Isidore George

1859

Isidore George Beaver was born in Manchester in 1859 (Lewis 2012: 76), the son of a successful jeweller and watchmaker, Louis Beaver, a Jewish emigree from Prussian Poland (Williams 1985: 138). Beaver emigrated to South Australia some time before August 1883, when he announced his architectural partnership with William McMinn in Adelaide (‘Advertising’ 21 August 1883: 8). His sisters, Evelyn and Laura had earlier migrated to Australia, Evelyn to Melbourne and Laura to Adelaide. Although Beaver was a successful architect, little has been found to illuminate his personal life, and following his death on 24 October 1934, his estate was left to a niece (‘Wills & Estates’ 1935: 21).

What is known is that Isidore Beaver (variously called J.G. Beaver or Beavor) was the Vice President of the Architectural Students’ Association and was present at its first annual meeting on 9 September 1885 (‘Architectural Students’ Association’ 1885: 5). He was also a founding member of the South Australian Institute of Architects and present at their first meeting (SAIA Roll Book, Architecture Museum). It has been recorded that Beaver taught Building Construction at the School of Design under Harry P. Gill in 1887 (Jensen and Jensen 1980: 771). A J.G. Beaver was a foundation member of the Holdfast Bay Yacht Club which opened in 1883 (‘An Historic Club’ 1934: 6). He also may have been the J.G. Beaver who was recorded as participating in Chess Tournaments in the 1880s (‘The Adelaide Chess Tourney’ 1882: 16).

Isidore Beaver entered into partnership with architect William McMinn of Adelaide on 18 August 1883 to practice from Torrens Chambers in Victoria Square, Adelaide (‘Advertising’ 21 August 1883: 8). Their first project together appears to have been additions to the Alfred Masonic Hall on Waymouth Street, Adelaide for the Duke of Leinster Lodge (‘New Masonic Hall’ 1883: 2). It appears that Beaver may have been a freemason, as he was named ‘Brother Beaver’ in a press report on the lodge rooms’ consecration in 1884 (‘Alfred Masonic Hall’ 1884: 6). McMinn likely designed the building but following his death in February 1884, Beaver continued the supervision of the building works. During their brief partnership, McMinn and Beaver called for tenders for a villa at Montrose, near Mount Lofty in September 1883. McMinn, however, was ailing (‘Obituary’ 1884: 1; ‘The week’ 1884: 11) and the partnership was short-lived, dissolving by mutual consent in January 1884, with business to be carried on by Beaver (‘Advertising’ 5 January 1884: 2). McMinn appeared before the Insolvency Court on 13 February 1884 (‘Insolvency Court 1884: 7), only days before passing away.

Under his own name Beaver called for tenders for an Institute building at Manoora in January 1884 (‘Tenders’ 1884: 4), with the foundation stone laid in March that year (‘Sewerage smells in North Adelaide’ 1884: 4). Beaver is also recorded as having designed an ‘elegant and substantial house’ at Roebuck St (‘Advertising’ 1885: 8), possibly in what is now the suburb of Mile End.

Wright and Reed collaborated with Isidore Beaver to enter the architectural competition for the Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition building. Their entry gained second prize. The brick and cement rendered design was described in the newpapers of the time as ‘Renaissance in character, with projecting centre and wings, the centre having a capacious portico with balcony over and finished with an octagonal dome, the wings being finished with “Mansard roofs”’ (‘The Jubilee Exhibition’ 1886: 6). However, when the contract for the design was given Withall and Wells’ previously disqualified entry, Wright and Reed, and Beaver, along with many other Adelaide architects who had entered the competition were outraged (Collins 2016).

On 31 March 1886 Beaver joined the partnership of Edmund Wright and James Reed to form Wright, Reed and Beaver, with offices located in the Queen’s Chambers on Pirie Street, Adelaide (‘Advertising’ 1886: 1). The partnership produced Cabra Dominican Convent in Cumberland Park (1886), the Federal Building Society and Savings Institute, King William Street, Adelaide (1887), and the Bank of New South Wales, on the corner of King William Street and North Terrace, Adelaide (1888).

