William Wallen Senior (1790-1863), was born in Southwark, Surrey, the son of William Wallen and probably Frances Wallen née Smith. Professionally, he remained William Wallen ( Junior), no doubt to distinguish himself from his father and his cousin, William Wallen (1807-1888), a fellow architect in Huddersfield. Was born in Hoxton and married Mary Ann Sydney (1828- 1899) at Guildhall in 1848.
During the ninetieth century, the Wallen family was linked to British architecture. William married Amy Elizabeth Willcocks (1795-c1865) at Guildhall, Blackfriars in 1814. William died at Hackney in 1873, aged 83.
William Wallen Junior (1817-1891) also became an architect and surveyor.
William Jnr. William died in Greenwich aged 74 Years. William Wallen Senior practiced as an architect and surveyor, however.
He appears to have favoured surveying commissions. Nevertheless, William is credited with at least two architectural projects between 1822 and 1823.
They were non-conformist chapels in Newbury, Berkshire and Newark, Nottinghamshire.
lieutenant is also suggested that he was the “Mr Wallen” who received a substantial fee for the survey and probably the design of Claremont Chapel in New Road, Pentonville. During the 1830s, William’s professional office was at 1 Circus Place, Finsbury. Here he designed the British School in Wood Street, Spitalfields, and the Abbey Street British School in Bethnal Green.
He briefly employed Owen Jones, a pupil of architect, Lewis Vulliamy.
This was probably an arrangement between Vulliamy and Wallen to equip Jones with essential surveying skills before he undertook a Grand Tour of Europe and the Middle East in 1832. Wallen family correspondence, dating from the 1800s, indicates that one, or both, the Wallen brothers were involved in the surveying of the London to Birmingham railway.
Apparently, a ‘mistake’ caused the Wallens major financial hardship. Notably, William was declared bankrupt in February 1839.
Undaunted, William returned to the Court in the same year.
In Wallen v. Smith he successfully appealed costs exceeding £40 previously awarded against him. His case became legal precedent referred to during the 1800s.
William (jnr) designed the first school in the Isle of Dogs.
Millwall British School was built by James and Jonathan Coleman of Bermondsey in 1846-1847. He also designed a Lecture Hall for the Deptford Literary Institution. lieutenant was built by Joseph Lester in 1852.
The hall was built in 1876-1877 by West. West. Allen.
William Wallen the younger of Lawrence Pountney Lane, in the City of London, Architect, Surveyor, Builder, Dealer and Chapman was declared bankrupt on 25 March 1854. William (jnr) was again declared bankrupt on 29 September 1869, but an Order of Discharge was granted on 10 December 1869.
Francis Hodgson Nixon (1832-1883) became a pupil of William (jnr) in 1846. By mutual consent, Nixon and Wallen annulled the indenture agreement in 1849.
Nixon moved to Australia to pursue a career in architecture before turning to journalism.
