD, LANESBOROUGH, NORTHERN BANK
Date: ?
Nature: -
Refs: F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89

Building: CO. CAVAN, FARNHAM HOUSE
Date: ?
Nature: Alterations.
Refs: F. Chatterton (ed.),Who's Who in Architecture (1923), 89