Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


 
Harry Blackman
 
Harry Blackman, F. R. S. and F. R. A., architect, 11 West First street, Los 
Angeles, was born in Poland during the revolutionary times, educated in a Berlin 
(Germany) High School and articled to an architect for some years; worked at the 
bench as a carpenter two or three years, according to the prevailing custom on 
the Continent; then was a ship carpenter on the sea four years, visiting 
England, Holland, Russia, East Indias, America and Australia, where he left the 
ship and followed the feverish, nervous multitude to the gold diggings.  There 
he had the good fortune to save a few thousand dollars.  Returning to Berlin, he 
attended the lectures of the Royal Architectural Academy for two years, -- 
1864-�66, -- obtaining the gold, silver and bronze medals for proficiency.  
Sailing again for Australia, he worked as a draftsman for several architects, 
and after some years was engaged by the chief architect for the Colonial 
Government of Victoria as District Supervising Architect.  While in this 
department he designed and carried out the plans of scores of public buildings.  
Seven years afterward he was engaged by the New South Wales Government at Sydney 
to design and superintend the International Exposition building of 1879, called 
the �Garden Palace.�  Then he started in business for himself as an architect 
and met with pronounced success, designing and supervising some of the largest 
structures in Australia, among which we may mention those of the Mutual 
Benevolent Society of Australia, $210,000 and $230,000, at Adelaide and 
Brisbane; Mutual Life Association of Australia, $160,000 and $40,000, at Sydney 
and Brisbane; head office building of the Australian Joint-Stock Bank, $480,000, 
and the fifteen branch offices for the same in the country, $300,000; store, 
warehouse, block of buildings and residence of Hon. John Frazer, M. L. C., at 
Sydney, total $283,000, besides the Exposition Building just mentioned, 
$1,300,000, and many others, ranging in value from $18,000 up to the figures 
above given.  In 1886 he sold his office and business and left for Europe with 
the intention of retiring, on account of failing health caused by over-work; 
but, recovering, he started again for Australia.  Stopping, however, here in Los 
Angeles, and finding this a more equable climate, he decided to make this his 
permanent home.  But before settling here he visited Egypt, France, Poland, 
Austria, Germany, Holland, Belgium, England, Canada, and all the principal 
cities of the United States, taking architectural notes and sketches.  He is now 
superintending the erection of a fine block on Main street, from his own 
designs.  He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1880, and Fellow of the 
Royal Academy in 1882.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California � Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889 � Page 384 � 
Transcribed by Pat Houser, April 27, 2006