Eunice Dora Blackwell is the first female name mentioned in 1932 Publication ‘The Book of the School of Architecture’. She was Born in 1899 into a political and literary family notable in Southport at the time, The Blackwells were strong supporters of the Labour Party and women’s rights and encouraged their daughters to go to university. Eunice came to study architecture at Liverpool in 1919. Perhaps indicating she had some talent, she was awarded a studentship with a remission of fees for 5 years.
Staff and Students of the School of Architecture shown outside the school, Ashton Street - n.d. [1919-1923]
In spite of her 5 year scholarship she left the school in 1920 with a Certificate in Architecture. In 1921 she married fellow student Clifford Holliday (born 1898) . They emigrated to Palestine in 1922 where Clifford had been appointed Civic Advisor to the City of Jerusalem and later established a private architectural practice.
They remained in Palestine until 1935. Clifford worked on a number of significant buildings and town planning projects during this period including several with Professor Patrick Abercrombie. Eunice was busy looking after their four children Paul, John, Timothy and Robin but her letters make clear that she sometimes worked in the office with Clifford and Abercrombie between 1925 and 1934, including on major projects such as the Jerusalem Masterplan as well as Clifford’s MA Thesis. (insert photo/s of drawings she worked on) In 1939 they relocated to what was then Celyon. Clifford was assisting Sir Patrick Abercrombie and Shirley D’Awlis on a masterplan for the university. Correspondence between Clifford and Abercrombie in the 1940s suggests that Eunice wanted to get more involved in their work now their children were in school “promising for a joint spell of productivity next spring”. He also refers to some research that they have done on Moorish Building surveys which seems to suggest it is a joint effort. Research is ongoing to try and establish whether Eunice was involved in Clifford’s later work in Gibraltar or with Gordon Stephenson on the Stevenage Town Plan or projects of her own.