Charles Tiffin

Brisbane Courier, 27 December 1859

Charles Tiffin (1833–1873) was an Australian architect.^[1]

Early life

Hobart Mercury, 10 Jan 1857

He was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England where he studied under local architects M. Thompson and John Edward Watson.^[1][2]

In 1855 he immigrated to Geelong, Victoria, Australia.^[1]

Shortly after, he became a partner in the architectural practice of Tiffin & Davidson in Hobart, Tasmania, together with William Montgomerie Davenport Davidson (who was later the Queensland Surveyor-General).^[1][2] Their works included:

• Congregational Church, Davey Street, Hobart^[3]

On 1 January 1857, he married Mary Ann Haig, second daughter of Captain Andrew Haig, at St George's Church in Hobart.^[4]

Queensland Architecture

In May 1857 Charles Tiffin became the Clerk of Works in the Moreton Bay District.^[1][2]

In 1859, Tiffin became Colonial Architect for the colony of Queensland, Australia.^[5]

He designed and supervised the construction of over 300 Queensland buildings including^[1]:

• Ipswich Courthouse^[2]
• Wharf Street Congregational Church, Brisbane (1859–1860)^[6]
• Government House, Brisbane (1860–1862)^[2]
• Maryborough Bond Store (1863)^[2]
• Maryborough Post Office (1865–1866)^[2]
• General Hospital, Brisbane (1865)^[7]
• the Main Wing of Queensland Parliament House (facing George Street) (1865–1867).^[8]
• Church of England, Kedron Brook^[9]
• St Matthew's Church of England, Grovely (1867–1869)^[10]

Buildings designed by Charles Tiffin

Ipswich Courthouse, 2009   Wharf St Congregational Church, Brisbane   Government House, Brisbane   Queensland Parliament House   St Matthew's Church, Grovely

Miscelleanous

He participated in the Brisbane School of Arts and the Queensland Philosophical Society.^[2]

In 1866, Charles Tiffin developed an earth closet, an early form of toilet used for many years in Queensland.^[11][12] He took out a patent in 1859.^[13]

End of career and death

Brisbane Courier, 20 Feb 1873, page 2

From 1868-1871 Charles Tiffin was also the Superintendent of Roads and Bridges. However, in 1871, he criticised the government's policy on roads. His career ended at that time. He took a year of leave and then retired on medical grounds in April 1872. He died on 9 January 1873 at 27 Lower Fort Street, Sydney, New South Wales at the age of 40.^{[1][2][14][15]}

His wife Mary Ann returned to Brisbane until her death in 1923 at the Diamantina Hospital in Brisbane, Queensland.^[16]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Scrapbook, 1855-1873 (manuscript), University of Queensland
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Pillars of a Nation, accessed 28 Sept 2010.
3. ^ Congregational Church, Davey Street, Hobart town - Tasmania
4. ^ Marriage, The Courier (Hobart), Friday 2 January 1857, page 2
5. ^ GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATIONS. (1859, December 27). The Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846-1861), p. 2. Retrieved October 3, 2010, from [1]
6. ^ Brisbane Courier, Saturday 10 December 1904, page 12
7. ^ NEW GENERAL HOSPITAL. (1865, September 16). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864-1933), p. 6. Retrieved October 3, 2010, from [2]
8. ^ "Parliament House (entry CHIMS14844)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/chims/placeDetail.html?siteId=14844. Retrieved 28 Sept 2010. 
9. ^ Brisbane Courier, Monday 12 March 1866, page 3
10. ^ Our History (Anglican Parish of Grovely), accessed 29 Sept 2010
11. ^ Brisbane Courier, Saturday 25 August 1866, page 4
12. ^ The Queenslander, Saturday 8 September 1866, page 5
13. ^ The Queenslander, Saturday 3 July 1869, page 5
14. ^ New South Wales Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages
15. ^ Deaths, Brisbane Courier, Thursday 20 February 1873, page 2
16. ^ Brisbane Courier, Friday 15 February 1924, page 15

Persondata
Name	Tiffin, Charles
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1831
Place of birth
Date of death	1873
Place of death