George Oatley

George Oatley
Born	1863 Bristol
Died	1950
Occupation	Architect
Practice	Oatley and Lawrence, Oatley and Brentnall

Sir George Herbert Oatley (1863–1950) was an English architect noted for his work in Bristol, especially the gothic Wills Memorial Building, for which he was knighted in 1925.

Oatley was born in Bristol in 1863, and after working as an apprentice to the architect Thomas Dashwood, he became a junior draughtsman for the local firm Godwin and Crisp, at the age of 16. Oatley became Henry Crisp's partner aged only 26, when Godwin left the firm, and at the same time married Edith Lawrence.

His major break came with his appointment as Architect to the University of Bristol. One of his first projects, and probably the major one of his career, was to design the Wills Memorial Building to be a landmark for the new university, in 1912. He produced an imposing design in the Perpendicular Gothic style. Building was begun in 1915, and after being delayed through World War I, it was finally completed in 1925. Oatley was knighted the same year in recognition of his work.

His other work for the University included the H.H. Wills Physics Department, started in 1926 and opened in 1930; Wills Hall, a student hall of residence in Stoke Bishop in 1925; and Manor Hall, a student hall of residence in Clifton in (1932).

Oatley's works included the design of several mental hospitals throughout the country, including Winwick Asylum in Lancashire, the City of Cardiff Asylum at Whitchurch, Barrow Mental Hospital at Barrow Gurney, and extensions to the Beaufort War Hospital at Stapleton. He also designed the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital in 1908, (now the University of Bristol's Student Health Centre) and worked on improvements to the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

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