Résumé

Assistant Bookkeeper, Bellingham, WA, 09/1918.

Draftsman, Robert C. Reamer, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1925-1926.

Draftsman, Voorhees, Walker, and Smith, New York, NY, 1927-1928.

Draftsman, James Gamble Rogers, New York, NY, 1928.

Designer, Paul Thiry, Seattle, WA, 1933-1934.

Principal, Leonard William Bindon, Architect, Bellingham, WA, 1934-1940.

Officer, United States Army (USA), 1940-1945.

Designer, Bebb and Jones, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1946-1948.

Partner, Jones and Bindon, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1948-1956.

Partner, Bindon, Wright, and Partners, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1956-1970. This architectural partnership would be renamed "Wright, Gildow, Hartman, Teegarden, Architects and Planners" in 10/1973. An 1973 article in the Seattle Times tracted out the firm's development since being founded by Charles Bebb (1862-1942) in 1898: “A Seattle architectural firm founded in 1898 has completed its sixth name change, becoming Wright, Gildow, Hartman and Teegarden, Architects and Planners,” Principals in the firm are John Wright, Elton Gildow, George Hartman and Clark Teegarden. Four members of the staff have associate standings. Partnership denotes an ownership interest in the firm while associate ranking is given to key members who are not owners. The firm traces its founding from 1898, when Charles Bebb began his civil-engineer practice here on arrival from Chicago. In 1913, Carl Gould joined him in a partnership, Bebb & Gould. On Gould’s death in 1939, the firm became Bebb & Jones, and on Bebb’s retirement, in 1946 it became Jones & Bindon. John Paul Jones, longtime architect for the University of Washington, retired in 1956, and Wright became a partner. Leonard Bindon retired in 1970, and the present partnership was formed as Bindon & Wright. The firm’s early work includes structures such as the Frye Hotel, the Home Building, the Suzzallo Library and the Times Square Building. Gildow, in charge of administration, has been with the firm since 1954. Hartman, in charge of design, since 1959, and Teegarden, in charge of production and personnel, since 1947. The firm has wholly owned affiliates offering planning and interior-design services.”(See “Old architectural firm reports name change,” Seattle Times, 10/07/1973, p, 44.)Bebb practiced on his own in Seattle between 1898 and 1901 and then created a partnership with Louis Mendel between 1901 and 1914.

Professional Activities

Bindon took the Washington State Architect's Exam three times, once on 05/18/1926, again on 12/04/1929 and finally on 11/12/1930. It appears he passed in 1930.

Elementary and High School / College

Attended, John Roan School, London, England, c. 1907-1910.

Graduate, Polson High School, Polson, MT.

Coursework, Engineering and Architecture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, c. 1920-1924. The 1940 US Census indicated that Bindon completed four years of college. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Bellingham, Whatcom, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04368; Page: 62A; Enumeration District: 37-33, accessed 01/17/2023.) His WA State architectural licensing paperwork of 12/11/1930 indicated that he attended the University of Washington for four years, but did not graduate. It also indicated that Bindon "...changed course from Eng to Arch."

Possible coursework, Columbia University, New York, NY, c. 1926-1927. Bindon indicated that he had attended Columbia University in 1926 and/or 1927, while he lived in New York, NY. (See American Architects Directory, 1956, George S. Koyl, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker and Company, 1955], p, 44 and American Architects Directory, 1962, George S. Koyl, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker and Company, 1962], p, 56.) It is not clear in what capacity he attended Columbia, either as a matriculated student or as an auditor.

Relocation

Leonard W.S. Bindon was born in West Brompton, England, a suburb in southwest London. West Brompton was a section of London located between the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Bindon was baptized in the Parish of Saint Oswald Church, 56 Saint Oswald's Road, Fulham, Middlesex, on 07/15/1899. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P77/OSW/001, accessed 01/17/2023.) He lived with his parents James and Helen Bindon at 56 Saint Oswald's Road in Fulham, England, as per the English Census of 1901. The household also included his infant brother Douglas, cousins Claude Burton (born c. 1896 in Madras, India), Cyril Burton (born c. 1898 in Mysore, India), and Vere Burton (born c. 1900 in Mysore, IN), and a nurse, Kitty Kannard, (born c. 1872 in Madras, India). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: RG13; Piece: 61; Folio: 86; Page: 46 Source Information Ancestry.com. 1901 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives, 1901, accessed 01/17/2023.)

