George Bond - Described in his obituary as ‘the most expert architect that this part of Kent has known’, George Bond certainly left an impressive legacy of buildings in the Medway Towns. Born in July 1853, Bond moved to Medway as Clerk of Works and foreman for William Callund architects in 1883. His first major project was to oversee the building of Bernard’s Palace of Varieties in Chatham and he went on to collaborate with its architect James Nash on the rebuilding of Sir Joseph Williamsons Mathematical School in Rochester High Street. Bond set up his own business in 1886 as George E. Bond Architect and Surveyor at Victoria Buildings, 384 High Street Rochester. His first design is believed to have been ‘Ingleside’, a house in Chatham Maidstone Road that later became the Medway Registrar’s Office. By 1904 his business had expanded to necessitate purpose built offices at Pier Chambers, now occupied by Radio Kent. Bond was responsible for many of the most iconic buildings in Medway. These include Chatham Town Hall in 1899 (now the Brook Theatre), the Theatre Royal Chatham, the Medway Conservancy Board Office in 1909 (now part of the Guildhall Museum), the Baptist Church in Crow Lane, the Liberal Club on Castle Hill and the Aveling & Porter building on Strood Esplanade. This list tells its own tale – many of Bond’s buildings have faired badly at the hands of respective local authorities. The last few years alone have seen Medway Council demolish the Theatre Royal and Aveling & Porter. Bond built many private houses and villas including his own house, St Ronan’s (1909) in King Edward Road, Rochester (now part of the King’s School). His initials can still be seen embellished in the concrete corbel’s by the front door. Liberal in politics, he was Chairman of the Rochester Liberal Club from 1904. He was a Freemason (designing their distinctly classical building at Manor Road, Chatham in 1904), a Trustee for the Chatham Savings Bank and was appointed a JP in 1908. He was also President of the Society of Architects for four years until 1913. George Bond died at his home St Ronan’s o Wednesday 20th May, 1914 and is buried in St Margaret’s Cemetery, Rochester.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Apr 2014 22:21:28 +0000
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