John Edwin Harrison

John Edwin Harrison wrote this letter to his father Edwin Harrison in 1887, while on holiday in Wales:
. : 9 Mostyn Crescent, Llandudno, 30 Sept., 1887. Dear Dad, I think this is the first time I have ever written to you in my life. We are having splendid weather, last night & all today has been a storm, tremendous waves, but grand weather on land. I should have gone to Menai Bridge by Steamer today, but the pierman told me that they couldn't guarantee landing us at night, because it is so rough, so I didn't see the fun of being taken on to Liverpool, so we stopped at home & went to the Happy Valley to see the Comedians. Tonight Alice & I are going to the Pier Pavilion to see Smiler, a trained Donmark & some Comic Skaters. We went a drive yesterday round the Little Orme's Head & by Gloddaeth Woods, saw Lord Mostyn. I had a little chat with him. I've only had one bathe, the water is so cold, so I am going to the Sea Water Baths.

  Mother says you must come tomorrow by the twelve o'clock train, which lands you here in time to walk up to no.9 for tea. We are all coming to the station to meet you. We are all very well & enjoying ourselves, have got a grand fire & a piano. Now don't disappoint us by not coming. Give our love to Aunt Wood & all the rest, pigeons, Elf , Dick etcetera-& double allowance for yourself from your loving son, Ted.[ Original letter with Ian Stuart Harrison.]

 EDUCATION of J E Harrison. Like his sisters Jane & Alice, J E Harrison went to Miss Hill's school on the Marsh Parade. "Miss Hill was fairly strict. Your father was given to the habit of sitting picking holes in the knees of his stockings, so she threaded a darning needle with wool, and made him mend them. Mavor's Spelling Book was then the work used in teaching the young to read.--- There was a nice tone about that School; we were taught old fashioned manners, respect to our elders, how to enter a room, not to speak unless spoken to, & to shut the door after us & I [Annie Jane Harrison] remember a wooden back board being forced between my shoulders to cure us of stooping.---we were taught to love good literature--- & only the best was read to us,--- Dickens, Thackeray ,Bronte, Shakespeare and all the great poets, so that ever after, I thanked dear old Miss Hill for pointing my nose that way---" [Annie Jane Harrison: SOME  REMINISCENCES ABOUT JOHN EDWIN HARRISON : to his daughter Barbara" ,7 pages, January 18th 1949;  with Ian Stuart Harrison, 2022] John Edwin Harrison was educated at the Endowed Middle School in Newcastle. {Artefacts online source}

In Newcastle there was a branch of the South Kensington Art School in London and both J E Harrison & Jane Harrison attended this school, but whereas John was paid for, Jane had to work in the photography shop to earn the fees to pay for her lodging.  Here J E Harrison had his first lessons in Perspective. There was a room full of plaster casts of the gods of Greece and Rome, and a cupboard containing an articulated human skeleton. In 1885 aged 15,  J E Harrison passed the Cambridge exam for Junior students in the following subjects: reading aloud from a prose work; writing from dictation, elementary English grammar, elementary arithmetic, French; Euclid & algebra; Freehand & model drawing. In 1887, J E Harrison passed the third grade exam.in Outline drawing from the Cast.  Both Jane Harrison and her brother walked up the aisle in the Town Hall at prize giving.  J E Harrison was then articled to an  firm called Chapman & Snape. When he left,  the SNAPE brothers, were very sad to part with him,  saying  he had given complete satisfaction in every possible way.  Later in South Africa, "John Edwin Harrison, at  31, South African Mutual Buildings, Harrison Street, Johannesburg was elected on the 20th July 1911 Licentiate of the Royal  Institute of British Architects",  signed by 4 members of the Institute  [Original certificate with Ian Stuart Harrison] John Edwin Harrison belonged to the Chapter of Quantity Surveyors. He was also a member of the Free Masons Guild, whose headquarters were housed in an imposing building near Clarendon Circle, Johannesburg.  He was a keen amateur artist & owned a number of paintings by artists such as Edward Roworth (1880-1954) & Wellesley Cosby Patrick Bailey(1874-1954) a fellow architect. Karl Schoeman (1980 : 1964) says that Harrison was one of the first people in Bloemfontein to own a motor car (the others included the Lieutenant governor 

