William Henry Crossland

William Henry Crossland (Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, 1835 – 14 November 1908, London, (stroke)) was a 19th-century architect and a pupil of George Gilbert Scott.

Principal works

Crossland's three most important commissions were:

• Rochdale Town Hall, built in 1866-71.
• Holloway Sanatorium, built 1873-85. This was a project commissioned by the philanthropist Thomas Holloway, and is located at Virginia Water, Surrey.
• Also commissioned by Thomas Holloway: Founder's Building at Royal Holloway College, Egham, Surrey, built in 1883-88 and a short distance away from the Sanatorium.

The Holloway Sanatorium and Royal Holloway College were inspired by the Cloth Hall of Ypres in Belgium and the Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley, France, respectively and are considered by some to be among the most remarkable buildings in the south of England.

Other commissions

The work by Elliott contains a full list based on work by Edward Law of Kilkenny, Ireland which are deposited at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in London. Amongst them are a large number of buildings in West Yorkshire including Batley: Christ Church, Staincliffe, 1867; Huddersfield: Concert Hall, 1873; Longley Hall, 1871–75; Kirkgate Buildings, 1878–85; and Leeds: Mechanics' Institute, 1860. Crossland disappeared from RIBA records in 1894-95. He is not buried in Highgate Cemetery at his specific request. His estate was worth just £29-2s-9d (£29.14p).

Personal life

Crossland married Lavinia Cardwell (died 1879) in 1859. They had one daughter, Maud, born 1860, and he also had an illegitimate son with an actress Eliza Ruth Hatt (died 1892) with whom he lived in a bungalow on the Royal Holloway site, producing two further sons. There is a memorial in Highgate Cemetery to his wife, mistress, daughter and eldest son.

The buildings in the 21st century

Rochdale Town Hall is still in use for its original function, as is the Founder's Building which is the main building of a major college of the University of London. The Sanatorium is preserved and restored, and is in use as luxury flats.

The bar in the Founder's Building is named 'Crosslands' in his honour (this is the only bar on campus not owned by the students' union) and is frequented by students, particularly in the summer months, who visit the bar and continue the old tradition of drinking Pimms in one of the quadrangles of the founder's building.

Gallery of work

• Rochdale Town Hall (1874) with the original tower

• Rochdale Town Hall with tower as rebuilt to Alfred Waterhouse's design

• Plan of Rochdale Town Hall

• Holloway Sanatorium (1884)

• Holloway Sanatorium

• Royal Holloway College

• Royal Holloway College

• St Andrews, Huddersfield

• St. Peter's Church, Birstall, West Yorkshire