William Keay

William Keay (1869-1952) was an English civil engineer and architect particularly associated with works in Leicestershire.

Career Born in Leicester, Keay began his career as a civil engineer working with Everard, Son and Pick from 1911, while also developing his own partnership and extending into architecture (a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, he was also eventually elected a fellow of Royal Institution of British Architects).

In 1923 his practice merged with the Pick Everard practice, which was joined by Martin Gimson in 1925 to become Pick, Everard, Keay and Gimson (since 1991 known as Pick Everard). Hinckley cottage hospital extensions (1936-9) including Wyggeston boys and girls grammar schools (from 1921) Holy Apostles Church on Fosse Road South (1923-4) assistance to Sir Charles Nicholson on work at Leicester Cathedral (1927) St Christopher’s Church in Marriott Road, Leicester (1928 – now the Church Hall) an extension to Ernest Gimson’s “Inglewood” in Ratcliffe Road, Leicester (1930)

During the 1930s, he made a detailed record and carried out archaeological excavations on the site of Ulverscroft Priory in Charnwood Forest.

He lived for a time in Glenfield at a house called "The Gynsills" (now a pub), formerly owned by the Ellis family associated with the Bardon Hill quarrying business, Ellis and Everard.