Sir Herbert Baker - Early life, South Africa, India, Other work

Architect, born in Cobham, Kent, SE England, UK. He designed Groote Schuur, near Cape Town, for Cecil Rhodes, the Union government buildings at Pretoria, and (with Edwin Lutyens) New Delhi in India. Other well-known buildings of his include the new Bank of England and South Africa House in London.

Sir Herbert Baker (1862–1946) was the dominant force in South African architecture for two decades, 1892–1912.

Early life

Born in Cobham, Kent, in England, Baker studied architecture in London.

South Africa

Baker quickly became noted for his work, and was commissioned by a number of the "Randlords" (the wealthy mining magnates of Johannesburg) to design houses, particularly in the prestigious suburbs of Parktown and Parktown North.

Union Buildings

In 1909 Baker was commissioned to build the Union Buildings, South Africa's seat of government.

India

In 1912 Baker went to India to work with Lutyens on the Secretariat buildings in New Delhi and the bungalows of Members of Parliament.

Other work

United Kingdom

South Africa House, the South African High Commission building in Trafalgar Square, London The mansion of Port Lympne (now a zoo) in Kent in south-east England One of the grandstands at Lord's Cricket Ground in London; The design was based on that of the original architect of the college, Williams Wilkins, but 'changed the original design just enough to annoy' Rebuilding of the Bank of England, London, demolishing most of Sir John Soane's orginal building.

South Africa

St George's Cathedral, Cape Town Rhodes Memorial, Cape Town Michaelhouse, Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal Roedean School, Johannesburg St John's College, Johannesburg St Andrew's School for Girls, Johannesburg Grey College, Bloemfontein Rhodes University, Grahamstown Dale College, King William's Town McClean telescope building, Royal Observatory, Cape Town

Elsewhere

Tyne Cot Cemetery, near Ypres in Belgium Nairobi School, Nairobi