Thomas Ellis Owen

Thomas Ellis Owen (1805 – 1862) was an English architect and developer responsible for many of the buildings of Portsmouth and Southsea.

Owen was born in Middlesex, the son of Jacob Owen, who worked for the Royal Engineers Ordnance Department in Portsmouth. He trained as an architect in London and Italy and was influenced by John Nash.

Owen was instrumental in shaping the development of Southsea during the middle part of the 19th century, developing it from poorly-drained farmland into a garden suburb. His work is still evident on the streets of modern Southsea. Owen designed and built 106 villas and 54 terrace houses in Southsea, including Queens Terrace, Portland Terrace, and Eastern Parade. Owen also designed a range of commercial, religious, and civic buildings, including St Jude's Church in central Southsea.

A street and a school in Southsea are both named after Owen.

In addition to his work as an architect and developer, Owen was a prominent civic figure. He became mayor of Portsmouth twice (in 1847 and 1862) and also served as a magistrate.

External links

* [http://www.thomas-ellis-owen.org/what.htm Thomas-ellis-owen.org]