Eric Bedford (architect)
| Eric Bedford, CVO, CBE | |
|---|---|
Lector si monumentum requiris circumspice
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| Born |
8 November 1909 Halifax, West Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 28 July 2001 (aged 91) Worcester, England |
| Nationality | United Kingdom |
| Alma mater | Thornton Grammar School |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Buildings | BT Tower |
Eric Bedford, CVO, CBE (8 November 1909 – 28 July 2001) was a twentieth century British architect whose most famous work is London's BT Tower. In 1961, construction began on what was then known as The Post Office Tower, with Bedford as Chief Architect and G R Yeats, senior architect in charge. Completed in 1961, with a height of 177 metres (581 ft), it became London's tallest building.
Born in Yorkshire, and trained as an architect in the Midlands, Bedford joined the Ministry of Public Building and Works in 1936. In 1951, he was appointed the Ministry's youngest ever Chief Architect. Shortly after, Bedford had an important role in the design of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, for which he was subsequently made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.
Bedford retired in 1970 and lived abroad for some years before dying in 2001. As the architect responsible for one of London's most iconic buildings, Bedford achieved surprisingly little recognition in his lifetime, or afterwards, his obituary in The New York Times describing him as; "the British government's anonymous chief architect, whose works were visible to millions but whose name was scarcely known."
Bedford was born on 29 August 1909 near Halifax in Yorkshire. He was educated at Thornton Grammar School and then undertook an architectural apprenticeship in Leicester. In 1934 he won a RIBA medal for his design for a railway terminal. Two years later, he joined the Ministry of Public Building and Works and, after the Second World War, was appointed its youngest ever Chief Architect. At the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Bedford had responsibility for significant elements of the overall design, including the Coronation Arches.
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