Louis Laybourne Smith

Louis Laybourne Smith CMG was an architect and educator in South Australia. Born in the Adelaide innersouthern suburb of Unley, he became interested in engineering and architecture while in the goldfields of Western Australia and later studied mechanical engineering at the School of Mines, serving an apprenticeship under architect Edward Davies. After graduating he accepted a position as a lecturer at the school, and was responsible for developing the first formal architecture course in the State in 1904. Between 1905 and 1914, he served as registrar at the school before leaving to join his longtime friend, Walter Bagot, at the architectural firm of Woods, Bagot and Jory. He remained with the firm until his death in 1965, and over the years was involved in a number of significant projects, including the South Australian National War Memorial and the original Australian Mutual Provident building on King William Street.

Louis Laybourne Smith was born to Joseph and Annie Laybourne Smith onApril 1880, in Unley, South Australia. His parents had emigrated to Australia so that his father could take up a post as a chemist with F.H. Faulding amp Co. However, it appears that Joseph Laybourne Smith found dentistry more to his liking, for he went on to gain qualifications in the field through the Australian College of Dentistry. Both Laybourne Smiths primary and secondary education were obtained at the nearby Windham and Way colleges his education was interrupted in the mid1890s when his parents decided to move to the goldfields of Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

Source: Wikipedia