William Keay (1869-1952) was an English civil engineer and architect particularly associated with works in Leicestershire.
Career
Born in Leicester, Keay began his career as a civil engineer working with Everard, Son and Pick from 1911, [1] while also developing his own partnership and extending into architecture (a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, he was also eventually elected a fellow of Royal Institution of British Architects). [2]
In 1923 his practice merged with the Pick Everard practice, which was joined by Martin Gimson in 1925 to become Pick, Everard, Keay and Gimson (since 1991 known as Pick Everard). [1] Keay was also county architect for Leicestershire County Council with an office in the medieval Castle House in the Leicester Castle Close. [2] In this role, his projects included:
- extensions to Carlton Hayes Hospital (1930s)
- the County Offices on the corner of Friar Lane and Greyfriars, Leicester (1936)
- Hinckley police station (1937) [3] [4]
- Hinckley cottage hospital extensions (1936-9) [4]
- St John's church, Coventry Road, Hinckley (1948) [4]
Other works included: [2]
- overall planning and early buildings of the Leicester University College campus, [5] including Wyggeston boys and girls grammar schools (from 1921)
- Holy Apostles Church on Fosse Road South (1923-4)
- assistance to Sir Charles Nicholson on work at Leicester Cathedral (1927) [6]
- St Christopher’s Church in Marriott Road, Leicester (1928 – now the Church Hall)
- an extension to Ernest Gimson’s “Inglewood” in Ratcliffe Road, Leicester (1930) [7]
During the 1930s, he made a detailed record and carried out archaeological excavations on the site of Ulverscroft Priory in Charnwood Forest. [2] [8] [9]
He lived for a time in Glenfield at a house called "The Gynsills" (now a pub), formerly owned by the Ellis family associated with the Bardon Hill quarrying business, Ellis and Everard. [10]
References
- ^ a b "Pick, Everard, Keay & Gimson, civil engineers". The National Archives. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ a b c d "William Keay FRIBA FSI M Inst C E 1927-28". Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society. LLPS. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Hinckley Police Station 1937". Hinckley Past and Present. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ a b c "Architects, Surveyors and Engineers". Hinckley.net. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus; Williamson, Elizabeth; Brandwood, Geoffrey K. Buildings of England: Leicestershire and Rutland. Yale University Press. p. 255. ISBN 9780300096187.
- ^ "Leicester Cathedral St Martins". Leicestershirechurches.co.uk. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Houses in Leicester". Ernest Gimson and the Arts and Crafts Movement in Leicester. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Ulverscroft". LeicesterVillages.com. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Ulverscroft Priory". LeicesterVillages.com. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Jim's Jaunt: Glenfield and Groby" (PDF). Leicester CAMRA. Retrieved 13 April 2016.