Trevor Gilman spent the 1960s studying engineering, becoming a Chartered Engineer. The following decade was spent studying building construction culminating in a decision in 1978 to open his own design practice. All of this study was set against a backdrop of employment in industry, principally in manufacturing but with a foray into shipbuilding.
His first major project was for a complete factory for the Dutch Maid Company who had outgrown their premises in Tideswell and acquired land for a new building at Fairfield. The two years of the project consolidated the experience of his previous work and lay the foundations for the work he was to take on in the future.
Around this time he came into contact with Dorothea Restorations and Leander Architectural, who had seen a business opportunity in the field of architectural metalwork. For many years he cooperated with the firms with a variety of projects, including the Buxton Bandstand and the Octagon windows.
Trevor Gilman’s career has spanned the disciplines of engineering and building with a wide variety of projects involving public parks, listed buildings, conservation areas, hotels, theatres, and houses.
The following represent just a few of Trevor Gilman’s portfolio of projects stretching back over four decades. There are far too many projects to be able to list them all. The photographs show just a few in each category.
Some of the projects not illustrated include:
Barn conversions, cellar conversions, loft conversions, garage conversions.
Initial planning application and layout of a housing estate of nearly fifty houses, employing specialists in trees, the environment and endangered species, transport, and flood risk assessment.
Design projects on clubs, public houses, and houses of multiple occupation.
Plans for licences for sale of alcoholic drinks, petroleum products, etc.
Land Registry compliant transfer plans used for identifying property being sold or leased.
All of the domestic projects and many of the others included preparation of detailed plans for planning applications, listed building applications, Building Regulations application.
Other architectural metalwork projects include a bandstand at Matlock Bath, shelters at Pwllheli and Rhyl, and signs and signage systems.