He came to the US with his family in 04/1911. On 09/12/1918, Bindon resided with his parents at 2117 Williams Street in Bellingham, WA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: Washington; Registration County: Whatcom Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 05/22/2023.

In 1927, the year of his brother's premature death, Leonard was working in New York, NY. His family lived at 2420 Henry Street in Bellingham, WA. (See "Social and Personal," Bellingham Herald, 01/25/1927, p. 3 and "Douglas B. Bindon, Whatcom Graduate, Passes at Seattle," Bellingham Herald, 04/20/1927, p. 3.)

Bindon and his wife June dwelled in the L'Aurelton Apartments at 1820 16th Avenue in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood in 1930. They paid $57.50 per month in rent at that time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 34A; Enumeration District: 0108; FHL microfilm: 2342232, accessed 05/22/2023.)

They resided at 310 Middlefield Road, in Bellingham's Fairhaven neighborhood, as per the 1940 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Bellingham, Whatcom, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04368; Page: 62A; Enumeration District: 37-33, accessed 01/17/2023.)

Ten years later, Bindon and his family occupied a house at 2510 East Lynn Street in Seattle's Montlake neighborhood. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: 2804; Sheet Number: 10; Enumeration District: 40-372, accessed 05/22/2023.)

Bindon's last residence was in the 98004 zip code of Bellevue, WA. The architect passed away on 04/06/1980 in King County, WA.

Parents

His mother was Helen Grace Bindon (born c. 1870 in Madras, India), his father, James Patterson Bindon (born c. 1870 in Portishead, Somerset, England). James worked as an electrician in 1899. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P77/OSW/001, accessed 01/17/2023.) The 1901 England Census described James Bindon as an "electric fitter" and an employer. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: RG13; Piece: 61; Folio: 86; Page: 46 Source Information Ancestry.com. 1901 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives, 1901, accessed 01/17/2023.)

His paternal grandfather Henry Bindon, worked, at one time, as England's "civil service commissioner." (See "Social and Personal," Bellingham Herald, 01/25/1927, p. 3.)

He had two sisters, Queenie Bindon and Doris Bindon, and a younger brother Douglas Burton Bindon (born 11/30/1900 in West Brompton, England-d. 04/30/1927 in Seattle, WA), who died young, at age 26. He attended Whatcom High School and the University of Washington, and had married on 01/19/1927 to Rosetta Juanita Druet (born 02/19/1900 in West Burlington, IA). He worked as a bond salesman for Carstens-Earle, Incorporated, a bond trading firm of Seattle. (See "Douglas B. Bindon, Whatcom Graduate, Passes at Seattle," Bellingham Herald, 04/20/1927, p. 3.)

Spouse

Leonard Bindon married Bernice June Van Keuren (born 10/02/1902 in WA-d. 02/09/1997 in WA) on 04/24/1929 in Seattle, WA. She preferred to go by her middle name "June." Their marriage occurred at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Seattle. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: kingcoarchmcvol25_149, accessed 05/22/2023.)

In 1910, Bernice lived with her parents and a maternal uncle, John McGrath (born c. 1883 in WA), and maternal grandmother, Julia McGrath (born c. 1854 in Canada), at 1511 Anderson Street in Tacoma, WA. Harry Van Keuren (born 1879 in NY-d. 05/30/1937 in Seattle, WA), her father, managed a Tacoma dock. Her mother was Katherine Ellen McGrath (born 1880 in KS-d. 05/09/1954 in WA). Her name was spelled "Katherine" at birth, but was spelled "Catherine" on her tombstone. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Tacoma Ward 1, Pierce, Washington; Roll: T624_1663; Page: 9b; Enumeration District: 0215; FHL microfilm: 1375676, accessed 05/22/2023.)

Children

He and Bernice had a son, Rodney Burton Bindon (born 11/01/1941 in WA). He attended Bellevue High School in Bellevue, WA, and the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, graduating in 1963. (See University of Puget Sound Tamanawas Yearbook, 1963, p. 43.)

Biographical Notes

Leonard Bindon was naturalized an American citizen on 12/26/1925.

SSN: 533-28-3009.

• Bellevue, WA (Architect's Death)
  Bellevue, WA

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