William Archer (architect)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other botanists with a similar name, see William Andrew Archer and William Archer (naturalist).

William Archer (1820–1874) was an Australian architect,

grazier, politician and member of the prominent Archer family. He was the second son of Thomas Archer, a prominent pastoralist and politician himself. A keen interest in architecture led to him going to London to study architecture when he finished school, where he studied under William Rogers and Robert Stephenson. During his life he built many colonial buildings across Tasmania, served as a member of both the Tasmanian House of Assembly and Tasmanian Legislative Council and made significant contributions to botany, with several native Tasmanian plants named after him. Despite this he died penniless at his brothers house Fairfield on 15 October 1874.[1]

Life

Archer was born in Launceston, Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) into the influential local Archer family, owners of the Brickendon Estate and Woolmers Estate, a closely knit and pious Anglican family to Thomas (1780–1850), a banker and landholder, and Susannah (née Hortle) Archer. He was married (7 April 1846) to Anne Hortle, his first cousin, with whom he had thirteen children, one of whom died before him.

Archer studied architecture and

Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew.[1]

He was the appointed architect to the

Hobart (1848–49), additions to the world heritage listed Woolmers and Brickendon estates, the calendar house "Mona Vale" (1865–68) in Ross, his own home Cheshunt, Fairfield for his brother. his cousins house Saundridge and Horton College at Ross. Archer did some of his architectural work free of charge.[1]

Archer died in Cressy, on 15 October 1874 following a prolonged period of financial hardship.[1]

Politics

He was a member of the Tasmanian parliament three times, once as a member of the Legislative Council (1851–1855) and twice as a member of the House of Assembly (1860–1862 and 1866–1868).[2]

Architectural works

Residences

Churches

  • St Peter's Church of England, St Leonards (demolished)[3]
  • Former Paterson's Plains Chapel, St Leonards[3]

Schools

Legacy

The species

Corunastylis archeri (the elfin midge orchid)[5] and the genus Archeria
are named after him.

The standard author abbreviation W.Archer bis is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[6]

References

  1. ^
    Melbourne University Press
    . Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  2. ^ "William Archer". Members of the Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "William Archer – Biography". daao.org.au. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  4. ISBN 9781420003222
    .
  5. ISBN 9780643102002
    . Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  6. ^ International Plant Names Index.  W.Archer bis.
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