Wells, R. Douglas

WELLS, Robert Douglas (1875-1963) of London, England prepared an elaborate design for a sprawling Edwardian mansion for Alfred Harmsworth (also known as Lord Northcliffe), Lincoln Road, GRAND FALLS, NEWFOUNDLAND., built 1910; still standing in 2014 (Academy Architecture [London], xxxviii, 1910, 47, illus.). This was intended to be one of the focal points in the town plan developed by the Anglo Newfoundland Development Co. who built a major pulp and paper mill on the town site to supply paper to the newspaper empire owned by Harmsworth. Wells exhibited his drawings for this project at the Royal Academy in London (Architect & Contract Reporter [London], lxxxiii, 13 May 1910, 300). Born in England in 1875, Wells articled with the London architectural firm of Stevenson & Redfern in 1896-99, and with Ralph S. Wornum in 1900. He received a scholarship to study at the British School in Athens in 1901, and later that same year returned to London to open an office under his own name (biog. and list of works in F. Chatterton, Who's Who in Architecture, 1923, 265; biog. R.I.B.A., Directory of British Architects 1834-1914, Vol. ii, 957-58). Wells was elected as a Fellow of the R.I.B.A. in 1911, and later died in London on 28 April 1963. He may be the same "Mr. Wells", partner in the firm of 'Wells & Murdoch, consulting engineers & architects" who designed a church in reinforced concrete in OLD PERLICAN, NEWFOUNDLAND., in 1926 (Daily News [St. John's], 15 July 1926, 7, descrip.)