Sir Hamilton-Gould-Adams, Jan Steyn & Dr Bidwell) {ARTEFACTS online} Bloemfontein's first car was a 1900
Benz Velo & it was owned by J G Hatchard, a railway engineer. In October 1898 a "Royal Enfield Quad" was imported by Garlick's Cycle Supply and sold to Sir Alfred Hennessey. It was Sir Alfred who introduced South Africa to the Royal Automobile Club, and encouraged motorists to become members of the club. Sir Alfred imported this car from France & when he left Bloemfontein, he sold the car to John Edwin Harrison. After
their third son Roger Harrison (1904-1986) was born, my Grandfather & Grandmother returned to England for a while & the car was sold to Charles Reitz, who drove it for many years. { Holly N M Fotheringham 16th March 1993 in letter to the National Museum re Barbara Bladen's reminiscences.}

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J E HARRISON'S TRAVELS : ROUGH DIARY OF EVENTS SINCE LEAVING ENGLAND on 17th November 1894 for South Africa.BY JOHN EDWIN HARRISON>. # 1894. Came out on S S GAUL in November, arrived Port Elizabeth in December just before Christmas. Engaged to Kate Marchant 16 October. #1895. Spent January & February 1895 in Hanover, Cape Colony. 1895. Arrived in Bloemfontein 1st March .Spent   Xmas in East London& started work  with William Henry Stucke on 16th April. Spent Christmas in East London..#1896 Bloemfontein. Xmas in East London. Entered into partnership with William Henry Stucke.# 1897: Left for England on 12 May. Married 16  June. Returned to Bloemfontein August 16th and after 3 months in hotel, moved into our new house in Kellner Street ( November)# 1898 Alice Julia born 13 October.  Kate & I went to Kalk Bay in March 1899  Spent a month at Quin's farm (March). War broke out in October  so we left for Oudtshoorn  on 11th October, arrived there on 13th. Alice Julia died on 31st October.--- 1900 KCH down with typhoid--- moved to George for a week  & then to Mossell Bay for about 10 days, from thence by boat to Port Elizabeth where we stayed until end of May (there for 3 months) 1900. Returned to Bloemfontein under martial law end of May 1900. Geoffrey Marchant Harrison born 19 October--- Lived first week  in Bretherton's house, then back to our own in Kellner Street, which had now been made head-quarters of the Imperial Yeomanry. # 1901 Let our house in August after selling furniture & lived at Brandkop until November, then came back to Hill's Cottage in Kellner Street.# 1902 Edwin born at Hill's Cottage 3rd May 1902, left in October & went into rooms at Gilmour's in Zastron Street---began to build new house (no.10 Kellner Street)#.1903 Went into new house in July. Went to  Clifton- on-Sea for Xmas.  1904 Roger born on 23 June. Went to East London for Xmas.

1. [ 1905. New partnership with W H Stucke. Went to Cape Town for Xmas. # 1906 Trip home in March, I returned alone on 25 June, Kate Caroline Harrison & the boys followed on 12 October; these the dates of arrival at Bloemfontein. House let to Richardsons & Barlows during our absence. [From a letter of W H Stucke to W E Bannister Tuesday 28 April 1908 , Signed Geoffrey Marchant Harrison, see 1908] # 1907. Bloemfontein. Hooping cough & Durban trip July# 1908 Trip home leaving end of April.. Left Bloemfontein 25th April, sailed for Cape Town 27th April. Arrived 23 May, went up to London and and stayed with Gilbey's first 3 weeks, then to flat in Antrim Mansions. Went to Brighton July 1st and I left Kate and the boys there on the 5th September and returned alone to Bloemfontein--- arriving 25th, went up to W .H. Stucke in Johannesburg for month of October & returned to Bloemfontein 1st November, where I remained until 15th August 1909.# 1909 Arrived in Pretoria 16th August and joined the Public Works Department. K C H and the boys left Southampton on 4 September and arrived at Durban, where I met them on the 24th September & we arrived in Pretoria 25th & lived at Johnson Street, Sunnyside until end of April 1910 .Geoff & Edwin went to the Girls' High School.

