Alexander Nelson Hansell

Alexander Nelson Hansell (6 October 1857^[1]^{: 103–104}^{[note 1]} – 1940) was a British architect known primarily for his activities in Kobe, Japan. In 1891 he became a fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects^[2]^{[note 2]} He had an apprentice named Yokoyama Eikichi.^[4]^: 178

Life

The Harris Science Hall at Doshisha University, the first building in Japan that Hansell was involved in building

Hansell was born on 6 October 1857 in Caen in Normandy, France.^[1]^{: 103–104}His father Peter Hansell was a British^[4]^: 173 pastor,^[1]^{: 103–104} who had been rector of Kingsdon, Somerset before being appointed as Consular Chaplain of Caen on 11 October 1853.^[5] Father and son later returned together to Somerset, England.^[4]^: 173

At some point Alexander moved from Somerset to Winchester, where he studied architecture,^[4]^: 173 and in 1888 he moved to Japan. He worked teaching English at a seminary on Lot 18 of the Kawaguchi foreign settlement in Osaka^[1]^: 105 before beginning his activities as an architect. His first job was the planning of the Harris Science Hall at Doshisha University.^[1]^: 105 He continued on to design the clubhouse of the newly renamed Kobe Club at the Kobe foreign settlement, and was thereafter involved in the planning of many more structures both inside the foreign settlement and in the surrounding mixed residential zone.^[1]^{: 105–106}

During the First World War, Alexander's only son Kenneth was killed in battle.^[6] Alexander mourned his loss greatly, and in 1920 he moved to Hankou in China, and then later to Monaco, where he died.^[4]^{: 178–179}

Hansell's personal residence, known as the Choueke House, is now run as a tourist attraction, located on Yamamoto-dōri in Chūō-ku, Kobe.

Important works

In and around the foreign concession

Original Kobe Club [ja] clubhouse: 1890 (in Higashi Yuenchi Park [ja], destroyed by the war in 1945)^[1]^{: 105–106}^[3]^{: 114–115}
Delacamp & Co. [ja] office at Lot 122 in the concession:^[3]^{: 115–116} 1893^[4]^: 177
Choueke House [ja]: 1896, Hansell's own residence^[1]^: 105
Club Concordia clubhouse at Lot 126 in the concession:^[3]^{: 115–116} 1896^[4]^: 177
German consulate at Lot 115 in the concession:^[3]^{: 115–116} 1901^[4]^: 177
HSBC at Lot 2 in the concession:^[3]^{: 115–116} 1902^[4]^: 177
Jardine Matheson at Lot 67 in the concession:^[3]^{: 115–116} 1905^[4]^: 177
Guggenheim House [ja]: 1912, currently owned by the stained glass artist Michiyo Durt-Morimoto
Standard Chartered bank at Lot 67 in the concession^[3]^{: 115–116}
Sharp House [ja] (assumed): 1903,^[4]^: 177 Important Cultural Property
Former Hassam House [ja] (assumed^[4]^: 178): 1902,^[4]^: 177 Important Cultural Property

Elsewhere

Harris Science Hall at Doshisha University: 1890, Important Cultural Property^[1]^: 105
Meiji Hall at St. Agnes' School [ja]: 1895, registered Tangible Cultural Property
Dethlefsen^{[citation needed]} House, 1895, former home of A. P. Dethlefsen

The first clubhouse of the Kobe Club
The Guggenheim house

Notes

^ Or 1856 according to Arthur Charles Fox-Davies (1929). Armorial Families: A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-Armour. Hurst & Blackett, Ltd. p. 870.
^ The only other fellow of the RIBA in Japan at the same period was Josiah Conder.^[3]^: 115

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Kōbe Gaikokujin Kyoryūchi Kenkyūkai, ed. (2005). 神戸と居留地多文化共生都市の原像 [Kobe and its Foreign Settlement: Origins of a Multicultural City] (in Japanese). Kōbe shimbun sōgō shuppan sentā. ISBN 4-343-00315-9.
^ Royal Institute of British Architects (November 1907). The Kalendar of the Royal Institute of British Architects. p. 76.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Tetsuo Kamiki; Sakiyama Masahito (1993). 神戸居留地の3/4世紀ハイカラな街のルーツ [3/4 of a Century in the Kobe Concession: Roots of a Stylish City] (in Japanese). Kōbe shimbun sōgō shuppan sentā. ISBN 4-87521-476-6.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Taniguchi, Toshikazu (1986). 使徒たちよ眠れ神戸外国人墓地物語 (in Japanese). Kōbe shimbun shuppan sentā. ISBN 4-87521-447-2.
^ Edward Hertslet (January 1877). The Foreign Office Handbook. p. 111.
^ Kenneth Joyce Nelson Hansell 1898 - 1918 on Lives of the First World War

[2] Or 1856 according to Arthur Charles Fox-Davies (1929). Armorial Families: A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-Armour. Hurst & Blackett, Ltd. p. 870.

[5] The only other fellow of the RIBA in Japan at the same period was Josiah Conder.^[3]^: 115

[Kenkyuukai-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Kōbe Gaikokujin Kyoryūchi Kenkyūkai, ed. (2005). 神戸と居留地多文化共生都市の原像 [Kobe and its Foreign Settlement: Origins of a Multicultural City] (in Japanese). Kōbe shimbun sōgō shuppan sentā. ISBN 4-343-00315-9.

[3] Royal Institute of British Architects (November 1907). The Kalendar of the Royal Institute of British Architects. p. 76.

[Kamiki-Sakiyama-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Tetsuo Kamiki; Sakiyama Masahito (1993). 神戸居留地の3/4世紀ハイカラな街のルーツ [3/4 of a Century in the Kobe Concession: Roots of a Stylish City] (in Japanese). Kōbe shimbun sōgō shuppan sentā. ISBN 4-87521-476-6.

[Taniguchi-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Taniguchi, Toshikazu (1986). 使徒たちよ眠れ神戸外国人墓地物語 (in Japanese). Kōbe shimbun shuppan sentā. ISBN 4-87521-447-2.

[7] Edward Hertslet (January 1877). The Foreign Office Handbook. p. 111.

[8] Kenneth Joyce Nelson Hansell 1898 - 1918 on Lives of the First World War

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