William Owen

William Owen (27 August 1846 – 5 April 1910) was an English architect who practised in Warrington, which was at that time in Lancashire, England. His works were confined to Northwest England. Owen is best known for his collaboration with William Lever in the creation of the soap-making factory and associated model village at Port Sunlight in the Wirral Peninsula (then in Cheshire, now in Merseyside). Here he designed the factory, many of the workers' houses, public buildings and the church. Later Owen was joined by his son, Segar, as a partner. On his own, or in partnership, Owen designed houses, churches, banks, public houses, an infirmary, a school, and a concert hall.

Biography and career

William Owen was born in Latchford, Warrington. He trained as an architect under John Lowe in Manchester, becoming his assistant, and later was assistant to James Radford. He then travelled in Europe before establishing a practice in Warrington in 1869. He was joined in partnership by his eldest son, Segar, in 1898. The partnership also had an office in Manchester. Owen's work was confined to Northwest England. His more notable designs include churches in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, and Warrington, buildings for Parr's Bank in Southport, Merseyside, and Wigan, Greater Manchester, and the Parr Hall, a concert hall in Warrington. The partnership were architects to the Greenall Whitley Brewery Company,

Works elsewhere Single-handed Baptist Church, Altrincham, Greater Manchester (1878–79) St Barnabas' Church, Bank Quay, Warrington, Cheshire (1879) School of Art, Warrington, Cheshire (1883) Extensions to All Saints Church, Thelwall, Cheshire (1890) National Westminster Bank, Southport, Merseyside (1892) (originally Parr's Bank) Ticketford, Thornton Hough, Merseyside (1892) 5–11 The Folds, Thornton Hough, Merseyside (1892) Eversley, Frodsham, Cheshire (c. 1892) 1–6 Manor Road, Thornton Hough, Merseyside (1893) Parr Hall, Warrington (1895) Albion public house, Warrington, Cheshire (1896) St Clement's Chapel, Warrington, Cheshire (1897) (demolished) Normanshurst Hotel, Manchester (1898) Cemetery Chapel, Hale Barns, Greater Manchester (date unknown) Windsor Court (originally a Post Office), Knutsford, Cheshire (date unknown) Sunlight Chambers, Newcastle-on-Tyne (1901-2) Wheatsheaf public house, Warrington, Cheshire (c. 1900) Technical School, Warrington (1900–01) Mulberry Tree public house, Stockton Heath, Cheshire (1907) Organ screen, St Elphin's Church, Warrington, Cheshire (1908)