 1910 In Pretoria, went to live at 430 Walker Street, Sunnyside on 1st May.{  Let no 10 Kellner Street  to A. MacGillivray,  in margin}. MacGillivray left no 10 Kellner Street, Bloemfontein middle of June & P J Botha occupied it from 1st July[3rd page]1910  Left Pretoria in July & went to Pietermaritzburg (for about 6 mos.) for the Public Works Department as Inspector of Works. Spent Xmas down at Durban & returned to PWD in  Pretoria in January 1911. 1911 In  Pretoria living  in a furnished house in Troye Street, next to  Delagoa Bay line,  until 30th April,  when I left the PWD & we went to Johannesburg  (Eileen born in this house on 12 February ) I having rejoined William Henry Stucke in partnership.  Lived during May in Francis Street in  a furnished house . then moved into our own house in 51 Hunter Street, on 2nd June. Geoffrey went to St John's College & Roger & Edwin to the Yeoville Government School. [Roger's first start at School ] 1912 In Johannesburg--- Visit to Durban in April  re Criterion Theatre ,  for about 5 days. 1913 No holidays. Edwin spent a month at Jackson's farm near Potchefstroom. July strike. Geoffrey  went to camp at Booysen's in September. 1914. No holidays---war broke out 4 August . Geoffrey  and Edwin camped at Half Way House with Howie & co..  William Henry Stucke left for home  in February. 1915 17th July Mother and all the kids went to Durban for a fortnight. Geoffrey  camped at  Boon's Farm with  Scouts. 1916  Henry Stucke returned from home in March. Geoffrey & Edwin camped with Scouts at Frankenwald and we drove out to see them one day. Roger, Barbara and Mother went to Muizenberg on 15th March and  I joined them 25th April and we returned 24th May.  Left Roger with Greens   for another 3 weeks, then he stayed in Bloemfontein until 23rd July. Geoffrey  and Edwin spent a month at Speight's farm, where we were in Muizenberg and 5 weeks at Hoheizens' farm, returning on 1st August for school.{ Original with Ian Stuart Harrison}

FRESHFORD HOUSE Museum : "John Edwin HARRISON designed and built a house Freshford in Bloemfontein, at 31 Kellner Street. He was born in England and trained with the firm Snape and Chapman in Newcastle-under-Lyme. After completing his apprenticeship, he remained with the firm for another year and a half before joining a practice in Bournemouth. In 1894, when forced to move to a drier climate as a result of tuberculosis, he emigrated to South Africa and settled at Hanover in the Cape Colony. Since there was not much scope for an architect in such a small town, he moved to Bloemfontein in 1896 and entered into partnership with W H Stucke. On a visit to England, J E Harrison married Kate Caroline Marchant on 16 June 1897 in Freshford, Somersetshire.{See A J Harrison's Reminiscences} In his absence, the house Freshford was being built in Bloemfontein by the firm Grimes and Bannister. After a short stay in England the Harrisons returned to South Africa and spent three months in a Bloemfontein hotel as the house had not yet been completed. They moved into Freshford in November 1897 and named it after Kate Harrison's birthplace in England. At the outbreak of the Anglo- Boer War in 1899, the Harrisons with their young daughter Alice Julia, went to stay temporarily with relatives including Frank Edward Morris & Arthur Morris in the Cape Colony. They spent the night in Hank's Hotel in Prince Albert leaving the next morning for Oudtshoorn .In Oudtshoorn, they stayed with the Rev Alfred Morris and his wife Elizabeth, who were Kate Harrison's uncle and aunt. Their daughter died in Oudtshoorn & Kate Caroline was very ill too. In Port Elizabeth in March 1900, J E Harrison wrote that he had attended Trinity Church in the morning. On the Monday 19 March he had a bilious attack worrying about the specifications for Leukeits' Store. On the Tuesday it was cold and fine & he finished a fair copy of the specifications for Leukeits, bound it up and printed a cover. Later in the week, he wrote out a bill for Leukeits, starting to write out a fair copy of his plans on the Thursday. Only on Saturday 24 did he finish tracing 1/2 scale drawings of the institute, beginning to write a fair copy of its specifications in the afternoon. On 4 June 1900 they returned to Bloemfontein. Their house Freshford in Kellner Street was being used as headquarters by the Imperial Yeomanry, a mounted division of the British Occupation force. The family spent a week with friends until their house was vacated and they were able to return. In 1902, as a result of financial losses suffered during the war, the Harrisons decided to sell Freshford, after having leased it out for some time. The house was sold to the City Council of Bloemfontein and divided into two flats for lease to employees. In 1982 Freshford was obtained by the National Museum on a 99 year lease from The Bloemfontein City Council and restoration commenced in 1985. The Freshford House Museum was officially opened to the public in 1986. Mrs Barbara Mary Bladen( 1911-1997), Helen Noelle Nixon(Harrison) 1937-2020 & Arthur Nixon : , John Eustace Harrison(1935-2005) and Edwin Ronald Harrison(1930-2018) & Margaret Harrison attended the opening ceremony.
John Edwin Harrison & ARCHITECTURE : William Henry Stucke was a South African architect, born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England on March 61865 & he died in Johannesburg on April 11 1931. He trained as an ecclesiastical architect in Cheltenham & after a few year's employment in London sailed to South Africa (1889), where he met JE Harrison in Port Elizabeth during the Anglo-Boer War. Stucke moved in 1894 to the booming mining town of Johannesburg, where he did most of his work. In 1888, he passed the Royal Institute of British Architects' examination, & was accepted as a Fellow in 1910. Stucke was the senior member in various partnerships (particularly with John Edwin Harrison 1870-1945) {Artefacts online}

Works by Stucke & Harrison in Bloemfontein see Joanna Walker's list in ARTEFACTS online.

