Hugh Casson was an architect, notably for the 1951 Festival of Britain and the London Zoo Elephant House. President of the Royal Academy (PRA) from 1976 to 1984. He was also president of The Friends of Holland Park and the architect for the repairs to Holland House after WW2. His Wikipedia page, the Transcript of National Life Stories, and The Man Family and Others website and give much information about the man.
Hugh Maxwell Casson was born on 23 May 1910 at 4 Crossfield Road, Belsize Park, Hampstead, the younger child of Randal Casson (1879-1972) and Mary Caroline Casson née Man (1880-1962). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1910 in the Hampstead registration district. His father was civil servant in Burma (now called the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) who on his return to England went on to become a university teacher.
In the 1911 census he is listed in a seven roomed property at 80 Hotham Road, Wandsworth, the home of his widowed paternal grandmother Laura Ann Casson née Holland (1844-1912) who was living on private means, with two paternal aunts: Frances Winifred Casson (1872-1915) who was described as a secondary school teacher, Elizabeth Casson (1881-1954) a property managing rent collector, his sister Rosemary Casson (1909-1993), together with two female boarders and a female servant who was employed as a nurse.
In the 4th quarter of 1938 he married Margaret Macdonald Troup in St Margaret's Church, Westminster, having met her when they were both on the staff of the Royal College of Art. They were to have three daughters: Carola Casson whose birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1941 in the Cheltenham registration district, Gloucestershire, Nicola Margaret Casson whose birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1943 in the Cheltenham registration district and Dinah Victoria Casson whose birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1946 in the Kensington registration district.
He was listed in electoral registers and telephone directories from 1946 to 1952 at 18 Sheffield Terrace, Kensington and in the 1952 New Year Honours List he was made a Knight Bachelor having been the Director of Architect at the Festival of Britain. He and his wife from 1953 to 1970 were living at 35 Victoria Road, Kensington. He was awarded the Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) in 1961. On 3 June 1978 he was appointed as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) and as a Companion of Honour (CH) in 1985 by which time he was residing at 60 Elgin Crescent, London, W11.
He died, aged 89 years, on 15 August 1999, his death being registered in August 1999 in the Kensington and Chelsea registration district. His body was cremated on 24 August 1999 in the Kensington and Chelsea district.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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