WHWatkins

William Henry Watkins born in Bristol, he
was a freeman of Bristol and London and a
councillor. He first worked for Frederick
Bligh Bond in the 1880s and so impressed
he was offered a partnership in the firm at
the age of 23 in 1900. He declined and set
up his own practice at 15 Clare Street. His
early work included houses, banks and
offices and also some small cinemas.

After WWI he become very busy so gave
up his councillors job. It was at this time he
decided to deligate all the design work to
his staff so he could meet clients and run
the practice. He designed many factories,
especially in Bristol and also had a contract
to design new banks for Barclays and
asked to design some large houses, so
cinemas took a back seat.

Percy Bartlett would become his main
architect for the Gaumont cinemas leaving
in 1932 to work for Boots the Chemist. A S
Gray (later his partner) arrived in 1932.
Apart from Watkins there was also Cyril
Smith, quantity surveyor and E Curno
Cooke who did the drawings now at 1 Clare
Street. Grey left in 1935 being replaced by
Francis L Hannan. The interior designs
were not done by the architects but either
by Clarke & Fenn or HH Martyn of
Cheltenham or Maples.

Watkins believed the future of the super
cinema was coming to an end and that in
the future cinemas would seat 500-600 and
that none would choose to sit under a
balcony because of smoke, ventilation and
sound problems. Watkins believed in
stadium plan as the future of cinema.

Watkins died 29.01.1964 aged 87. The
firm now known as Watkins Gray Woodgate
International is still in business.

www.wgi.co.uk

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