History
1882
William Edward Willink opened the practice in 1882 from Venice Chambers in Lord Street, Liverpool. William returned to his native Liverpool in 1882 having completed articles with Richard Norman Shaw in London and worked with James Francis Doyle on the White Star Building.
1884
By 1884 there was sufficient work to support two and Phillip Coldwell Thicknesse joined the partnership to become renowned as William and Thicknesse. It was at this time that they designed Parr’s Bank in Castle Street for Richard Norman Shaw, a really significant building with offices suspended over a magnificent banking hall at ground level. It is worthy of detailed study as a building way ahead of its time both in design quality and structural conception.
1910
Having completed the White Star Brief in 1898 in consultation with Richard Norman Shaw, strong connections were developed with the expanding Shipping Companies and a large proportion of the work was in the design of ship’s interiors. It started in 1910 with RMS Franconia and continued at pressure until fleets had been refitted after the First World War. The practice had a high reputation for careful and fine detailing and the solution of the special difficulties of ship board designing.
1911
Willink and Thicknesse were appointed Architects in 1911 for the Cunard Building with Mewes and Davies, Consultants to Cunard, determined that the design should be inspired from the Farnese Palace in Rome designed by Antonio da Sangallo and completed by Michelangelo in 1544. The brief required eleven acres of floor space within a building that symbolized the gateway to the New World.
1920
Harold Dod joined Willink & Thicknesse in 1912 as an assistant Architect, in 1914 he was commissioned in the King’s Regiment with the infantry service in France. He returned to Liverpool and rejoined Willink and Thicknesse in their new offices in the Cunard Building. In 1920 on the death of Philip Thicknesse he was invited to partnership with Willink and the practice changed to Willink Dod.
In February 1921 Willink presented a paper on the Cunard Building to the Royal Institute of British Architects in London. In his proposal of the vote of thanks Professor S. D. Adshead described it as ‘one of the finest buildings erected in this country for many years. It is an instance of a building of extraordinary scientific attainment combined with the highest artistic quality’.
1938
1938 saw the opening of the Harold Cohen Library, designed by Harold Dod for the University of Liverpool. This was a return to the University for Dod as he graduated from the School of Architecture in 1909 and was assistant to Professor Charles Reilly from 1912 – 1913.
Gilling Dod continued this association in 2000 when we were asked to extend and refurbish the building.
1956
Gilling Dod Partners
The practice became Gilling Dod Partners in 1956 when Malcolm Glyn Gilling became senior partner. Malcolm was a finalist in the Rome Scholarship and joined Willink and Dod in 1935. In 1947 he accepted an invitation to join Harold Dod as a partner.
In 1960 Gilling Dod Partners was invited to act for the Halifax Building Society on a programme for extending their branch structure. The first major redevelopment of the Rank Buildings was undertaken on Brunswick Street, Liverpool.
1982
In 1982 The Gilling Dod partnership was formed, Allan Billinge and Ross Skyner set about the task of retaining and serving many of the traditional client bodies whilst developing work in new areas to support the continuity of the practice. In 1992 the Partnership was incorporated under the Companies Act 1985 as a Private Limited Company.
2001
In 2001 Gilling Dod acquired the Cruck Barn which was originally part of the Duxbury Estate and is believed to have been built in the late 16th or early 17th century. We immediately began renovating and fitting out the empty shell which is now our registered Head Office.
The estate was owned by the Standish family, local landowners and latterly industrialists. They acquired the lands in the 14th Century when the original owner, Adam de Dokesbury from whom the area takes its name, chose the wrong side in the Banastre Rebellion and were dispossessed by the King. The Standish family held substantial lands around the Chorley area for many years, but suffered at the turn of the 20th century from the loss of the direct line of succession and the estate passed into the hands of the Borough Council in the 1930’s.
2002
June 2002 saw the establishment of the Procure21 framework in the Pilot regions of the North West and West Midlands which is a procurement method for publicly funded NHS capital schemes. Gilling Dod were involved in the initial Pilot schemes from the outset and have worked constituently under the framework ever since.
