Charles Webb

Charles Webb (born 26 November 1821, Sudbury, Suffolk, England – 23 January 1898) was an architect working in Victoria, Australia, during the 19th century. Notable Webb designs include the iconic Windsor Hotel, Royal Arcade, South Melbourne Town Hall and Tasma Terrace, all listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Biography Charles Webb was born in Sudbury, Suffolk, England on 26 November 1821, as the youngest of nine children. After being apprentice at an architect in London, in 1847 he became the secretary of the London Architectural Students' Society. Following his brother James who earlier migrated to Australia, Charles arrived in Melbourne on 2 June 1849. He set up an architecture and surveyor partnership with his brother at Brighton. Their first important commission was for the St Paul's Church on Swanston Street in 1850. After 1858 Webb practised on his own, until two of his sons joined him in 1888. In this period he designed several public buildings, including the Wesley College (1864), Alfred Hospital (1869), Royal Arcade (1869), South Melbourne Town Hall (1878), Melbourne Orphan Asylum (1878) and the Grand Hotel later renamed Hotel Windsor (1884). In 1856 he was a founding member of the Victorian Institute of Architects, and between 1882-83 the organisation's president.

Significant works 1856 – Melbourne Grammar School (main buildings), Melbourne 1857 – St Andrew's Anglican Church, Brighton, Melbourne 1863 – Church of Christ, Swanston Street, Melbourne 1864 – Wesley College, Prahran, Melbourne 1869 – Royal Arcade, Bourke Street, Melbourne 1872 – The Beehive Building, Pall Mall, Bendigo 1873 – Christ Church, Dingley, Melbourne 1875 – Congregational Church, Black St., Brighton, Melbourne 1876 – Mandeville Hall, Toorak, Melbourne 1876 – John Knox Presbyterian Church, Gardenvale, Melbourne 1878 – Tasma Terrace, Parliament Place, East Melbourne 1879 – South Melbourne Town Hall, South Melbourne 1880 – Primary School No. 1253, South Melbourne 1882 – Mosspennoch, East Melbourne 1883 – Grand Hotel (Windsor), Spring Street, Melbourne 1884 – Banks & Co Warehouse, 96 Pelham Street, Carlton, Melbourne 1889 – Charsfield Hotel, St Kilda Road, Melbourne

Gallery of works