In 1887, Wright, Reed and Beaver converted an existing warehouse into the Royal Exchange building for John Robb. It opened on 29 June 1888, ‘with great celebration to provide a new home to Adelaide’s five stock exchanges’ (Gibbs 1988: 65) with the Stock Exchange of Adelaide located in rooms on the ground floor. Wright, Reed and Beaver kept the large three-storeyed building with Classical ornamentation which was formerly the D. and W. Murray building, renovating it and adding a new brick portion to the rear. The building housed offices, a public hall, the exchange room and meeting room. It also included two elevators and telephone and telegraph connections. The prominent verandah spanned the Mintaro slate footpath, and was carried on Fulton’s cast iron columns (‘The Royal Exchange’ 1888: 3).

Edmund Wright died in 1888 but the name of the partnership remained the same, with James Reed and Isidore Beaver continuing the practice. Others were present in the office though, with Henry E. Fuller articled to Beaver during the 1880s (‘Pen Portraits’ 1927: 8), and the artist Frank H. Bartels also an articled pupil (South Australian Chronicle 1895: 12).

In 1889 the National Mutual Life Association held a competition for a new building to stand on Collins Street, Melbourne. Of the forty-three entries received, Wright, Reed and Beaver’s was selected as the winner. In June 1890, Beaver moved to Melbourne to open a branch office of Wright, Reed and Beaver in order to supervise the construction (Express and Telegraph 1890: 3). Their Gothic Revival design still stands and is State Heritage listed in Victoria. It is eight storeys in height and constructed of freestone with a brick and concrete structure. Internally it is highly ornamented with rich plaster mouldings and timber decoration (Heritage Victoria 2014: 2).

Beaver stayed in Melbourne following the completion of the National Mutual Life Association building, which opened ‘just before the financial crash of 1893’ (Heritage Victoria 2014: 2). On 9 August 1893, Wright, Reed and Beaver was dissolved (Advertiser 1893: 4). Beaver then continued his architectural career as a sole practitioner in Melbourne. According to Lewis, one of his major commissions was the Fresh Food and Frozen Storage Company Ltd. Head office on Bourke Street, Melbourne in 1894 followed by mainly residential jobs (Lewis 2012: 76). In 1901 he collaborated with Reed, Smart and Tappin on the Gothic style Maples Furniture Warehouse, Clarendon Street, South Melbourne (‘Maples New Furniture and Piano Warehouse’ 1901: 6). In 1911 Beaver designed Metahar House, the first Jewish Chapel in New Melbourne General Cemetery, Fawkner which was described in the Hebrew Standard as having a ‘pleasing and graceful appearance’ (‘Victorian Items’ 1911: 11; ‘Fawkner Cemetery: Consecration of Metahar House’ 1911: 11).

In 1915, Beaver joined with Arthur W. Purnell (1878-1964) to form Beaver and Purnell in Melbourne. As with many architectural practices it is difficult to determine from whose hand each of the designs may have sprung, although Lewis and Aitken have presumed Purnell was ‘the chief designer in the partnership (Lewis and Aitken 1992: Appendix: 29). They appear to have had many residential commissions including ‘Ranmoor’, a house for Mr Tinsley on Glenferrie Road, Malvern (1916-1918) (Lewis and Aitken 1992: Appendix: 29). In 1917 they designed a three-storeyed apartment building on the corner of Malvern and Irving Roads, Toorak, which was named ‘Tsohshaan’, reflecting Purnell’s time in China (Lewis and Aitken 1992: Appendix: 29). In 1923 Beaver and Purnell produced designs for a new St Kilda Synagogue, although it is unclear if these were proceeded with (‘St Kilda Hebrew Congregation’ 1923: 18). Other works by Beaver and Purnell included additions to the Homeopathic Hospital, St Kilda Road in 1924 (‘New Wing of Homeopathic Hospital’ 1924: 17). The partnership then dissolved and from 1925 onwards, Beaver practised alone (‘Personal’ 1924: 19).

Beaver’s last architectural work was possibly renovations to the external façade of the building which housed his professional offices, Alston’s Buildings, on Collins Street, Melbourne (‘Tenders called’ 1934: 6). He died at his residence at 33 Wynnstay Road, Armadale, aged 75 years on 24 October 1934 (‘Deaths’ 1934: 1).

Julie Collins and Ruth Fazakerley

Thanks to Ruth Fazakerley for her preliminary research on Isidore Beaver.

Citation details
Collins, Julie and Fazakerley, Ruth, 'Beaver, Isidore George', Architecture Museum, University of South Australia, 2008/2016, Architects of South Australia: [http://www.architectsdatabase.unisa.edu.au/arch_full.asp?Arch_ID=146]