BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Robert Percival Sterling Twizell

June 25 1877 - December 7 1964

Associate, Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA)
Art, Historical and Scientific Association of Vancouver
Architectural Institute of B.C. (Charter Member)
B.C. Society of Fine Arts



Twizell was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne, and was educated at Rutherford College and Durham University. He lectured on architecture at the University of Durham, in the north of England, from 1903 - 1908. He came to B.C. in 1908, and exhibited in Vancouver, starting at least as early as 1909 with the B.C. Society of Fine Arts debut First Annual Exhibition at the Dominion Hall in Vancouver.

In 1911 Twizell was the architect for the residence named Fairacres, built on the north shore of Deer Lake for Henry and Grace Ceperley. In 2008 the restored mansion is the home of the Burnaby Art Gallery. Refer to gallery web site for further information on the building.

He was the fourth Architect registered with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia. The Institute was founded in 1914 and incorporated in 1920 in Vancouver. Twizell had offices in the Metropolitan Building, along with G.S. Twizell, who was registered as the tenth architect, according to the 1928 AIBC Handbook.

For five years, from 1918 - 1922, Twizell held office with the Art, Historical and Scientific Association of Vancouver, and was described as "a capable leader of the association."

He married Mabel Akeroyd Denness on February 25, 1920, in Vancouver. His recreational activities were noted as being golf and fishing. He died in Victoria in 1964 at the age of 88.


EXHIBITIONS

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION LOCATION

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1909 April 20 - 28 BCSFA   First Annual Exhibition Architectural Designs (five)

References

WHO'S WHO IN WESTERN CANADA
      1911; Edited by C.W. Parker
      A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men & Women of Western Canada
      Published by Canadian Press Association Ltd., Vancouver office
      Contains 3,000 biographical sketches in 390 pages, incl. 84 pages photo portraits
      References include Twizell

Attendee at the 1935 Vancouver School of Art Summer Camp
(refer to SUMMER SKETCHING CAMP - SAVARY ISLAND)

THE SAVARY PUDDING folio by Frederick A. Amess, private collection.
   Original drawings, paintings and text by Amess, C.H. Scott, Grace Melvin,
       H. Mortimer Lamb, Plato von Ustinov, and other students and visitors.
   June 1935 (various dates), June 1939 (various dates)
   52 loose 12"x18" sheets of brown sketch paper

THE FINE ARTS IN VANCOUVER, 1886 - 1930 (refer to THOM)

ARTISTS, ARCHITECTS & ARTISTS - Canadian Art 1890 - 1918 (refer to NGC13)

B.C. VITAL STATISTICS ON-LINE marriage, death (refer to BCVS)

Clippings

"For five years (1918 - 1922) Mr. R.P.S. Twizell, A.R.I.B.A., held office. A well-known architect, he is an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects, and was for five years lecturer on Architecture at the University of Durham, in the north of England. Several public buildings in B.C. are the result of his skill. He also contributes to the Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Born on Newcastle-on-Tyne, almost in the shadow of the Roman wall, living amidst the magic of the grand old Norman pile of Durham, "half church of God, half castle against the Scot", as Sir Walter himself described it, he has been a capable leader of the association."
      "History of the A.H.S.A.V.-Biographical: Founders & Members"
      Museum Notes, Vol. 1, No. 2, June 1926

"Q: Is it true that Mr. Twizell is considering giving up architecture in favour of the church or politics as better vehicles for his elequence.
A: The term architect is all-inclusive."
     From "Answers to Correspondents"
      Savary Pudding, Volume 2, Number 8, 1935

"A perfect holiday is a three-fold pleasure, for from the pleasures of anticipation & realization there will come that of recollection - So will it be with Savary."
      From "Savary - 3 fold" by R.P.S. Twizell
      Savary Pudding, Vol. 2, 1935

"WHAT was Mr. Scott doing on the top floor Friday nite? We object! And so does our Chaperone. Which reminds us, why is Mr. Twizell on the top floor, and what excuse has he to offer for this one? And what about these mysterious car trips? We are thirsty too. What's wrong with our local Tarzans? Next time we'll ask the mates when speed is required in transporting the raft."
      From "Complaints!!"
      Savary Pudding, June 15 1935


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