William Bidlake

William Henry Bidlake MA, FRIBA (12 May 1861 – 6 April 1938) was a British architect, a leading figure of the Arts and Crafts movement in Birmingham and Director of the School of Architecture at Birmingham School of Art from 1919 until 1924.

Several of Bidlake's houses in the Birmingham area were featured in Hermann Muthesius's book (The English House), which was to prove influential on the early Modern Movement in Germany.

Personal life Bidlake was born in Wolverhampton, the son of local architect George Bidlake (1830–1892) from whom he received his earliest architectural training. He attended Tettenhall College and Christ's College, Cambridge, gaining his MA in 1881. In 1924, He married a woman over twenty years younger than himself and moved to Wadhurst in East Sussex, where he continued to practise until his death.

Career In 1882 Bidlake moved to London where he studied at the Royal Academy Schools and worked for Colonel Edis, F.S.A., and Gothic Revival architects Bodley and Garner. He then worked as an assistant to Robert Rowand Anderson, L.L.D, in Edinburgh. In 1885 he won the RIBA Pugin Travelling Fellowship for his draughtsmanship, which enabled him to spend 1886 travelling in Italy. On returning to England in 1887 he settled in Birmingham where he set up in independent practice at 37 Waterloo Street. From 1893, he pioneered the teaching of architecture as a lecturer at the Birmingham School of Art. He was president of the Birmingham Architectural Association in 1899 and 1900. The Dene, 2 Bracebridge Road, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham (1895–1896), Grade II listed Woodside, 51 Bracebridge Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield (1898) – built for himself 17 Barker Road, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham (1898), Grade II listed St Oswald's Church, Small Heath, Birmingham (1892–9), Grade II* listed. 18 Dora Road, Small Heath, Birmingham (1899), Grade II listed College of Art, Balsall Heath, Birmingham (1899), Grade II* listed St Patrick's Church, Salter Street, Hockley Heath, Birmingham (chancel) (1899), Grade II* listed. Woodgate, 37 Hartopp Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield (1900) – built for himself, Grade II listed Kyrle Hall, Sheep Street, Birmingham. (before 1900). The Hurst, 6 Amesbury Road, Moseley, Birmingham Emmanuel Church, Sparkbrook Birmingham (1901) St Agatha's Church, Stratford Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham (1901), Grade I listed. 100 Sampson Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham (St Agatha's Vicarage) (1901), Grade II* listed St Winnow, 22 Ladywood Road, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham (1902), Grade II listed Bishop Latimer Memorial Church, Winson Green, Birmingham (1904) The Knoll, Glebe Road, Oadby, Leicestershire (1907), Grade II listed and Stables, Grade II listed St Andrew's Church, Oxhill Road, Handsworth, Birmingham (1907–9), Grade I listed St Matthew's Church, Shuttington, Warwickshire (restoration) (1908–1909), Grade II listed St Mary's Church, Wythall, Worcestershire. Roof and stair turret (nd). Emmanuel Church, Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield (1909), Grade II* listed Gates and four sets of gate piers to Handsworth Cemetery. (1909), Grade II listed Lodge to Handsworth Cemetery (1909), Grade II listed Mortuary Chapel, Handsworth Cemetery (1910) St Clears, 79 Farquhar Road, Birmingham (1914), Grade II listed Sparkhill United Church, Stratford Road (1932–3)