Gertrude Leverkus facts for kids

Gertrude Leverkus (born September 26, 1898 – died November 8, 1989) was an amazing architect from Germany who also became British. She was one of the first women to become a professional architect in the UK.

Early Life and Learning

Gertrude Wilhelmine Margaret Leverkus was born on September 26, 1898. Her birthplace was Oldenburg, Germany. She was the second of three daughters. Her father, Otto Leverkus, was a merchant who sold goods to other countries.

Soon after Gertrude was born, her family moved to Manchester, England. In 1910, they moved again to Forest Hill, London.

She went to Sydenham High School. After that, she studied at University College London (UCL). From 1916 to 1919, she earned her degree in architecture from UCL. She was the only woman among 500 men taking the final exams!

In 1919, she started training under a famous architect named Horace Field. By 1922, she became his assistant. That same year, Horace Field and two other professors suggested she become a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). This made her one of the very first three women to join this important group. In 1925, she also got a special certificate in town planning from UCL.

Her Career as an Architect

In 1923, Gertrude Leverkus started working for the Women's Pioneer Housing Limited. This group helped women find homes. Her job was to turn large buildings into smaller apartments for women. One big project was changing a building called 31 Gledhow Gardens in Earls Court into apartments for women workers.

In 1930, she moved into an apartment she had designed herself. It was in a building that used to be a ballroom at 65 Harrington Gardens in Earl's Court. She lived there for many years.

In 1938, she designed an addition to the Annie McCall Maternity Hospital in Clapham. This new part was for patients who didn't need to stay overnight. Today, this hospital is a special historic building.

During World War II, Gertrude stopped working for private clients. Instead, she helped with the war effort. She inspected large, fancy houses to see if they could be used for wartime needs. She also helped organize people who were moving out of London for safety.

From 1943 to 1948, she worked for the West Ham Town Planning Office. She helped plan housing for the town. Then, from 1948 until she retired in 1960, she worked for a company called Norman and Dawbarn Architects. During this time, she designed shops and apartments near Swiss Cottage tube station. She also worked on planning new towns like Crawley and Harlow.

Helping Other Women Architects

Gertrude Leverkus was part of many groups that supported women. In 1932, she helped create a special committee for women architects within the RIBA. She was the secretary of this committee in the 1930s. Their goal was to help women architects, give advice to new graduates, and record cases where women faced unfair treatment.

In 1935, Gertrude reported that almost thirty architect firms were "entirely run by women." She also noted that more and more women were working as architects for city offices. She believed the biggest challenge for women architects back then was that it was "extraordinary" for a woman to be trusted with large, important projects.

She was also involved with the Women's Provisional Club. Other important women in this club included MP Eleanor Rathbone and engineer Caroline Haslett. Gertrude was also a member of the Women's Voluntary Service and the International Federation of Business and Professional Women.

Later Life

After she retired from architecture in 1960, Gertrude Leverkus continued to help out. She served as a governor for the Brixton School of Building. In 1960, she moved to Brighton. She passed away on November 8, 1989, at the age of 91.