Peter Kerr (1820 - 1912)

Born 21 Apr 1820 in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Husband of Harriet (Bertrand) Kerr — married 8 Aug 1857 in St James Cathedral, William Street, Melbourne Victoria Australia

Descendants

Died 31 Mar 1912 at age 91 in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Peter Kerr is Notable.

Peter Kerr was born in Scotland.

Peter Kerr emigrated to Melbourne to work as an architect for the public Works department. He designed many public buildings in Melbourne including Parliament House.

• In Parliament House Melbourne there is a KnightKerr room which has some architectural drawings, also photographs of Peter Kerr and his brother-in-law/partner John George Knight and short biographies of both. Peter's birthplace was named as Palermo, Sicily on this biography rather than Scotland.

Sources

• Family knowledge.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Kerr_(architect):

Peter Kerr (21 April 1820 – 31 March 1912), a Scottish-born architect, was the principal designer of the Parliament House of Victoria, Australia, commencing from a government architect's basic design.[1] Kerr immigrated to Melbourne in 1852 after working under Sir Charles Barry on the design of the Palace of Westminster.[2] Having also associated with Augustus Pugin, he was well versed in the Gothic Revival style in which, over 40 years, he developed one of the city's great buildings. see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_%26_Kerr

• 01 April 1912 The Argus (via Trove.nla.gov.au):

DEATH OF MR. PETER KERR. DESIGNER OF PARLIAMENT-HOUSE. With the death of Mr. Peter Kerr, F.R.I.B.A., Victoria loses one who has given to the city of Melbourne the most dignified and impressive of its architectural features, the House of Parliament in Spring-street. Mr. Kerr learned architecture very young, and learned it in a good school. Born in Aberdeen of Scottish parents, on April 21, 1820, he was articled at 14 years of age to Mr. Archibald Simpson, of that city. Upon his articles having expired, in 1842 he went to England and into the office of Mr. George Fowler Jones at York. He was invited by the Duke of Sutherland in 1843 to superintend alterations and additions to Dunrobin Castle for the reception of Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort, and there he stayed for some years. There he met Sir Charles Barry, architect of the new Westminster Houses of Parliament, and upon leaving Dunrobin in 1848, he went into the office of the famous architect, and so did a great deal of work upon the House of the "Mothers of Parliaments" by the Thames. When he came to Melbourne in 1852 he brought the plans of the Westminster House with him, and these afterwards helped him with the greatest of his works. In 1853 Mr. Kerr entered into partnership in Melbourne with Messrs. Knight and Kemp. For a while he followed the pursuit of cattle-raising on the Upper Yarra, but, not making much of a success of it, he returned to Melbourne, and took on architecture again, amongst the buildings he designed being Goldsborough's Wool Store, the Port Phillip Club Hotel, and the old Connell, Hogarth building. In 1877 the Royal commission on the Parliamentary buildings appointed Mr. Kerr as the architect of Parliament-house. Another building upon which Mr. Kerr was engaged was the Post-office, from the ordinance of the second floor of the older building and the ordonnance of the third floor of the clock tower. He also did some work upon the Law Courts, and designed a great deal of the detail of Government-house. The Public Offices, though designed by Mr. Egan, were carried out by Mr. Kerr. Mr. Kerr retired from the public service 20 years ago, and leaves a widow, two sons, and two daughters Mrs. Friedman and Mrs Gordon Hellers. The eldest son, Mr. H. J. Kerr, is a district architect in the Department of Public Works, and Mr. C. H. Kerr is in business in Fremantle. For the last 30 years Mr. Kerr lived at 12 Service-crescent, Albert-park.

• VicBDM:Event: marriages Registration number 2576 / 1857

Family name: KERR Given name(s) Peter Spouse's family name: BERTRAND Spouse's given name(s) Harriette

• Vic BDM:Event: deaths Registration number 6794 / 1912

Family name: KERR Given name(s) Peter Place of event: Melb S, Australia Mother's name , Helen Mother's family name at birth CHESNEY Father's Name: Kerr Jas

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/212665334/peter-kerr : accessed 21 April 2022), memorial page for Peter Kerr (21 Apr 1820–31 Mar 1912), Find a Grave Memorial ID 212665334, citing St. Kilda Cemetery, St Kilda, Port Phillip City, Victoria, Australia ; Maintained by woowoo (contributor 49949980) .
• https://ris.cdu.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/23599012/Thesis_CDU_Mastin_J.pdf
• 16 May 1912 "Southern Times" Bunbury via trove.nla.gov.au

Personal By the latest Melbourne exchange, we note the death of Mr. Peter Kerr, a brother-in-law of Mr. Louis Eskell, of Bunbury. In the death of Mr Peter Kerr, F.R.I.B.A., Victoria loses one who has given to the city of Melbourne "the most dignified and impressive of its architectural features, the House of Parliament in Spring street. Mr. Kerr retired from the public service 20 years ago, and leaves a widow, two sons, and two. daughters (Mrs. Friedman and Mrs. Gordon Heller). The elder son (Mr. H. J. Kerr) is a district architect in the Department of Public Works, and Mr. C. H. Kerr is in business in Fremantle. For the last 30 years Mr. Kerr lived at 12 Service-crescent, Albert-park.