C. H. B. Quennell


Charles Henry Bourne Quennell, was an English architect, designer, illustrator and writer.

Biography

Quennell was the son of Henry Quennell, a builder, and his wife Emma Rebecca, and grew up in a house at Cowley Road on the Holland Town Estate, Kennington, London. He was the husband of Marjorie Quennell whom he met in 1903 at the Junior Art Worker's Guild and father of Peter Quennell. With his wife, he wrote extensively on social history.
Discussing the leading English furniture designs of the time, Herman Muthesius wrote:
'... that inspired artist Henry Wilson and the excellent designer C. H. B. Quennell far outshine the rest of the group and produce work of high artistic sensibility.'
Quennell died in December 1935; his final words to his wife were "There you go – butting in as usual"
His brother, Walter, a builder and property developer, was father of Joan Quennell, a Conservative M.P.

Career

He was articled to Newman and Newman, and worked in the offices of J. McK. Brydon and of J. D. Sedding and Henry Wilson. He obtained the National Gold medal for Architecture, and RIBA Medal of Merit and £5 in the Soane Medallion competition in 1895. He began practice in 1896 working with his brother William developing houses at Hampstead Garden Suburb and then with developer George Washington Hart.

Illustrations and designs

1912–15 Member of the Council of RIBA
1914–25 Member of the Town Planning Committee of RIBA
1928–30 Member of the Board of Architectural Education

Writing

;Works in collaboration