Brian O'Rorke was born at Fendalton, Christchurch, New Zealand, on 14 June 1901, the third son of Edward Dennis O'Rorke, and Amy Clifford Rhodes.
11 Facts About Brian O'Rorke
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Brian O'Rorke's father, Dennis, was an expert horseman, particularly in polo, racing and the hunting circles, and had been Reader of the House of Representatives and Record Clerk for several years in the early 1890s.
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Paternal grandfather, Sir Maurice O'Rorke had served as Member of Parliament for Onehunga and Manukau from 1861 to 1902, as well as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1879 to 1890.
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Thereafter, Brian O'Rorke studied engineering at Jesus College, University of Cambridge graduating with the degree of BA in June 1922.
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In early professional practice, Brian O'Rorke worked on the design of small private houses in London and the country, and in 1932 produced the design for a block of modern tenement flats erected in Islington, London.
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Brian O'Rorke eventually found Brian O'Rorke through his friends Betty and Ralph Rayner.
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Brian O'Rorke had been working on Ashcombe Tower, their new modern home complete with furnishings, in Devon, and suitably possessed the suite of capability that Anderson had been looking for.
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Maurice O'Rorke 8.
RMS Orion proved so successful, Brian O'Rorke designed interiors for many more of Orient's ships.
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Brian O'Rorke returned from RMS Orion's maiden Mediterranean cruise to Constantinople in August 1935 to begin planning airliner interiors for Imperial Airways, particularly the interior design of the passenger section of the twenty-eight new Short Empire flying boats then under rapid development and manufacture for the Empire Air Mail Scheme.
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Brian O'Rorke's buildings include the Berkeley Hotel, London; The New Royal Observatory at Herstmonceux in Sussex ; a country house, Ashcombe Tower on Haldon, near Dawlish, Devon; and halls of residence at the University of Nottingham.
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On 19 January 1929, Brian O'Rorke married illustrator and decorative artist Juliet Mabel Olga Wigan, elder daughter of solicitor Ernest Edward Wigan, MA, of Oakley Lodge, Weybridge, Surrey, and his wife Mabel Helen, daughter of Robert Watson Willis of Hinxton House, East Sheen, Surrey.