Drawings by Walter Brand, Architect

Scope and Content

Two pencil drawings of buildings in Leicester, by architect Walter Brand. One shows the Magazine Gateway and part of the old regimental drill hall, with a Midland bus parked outside. The other shows the main front of DMU's Hawthorn Building, at that date the main building of the Leicester Municipal Technical and Art School. They are both signed. They are not measured drawings, rather they seem to have been made for Brand's personal interest.

Administrative / Biographical History

Walter Brand was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, in 1872, the son of a merchant. In 1889 he was articled to local architect Brightwen Binyon and meanwhile studied architecture at the Ipswich School of Science and Art. He qualified as an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in March 1896. For a few years he worked in Birmingham before establishing his own practice in Leicester in 1897.

In 1899 Brand was awarded first prize in a competition to design Leicester Wholesale Market, which was opened in 1902. He also designed churches, schools and houses in Leicester and the surrounding area. He was President of the Leicestershire and Rutland Society of Architects from 1921-1931 and Honorary Treasurer of the Leicester Society of Artists for 32 years. He was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1930. He retired in 1953 and died in June 1959 aged 87.

Buildings designed by Brand include:

  • Harvey Lane Memorial Hall
  • Aylestone Baptist Church
  • Alderman Sir Jonathan North School
  • Schools at Botcheston and Kirby Muzloe
  • Housing schemes at North Bridge Estate and Wyggeston Housing Estate.

Source of information: Directory of British Architects, 1834-1900 and obituary in RIBA Journal, volume 66, 1959, page 405.

Access Information

Open and available for access. Researchers are advised to make an appointment with the Archivist.

Acquisition Information

Found by a member of DMU staff while clearing their desk and handed to the Archive in 2013 (accession number A13/025).

Archivist's Note

Catalogued by Archivist Katharine Short, April 2015.

Conditions Governing Use

Copies may be made for research purposes only.

Related Material

The Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland holds plans and surveys by Brand, reference 5D60