William John Rennison, 1840-1900

Local Architect, active 1880's: address 4,5 & 6 Villiers Chambers, Douglas; originally practised in Stockport and may have first encountered the Island when asked by Charles Udall to design the Railway Hotel c.1874. He then went on, in 1876, to design some of the elevation of the Villiers Hotel.

In 1881 census entered as William John Rennisen, Architect Surveyor & Valuer, age 41 born England, living with wife Katurah (age 40, born England) and son Robert Albert (age 20, brewer) at 98 Bucks Road, Douglas.

He saw the potential for work in the expanding tourist industry in Douglas and settled in Douglas - buried Borough Cemetery 19 August 1900.

His name is on plans or is associated with:

• 1879 - plans for Grand Hotel, Grand Theatre etc Victoria Street
• 1883 - steelwork for 'The Louvre' (Webb's Lounge) Strand St
• 1886 - Pavillion at Derby Castle
• 1886 - Lifeboat house Memorial Building Battery Pier
• 1888 - Villiers Hotel expansion
• 1888 - Laxey Glen Hotel (now Glen House Residential Home) Laxey
• 1890/1 Marine Hotel, Peel
• 1891 - Masonic Buildings, Castle Street
• 1893 - Villiers alterations (Octagonal room)
• 1893 - Royal Stores, Drumgold Street (for Brearley)
• 1893 - acted as Clerk of Works to Forester (architect) on building the Marina (rebuilt to become the Gaiety Theatre)
• 1895 - Woodbourne Hotel
• 1896 - Metropole Mansions
• 1897 - Clucas's Duke Street

In his advert claimed work at

• Falcon Cliff
• Athol and Regent Hotels and most of the principal Hotels and Boarding Houses in Douglas

He is also credited with the Sefton Hotel of 1892-5.

References

[P. Kelly] Unsung Heroes of Manx Architecture IoMVicSoc Newsletter #38 Autumn 1994