Spain, Stewart & Lind aggregated collection of papers, architectural drawings and photographs, 1859-1983

fonds

1859-1983

Architectural and Technical Drawings, Textual Records, Graphic Materials

889461

1.2 metres of textual material
Approximately 3,500 architectural drawings
28 photographs

This firm was originally founded by Thomas Rowe (1829-1899) in 1853 with his brother Richard (1831-1909). This partnership operated as Thomas Rowe until in 1884 it became Rowe & Green, when Sydney Moore Green became a partner. After Green's departure in 1891 the partnership again became Thomas Rowe till 1893 when William Wright Campbell (?-1894) and Alfred Spain (1868-1954) were made partners and it became Rowe, Campbell & Spain. With the death of Campbell in 1894 the partnership became Rowe & Spain in 1895, which it remained until 1904, when Thomas Frame Cosh (1868-1947) was made a partner and it became Spain & Cosh.

Alfred Spain, later Colonel Alfred Spain, had been articled to Rowe & Green in 1884 and was the principal partner in the firm for many years. Thomas Cosh had articled to Ellis & Slatyer and he had later joined with Charles Slatyer in the partnership of Slatyer & Cosh.

Rupert Villiers Minnett (1884-1974) became a partner in 1910 and the firm was renamed Spain, Cosh & Minnett, reverting to Spain & Cosh with his departure in 1912. When Robert (Robin) Smith Dods (1868-1920) became a partner in 1914 the firm became Spain, Cosh & Dods. With Dods death in 1920, the name again reverted to Spain & Cosh.

James Aubrey Cosh (1900-?), a nephew of Thomas Cosh, became a partner in 1930. Reginald A. Stewart was made a partner on the retirement of Colonel Spain in 1939. In 1951 the firm was renamed Spain, Cosh & Stewart and in 1971 became Spain, Stewart & Lind when Peter Lind became a partner.

For over a century this firm, under a variety of different names, was one of Sydney's most significant architectural practices. Culwulla Chambers (1911) was Sydney's first skyscraper and the outcry on its construction led to a height limit for buildings of 150 feet which was not repealed until 1957. The firm had many commercial clients, a number of shipping firms including McIlwraith & McEacharn and other clients such as the Egg Marketing Board and the NSW Board of Fire Commissioners.

References:
May 1946, Building and Engineering, Sydney, Building Publishing Company.
Guide to architectural collection of Spain, Stewart and Lind. (Mitchell Library guide PXD 532)

Collection 01
Spain, Stewart & Lind papers, architectural drawings and photographs, 1859-1966
Presented by Spain Stewart & Lind, 1985

Collection 02
Spain, Stewart & Lind architectural drawings chiefly of commercial buildings and residences in New South Wales, 1937-1983
Presented by Lind & Tory, Architects, October 1992

SLNSW may supply copy and approve publication - ML84/1596