Major George Bernard Cox FRIBA (31 July 1886 – 20 October 1978) was a British architect and co-founder with Arthur Harrison of Harrison and Cox. He primarily designed Roman Catholic churches.

Major
George Bernard Cox
Major George Bernard Cox from the Birmingham Daily Post, Thursday 12 October 1950
Born31 July 1886[1][2]
Died20 October 1978(1978-10-20) (aged 92)[4]
Minehead, Somerset, England
OccupationArchitect

Life edit

He was born on 31 July 1886 in Birmingham, the son of George Henry Cox (1854-1893) and Mary Elizabeth Cox (1855-1931). He married Mary Hopwood, eldest daughter of T.W. Hopwood of Lea Hall, Handsworth on 1 July 1914 in St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham. Their son, Lieutenant Christopher P.B. Cox, R.A. was killed in action in Burma in 1944 aged 23.[5]

From the Artists Rifles O.T.C. he became a 2nd Lieutenant in the East Yorkshire Regiment on 5 September 1916[6] and then the Corps of Royal Engineers in November 1917.[7] He also served in the Second World War.

He formed a partnership with Arthur Harrison sometime in the first decade of the 20th century, and this partnership survived until Arthur Harrison's death in 1922. The business continued under the name Harrison & Cox.

He retired in 1967 aged 80[8] and died on 20 October 1978 at Huntspill, The Parks, Minehead and left an estate valued at £262,772.

List of works edit

Churches edit

  • St Elizabeth's Church, Coventry 1914-16[9]
  • Sacred Heart and St Margaret Mary Church, Aston 1922 and 1934 Grade-II listed [10]
  • Franciscan Monastery, Olton, Birmingham 1925[11] (extensions)
  • St Edward's Church, Selly Park Birmingham, 1925-26 (sanctuary and side chapels)
  • Birmingham Oratory 1927 (North east chapel with the shrine of St Philip)[12]
  • Church of the Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate, Olton, Birmingham 1929
  • St Mary’s Redemptorist Church, Clapham 1930[13] (extensions)
  • St Joseph and St Helen's Church, King's Norton, Birmingham 1933
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Hednesford 1928–34 Grade-II listed[14]
  • Holy Trinity Church, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham 1934
  • Roman Catholic Church, High Street, Brownhills 1935[15]
  • St Mary and St John's Church, Gravelly Hill, Birmingham 1937
  • Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart and St Theresa, Coleshill 1938-42[16]
  • St Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church, Uplands Road/Avenue Road, Handsworth 1939[17]
  • Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart and Holy Souls, Acock’s Green 1940 [18]
  • Church of the Sacred Heart and St Theresa, Coleshill 1941
  • Roman Catholic Church, Swadlingcote, 1956[19]
  • Our Lady of the Assumption, Old Oscott Hill, Maryvale, Warwickshire 1954-57
  • St Patrick's Church, Walsall 1964
  • Our Lady of Lourdes, Yardley Wood, Birmingham 1964-65
  • St Catherine of Siena Church, Birmingham 1961-65

Other works edit

Gallery edit

References edit

  1. ^ 1939 England and Wales Register
  2. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
  3. ^ 1911 England Census
  4. ^ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995
  5. ^ "Obituary". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 22 April 1944. Retrieved 20 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "No. 29744". The London Gazette. 12 September 1916. p. 8913.
  7. ^ "No. 30438". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 December 1917. p. 13339.
  8. ^ "For the record…". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 29 May 1967. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ St ElizabethCoventry.co.uk retrieved 12 December 2015
  10. ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1393309)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Birmingham Friars' New Church". Nottingham and Midland Catholic News. England. 24 April 1926. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ Foster, Andy (2007) [2005]. Birmingham. Pevsner Architectural Guides. Yale University Press. p. 219. ISBN 978-0-300-10731-9.
  13. ^ "Church Building Progress in Southwark". Nottingham and Midland Catholic News. England. 27 September 1930. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1430855)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Roman Catholic Church for Brownhills". Lichfield Mercury. England. 31 May 1935. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "Bishop Lays Church Foundation Stone". Birmingham Daily Gazette. England. 4 October 1938. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "A New Handsworth Church". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 26 July 1939. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ "Acock's Green War Memorial Church". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 6 June 1940. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ "New R.C. Church for Swadlincote". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 29 June 1956. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. ^ "St Francis, Handsworth". Catholic Times and Catholic Opinion. England. 31 May 1907. Retrieved 20 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. ^ "Tanworth Village Hall: The Early Years". Tanworth Village Hall. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  22. ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1423497)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  23. ^ "New Catholic Buildings". Birmingham Weekly Mercury. England. 13 December 1931. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. ^ "New Boys' Club". Birmingham Daily Gazette. England. 24 September 1932. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  25. ^ "New Catholic Hall". Evening Despatch. England. 29 September 1933. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  26. ^ "Birmingham's New Inn". Birmingham Daily Gazette. England. 1 February 1934. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  27. ^ "Elementary School". Birmingham Daily Gazette. England. 29 March 1935. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  28. ^ "New Catholic School". Birmingham Daily Gazette. England. 10 June 1935. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  29. ^ "City Architecture". Birmingham Daily Gazette. England. 31 March 1936. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  30. ^ "Weoley Castle Welfare Centre". Birmingham Daily Gazette. England. 25 February 1936. Retrieved 17 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  31. ^ Foster, Andy (2007) [2005]. Birmingham. Pevsner Architectural Guides. Yale University Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-300-10731-9.
  32. ^ Foster, Andy (2007) [2005]. Birmingham. Pevsner Architectural Guides. Yale University Press. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-300-10731-9.