Thomas Tidswell

Tidswell was born in Sydney, the sixth of nine children of hotelier Frederick Squire Tidswell (1831–1898) and his wife Mary Ann (1836–1912). The fourth child of the Tidswell family, Thomas Francis (1864–1866), had died in a tragic accident in front of his parents' hotel in Devonshire Street, Sydney,^[1] and the fifth and sixth children were named in his honour: Frank Tidswell (1867 – 1941) and Thomas Tidswell (1870–1950). He lived in rural New South Wales until his parents bought Nugal Hall in Randwick, New South Wales.^[2] Tidswell attended Newington College (1881–1886).^[3] After high school Tidswell was articled in architecture and studied at Sydney Technical College (STC).^[4] In 1890 he was awarded Honours in Design at STC.^[5]

On entering the architectural profession Tidswell entered into partnership with Arthur Beckford Polin (1872-1961). One of the firm's early works was the design of the Mechanics Institute in Coonamble in rural NSW.^[6] Another was the enlargement of the Right Rev Dr Higgins, Roman Catholic Auxiliary-Bishop of Sydney’s residence Mount Eagle in Forbes Street Darlington.^[7]

Late in the 1890s Tidswell went into practice on his own using numerous premises until he took space in Challis House in Martin Place in Sydney. In this period he designed the buildings of the original Orange Hospital^[8] including general wards, isolation wards, a kitchen block and an operating theatre. These facilities were demolished in 1959.^[9]

In 1898 he designed a house at 33 Findlay Avenue, Roseville for Charles Starkey.^[10] The Presbyterian Church in Anderson Street in nearby Chatswood was designed by Tidswell and the building was opened on 17 December 1898. The front porch and facade are a newer addition but the body of the church remains as Chatswood Uniting Church.^[11] In 1902 he won second prize in a design competition for a new Town Hall in Deniliquin.^[12] In 1914 Tidswell designed a factory in Annandale for Starkeys^[13] who at the time were the largest ginger beer manufacturer in the Southern Hemisphere.^[14] The factory is now in Bridge Road, Stanmore and was restored and adapted into a complex of commercial and light industrial units. The development won the 2004 Marrickville Medal for Conservation which is awarded annually by Marrickville Council.^[15]

At the turn of the last century Tidswell designed family houses, and holiday houses, for himself and his brother. He designed his own home Greycliffs at 29 Musgrave Street, Mosman in 1899^[16] and his brother’s house Deloraine on the northern tip of Point Piper in 1903.^[17][18] While the house still stands at 132 Wolseley Road, it has been substantially altered and is now known as Cordoba having been redesigned in a Spanish Revival style by the architects Esplin & Mould. The beautifully landscaped garden has been subdivided leading to the erection of a newer house on the water front at 132A.^[19] In the same era he designed a holiday house in the Blue Mountains for himself named Briar Hill at 41 Park Street, Glenbrook. The weatherboard house in late Federation and early Californian bungalow style has an Arts and Crafts inspired face brick inglenook and is on an extensive landscaped block. The house remained in the ownership of Tidswell family until this century^[20] and is an important element in the built environment of historic village of Glenbrook.^[21]

Having become a resident of Mosman, Tidswell started doing work for the Mosman Recreation Club, known as the Mosman Recreation Company. He designed a pavilion in 1901^[22] which was replaced by a larger pavilion in 1916 to a design by Tidswell. As the honorary company architect he designed a six-rink bowling green, turf and asphalt tennis courts.^[23] Lawn bowls commenced with the completion of the greens in 1902 when the club was officially opened. Membership was exclusively for men and the Mosman Women’s Bowling Club was nearby and titled Mosman Park. Now known as Mosman Bowling Club the 1916 pavilion still stands at 15 Belmont Road, Mosman.^[24] It is now owned by Mosman Municipal Council.

In 1902 a reserve named in honour of Sir William Lyne was reclaimed from tidal sand flats at Rose Bay and in 1904 harbour baths were designed by Tidswell.^[25][26] He designed the tennis centre for the New South Wales Lawn Tennis Association at its Double Bay Grounds.^[27][28] The centre hosted the Australasian Championships (now the Australian Open) and the International Lawn Tennis Challenge (now the Davis Cup) in both 1909 and 1919. In 1922 he designed the White City Stadium at Rushcutters Bay in 1922.^[29]