Architect, of Dublin. Arthur Edward Williams was born at 27 Frederick Street, Limerick, on 29 September 1878 and was educated at the Jesuit College, Limerick, and Rockwell College, Co. Tipperary. He served an apprenticeship with a James Maher and was also a student of Charles Frederick Mitchell in London. In 1915 he married ANTHONY SCOTT' ANTHONY SCOTT' s daughter Isabel and entered his father-in-law's office in Sackville Street. About three years later he moved to Buncrana, Co. Donegal, but had returned to Dublin and opened his own office at 7 Trinity Street by February 1920. In February 1923 he was appointed an architectural draughtsman in the city architect's department on a six-month contract at six guineas a week. He later entered the architectural department of the Office of Public Works, where he remained for the rest of his career. He also taught in Bolton Street Technical School.
Williams retired from the Office of Public Works circa 1943 and died in May 1951. He had at least two children: a daughter, Fidelma, and a son, Gerard. He appears to have been very closely tied to his wife's family, initially living with and working for his father-in-law and later living for many years next door to his brother-in-law THOMAS JOSEPH BYRNE. T THOMAS JOSEPH BYRNE. T he biography in the AAI Green Book describes him as having crossed the Atlantic and 'travelled much on the Continent' and as devoting his leisure to gardening and reading. Byrne Costigan recalls that he had 'a fairly good baritone voice' and would sing such songs as 'The Queen of Connemara', 'When other Lips' and 'My Little Grey Home in the West' at her family's musical parties.
AAI: elected member, 1918; vice-president, 1941-42; president, 1942-43.
RIAI: elected member 1919, commended in Part 2 of industrial dwellings competition, 1919.
Addresses: Work: 7 Trinity Street, Dublin, 1920-1923.
Home: 50 Dartmouth Square, 1915-1918; Dunleary House, Sutton,1919-1923; 50 Dartmouth Square, 1924-29; 2 Victoria Terrace, Rathgar (later renumbered as 13 Terenure Road East), 1930-1941; 4 Fortfield Terrace, Upper Rathmines, 1942-1950.
References
All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the biography of Williams in AAI Green Book 1942-43, 22, which is accompanied by a portrait photograph, and from the reminiscences of his niece Ethna Byrne Costigan, Ethna Mary Twice (1989), 88,89,92,147,211. Another short biography (not seen) is in IB 84, 25 Apr 1942, 164. (
1) By 1915, according to Byrne Costigan, his parents were living in Hollybrook Road, Clontarf; Thom's Directory for 1915 lists a William Williams at No. 14 and a Henry D. Williams at No. 68.
See Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 (RIBA 2001), II, 189.
IB 65, 24 Feb 1923, 143.
RIAI Year Book 1952, 16.
See note 3, above.
From lists of officers and members in AAI Green Books.
JRIAI (1920), 4.
JRIAI (1920), 7; curiously another Arthur Williams, of College Road, Cork, was commended in Part 1 of the competition.
From RIAI and AAI lists of members unless otherwise attributed.
Irish Times, 26 Feb 1920.
This was Anthony Scott's house.
This house was next door to T.J. Byrne's house.
