R. Frank Atkinson
Robert Frank Atkinson (1869 – 15 June 1923) was a British architect.
![R. Frank Atkinson.](../I/RFrankAtkinson.jpg.webp)
![](../I/The_Infamous_Adelphi_Hotel%252C_Lime_Street_-_geograph.org.uk_-_137614.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Building_on_Oxford_Street_in_the_City_of_Westminster%252C_London_in_spring_2013_(10).JPG.webp)
Career
Atkinson was born in Liverpool and began his career as an articled apprentice to John Francis Doyle in the same city. He remained as Doyle's assistant for 6 years after completing his apprenticeship, before opening his own office in Liverpool in 1897, and in London in 1901.[1] At his London office he had as an assistant Robert Atkinson (no known relation) who went on to become a famous architect.[2] He died on 15 June 1923 in Leeds.[1]
Notable works
Atkinson designed the Waring & Gillow department store at 164–182 Oxford Street. It was built in 1905–06 and was made a Grade II listed building in 1973.[3]
In 1907, Atkinson collaborated with the Chicago architect Daniel H. Burnham on the design of the steel-framed Selfridges store in London.[4]
In 1912 six leading architects of the day were chosen to submit designs for Whiteley Village, Surrey, by the trustees of Whiteley Homes. Each architect received £50 for the plans they submitted. The winning architect was Atkinson, who received a prize of £150. Although a number of his original designs were altered because of cost, his distinctive octagonal "spider's web" design for the central portion of the village was retained.[5]
Also in 1912 Atkinson designed the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool for the Midland Railway Company.[4][6] On its opening in 1914 it was described as "the world's most palatial hotel" and is still the city's largest hotel.[7]
References
- "Robert Frank Atkinson". Dictionary of Scottish Architects.
- "Robert Atkinson". Dictionary of Scottish Architects.
- Historic England. "164-182, OXFORD STREET W1 (1066035)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
- Curl, James Stevens (2000). "Atkinson, Robert Frank". A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.
- Brown, Alan (1992). The Whiteley Homes Trust. Phillmore & Co. Ltd.
- "Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, 1926". ingenious. National Museum of Science and Industry.
- The Britannia Adelphi Hotel Liverpool: The story of a great undertaking (booklet available from the hotel, undated, but published after 2007)