Los Angeles County

Biographies

 

 

 

THOMAS FELLOWS

 

 

FELLOWS, THOMAS, Architectural Engineer, Los Angeles, Cal., was born at Birmingham, England, in 1860.  His father was Frederick Fellows and his mother Mary (Grice) Fellows.  He married Mary E. Stewart at Long Beach California, August 7, 1886.  They have two daughters, Ruth and Mary Janet Fellows.

            Mr. Fellows was educated in England, where he attended the public schools of Birmingham, and later took a three-year course in building construction at South Kensington Division, studying under William Morris.  He completed his course in 1880, receiving two government diplomas for building construction and design, also a diploma and prize in physiology.

            Coming to American in 1882, he studied architecture one year at Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pa.  During this year he aided in the construction of the buildings for Bryn Mawr and Lehigh Colleges, in Pennsylvania.

            For fifteen years after this he followed architectural engineering in various Eastern and Western cities of the United States, with the exception of one year, 1897-98, which he spent in Pittsburg in the study of steel construction.  Leaving Pittsburg, he went to San Francisco, and was appointed building superintendent of the Risdon Iron Works of that city.  He supervised the construction of that company’s modern plant, built at a cost of $1,500,000, and it was while in that position that he received a certification fro design from the San Francisco Polytechnic Institute.

            After eighteen months in San Francisco, in association with the Risdon Iron Works, Mr. Fellows moved to Los Angeles, and there opened offices.  Since he has been in the Southern California metropolis he has taken a leading position in this profession, and numerous buildings attest to his artistic and engineering ability.  He has lead an active life, his work extending to all parts of Southern California territory, and including both private and public buildings.  Among the latter are the Imperial County Court House, Los Angeles Masonic Hall, Los Angeles Pavilion, the Brawley stores and office building, two large churches in Los Angeles and various others.

            In 1905, Mr. Fellows acted as building superintendent for Architect Whittlesey, and the following year was appointed first Civil Service Building Inspector for Los Angeles.  He served in that capacity for two years, and then returned to his private practice.

            In 909, he was associated with G. Wharton James in the California Arts and Crafts movement, but since that time has devoted himself to experimental work and inventions relating to building materials and construction, also road and reservoir construction, with earth concrete in lieu of sand and rock concrete.  He invented a system of cold storage construction which not only solves the problem of living in desert countries but preserves fruits without ice, ammonia or other machinery.  In addition to this he has patented four inventions on his various systems of concrete construction.  They make it possible to build any kind of solid or hollow concrete structure without forms or moulds and they save from ten to thirty per cent of the cost.

            Mr. Fellows’ business affiliations include the Salton Sea Oil company, of which he is secretary; the Fellows System of Building Construction, of which he is principal owner, and the American Concrete Company, wherein he is a member of the Board of Directors.

            Aside from this architectural accomplishments and his prominence as an inventor, Mr. Fellows has won notice as a writer and lecturer.  He has written numerous short stories and fables and has been a liberal contributor to the scientific press.  He has spoken at various times before national conventions on “Sanitary Fireproof Construction for the Poor.”

            He is a member of the Woodmen of the World, Odd Fellows, F. & A. M. and the Young Men’s Christian Association.

           

 

Transcribed by Michele Y. Larsen 1 November 2011.

Source: Press Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I,  Page 822, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta.  1913.

© 2011 Michele Y. Larsen.

 

 

 

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