Crawford & Mann

CRAWFORD & MANN was a partnership of EJF CRAWFORD and GVF MANN who practised as architects in Brisbane from August 1888. Previously they were employed and probably trained in the office of Rowe & Green, Sydney (Thomas ROWE and Sydney M Green (c1845–1912). They were quite successful but in February 1891, the firm’s offices for Charles O’Reilly were the subject of a well publicised court case. In an early instance of “brick veneer” construction, the building’s timber frame was protected by a single skin of brick which the Municipal Council asserted was contrary to the first-class provisions of the Local Government Act of 1887. Leading architects gave evidence for both sides, many in support of Crawford & Mann, but they lost and O’Reilly was required to demolish the building within 2 weeks. The partnership was dissolved on 30 June 1891. After Mann left Queensland, Crawford remained in practice for only a short time before he also departed.