List of Projects :
Bank of Africa n.d., Kroonstad, Free State--- Architect.
Grand Hotel c. 1905. Bloemfontein, Free State---Design architect.
House 1897 31 Kellner Street, Bloemfontein, Free State---Architect.
House G.A. Hill n.d. 35 Kellner Street, Bloemfontein, Free State--Architect.
National Bank n.d. Bethlehem, Free State--- Architect.
National Bank n.d. Fauriesburg, Free State---Architect.
National Bank n.d. Ficksburg, Free State--- Architect.
National Bank n.d. Kroonstad, Free State---Architect.
National Bank n.d. Lindley, Free State---Architect.
OFFICE G A Hill n.d. Bloemfontein, Free State--- Architect.
House Harriett Watkeys (1875-1967) June 1900-1901. St Andrew's Street, Naval Hill, Bloemfontein, Free State---Architect.
Own Residence, c.1902-1903. 10 Kellner Street, Bloemfontein, Free State--- Architect.
Russell Hotel : c. 1907 Bloemfontein, Free State---Design Architect.
St. James's Anglican Chapel : c.1896, Ladybrand, Free State---Architect.
Standard Bank Memorial Plaque to fallen staff in the First World War : c.1924 Johannesburg, Gauteng---Architect. { Artefacts online}
Standard Bank Church Square Pretoria 1933---Architects Stucke & Harrison.
Standard Bank, Commissioner Street, Fox & Harrison Streets, Johannesburg 1902-1908. ---Architects Stucke & Harrison.
Own house : n.d. Second Avenue Illovo Johannesburg---Architect.
House for Edwin du Guesclin &Lillian Frances Harrison July 1936 51 Third Avenue, Illovo, Johannesburg.---Architect.
House for E du G Harrison 1956 Erf no 612, Muckleneuk, Pretoria--- Stucke, Harrison, Ritchie & Watson.

Geoffrey Harrison annotated his copy of Phillip Bawcombe's  book Johannesburg and earmarks several buildings associated with Stucke & Bannister, and later Stucke & Harrison.1.  Cuthbert's Corner Eloff & Pritchard Streets. Built 1904 Architects Stucke & Bannister. Records are retained in the archive of Stucke & Harrison, Ritchie& Partners., Architects Album 2/7. 2. Barkly Arcade, Diagonal Street &,Market Street, West. Stucke & Bannister,1904, Album 2/3. Demolished 1973. Site visited By Geoffrey Marchant Harrison  on March 17 1974. 3. Bethlehem House 63 Rissik Street. Stucke & Harrison altered this building internally for Kodaks. 4.

Simmonds / Kerk Streets Corner, Built for A.J .North by Stucke & Harrison. Date over entrance should be 1922. See S& H Album vol 2.31 .5 Dodo Corner Originally Store Bros. See S& H Album no 1--p.57.
6. Langham Hotel Original building was designed by Stucke & Bannister Album 2/17.That part of the Old Langham on 50 x 100 corner site was pulled down and Kallenbach, Kennedy & Turner designed the modern building above. 6. Rosenberg's Building 37 Market Street N.E. c/o Diagonal Street. Architects Stucke & Bannister. See photo page 10 Stucke & Harrison album no. 2. A.Campbell. Visited 17/3/74.

The Stucke & Harrison plans for Sun Courier's Building, Brakfontein are  with  Freshford House Museum.  John Edwin Harrison's Diaries are in the National Museum in Bloemfontein in safe keeping. John Edwin Harrison is commemorated in Freshford House Museum.

Other buildings designed by Stucke & Harrison, according to Clive Chipkin include Nunnerley's building; Loewenstein's Buildings in 1897 in Marker Square, Johannesburg; Harvard Building (1928), Locarno House (1925-1927) & Geneva House (1929-1930); & Lion Trading Co., (1921) {Clive Chipkin 1929-2021 Johannesburg style: architecture & society 1880s to 1960s.1993