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Male, US, born 1906-03-01, died 1994-02-13
Associated with the firms network
Brown, Arthur, Jr., and Associates, Architect; Chermayeff and Mayhew, Associated Architects; Mayhew, Clarence W., Architect, Thiederman, H.L., Associate Architect; Mayhew, Clarence W.W., Architect; Mayhew, Clarence, and Associates, Architects; Miller and Pflueger, Architects; Thiederman, H.L., Architect
Résumé
In the 1930s and 1940s, Clarence W.W. Mayhew, along with William W. Wurster, Gardner Dailey, John Ekin Dinwiddie, John Funk, Francis Joseph McCarthy, and others, were recognized as comprising one of the leading Regional Modern "schools" in the US. The 1930s work of Wurster and Dailey, particularly, set the standard for this group, building sprawlling, redwood-clad houses with open plans that maximized indoor-outdoor interactivity.
Draftsman, Arthur Brown, Jr., San Francisco, CA, c. 1922.
Draftsman, Miller and Pflueger, Architects, San Francisco, CA, c. 1928-1934.
Principal, Clarence W.W. Mayhew, Architect, San Francisco, CA, c. 1935-1942-1945-c. 1976. In the early 1960s, H.L. Thiederman acted as an Associate in the Mayhew firm. In 1940, his office was located at 712 Montgomery Street in San Francisco, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1153, accessed 04/29/2020.)
Partner, Mayhew and Thiederman, Architects, San Francisco, CA, c. 1970s. It is thought that Mayhew retired c. 1976.
Professional Activities
Architectural historian, Sally Woodbridge, in her seminal work, Bay Area Houses, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1976), p. 321, stated: "He [Mayhew] continued to practice architecture until his retirement in 1955." It was known that Mayhew worked on the Manning's Restaurant in Ballard, Seattle, WA, 1962-1963. She also indicated that he was born in 1907, although the Social Security Death Index indicated that it was 03/01/1906.
College
Two years of coursework, École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris, c. 1923-1925. The San Francisco architect Arthur Brown, Jr., (1874-1957), an École des Beaux-Arts graduate of 1901, encouraged Mayhew's attendance at the school. Brown influenced many architects on an informal basis as a mentor, ibut chose not to become a full-time teacher, despite periodic collegiate offers of employment. Brown worked briefly in architectural education co-supervising classes (with Jean-Louis Bourgeois) at the San Francisco Architectural Club (SFAC), becoming a guest instructor at Harvard University in 1918 (when business slowed down due to World War I),and filling in as a temporary instructor at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB), for his friend, John Galen Howard, (1864-1931), since 1913 the Director of the School of Architecture. Howard had gone on a sabbatical in 1917 to write his second book of poetry, and then in 1918-1919 went on war leave to assist in the development of the American Expeditionary Forces University for the Red Cross in France.
Relocation
Born in Denver, CO, Clarence lived with his parents in a residence at 1441 Milwaukee Street in Denver according the 1910 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Denver Ward 10, Denver, Colorado; Roll: T624_116; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0134; FHL microfilm: 1374129, accessed 04/29/2020.)
In 1920, the Mayhews lived in a rental apartment at 438 East 14th Avenue in Denver. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1920; Census Place: Denver, Denver, Colorado; Roll: T625_162; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 253, accessed 04/29/2020.)
He and his parents had a house at 2380 Virginia Street in Berkeley in 1926. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1926, p. 1155.)
His parents had relocated to Oakland, CA, by 1930, obtaining a house at 6026 Acacia Road. According to the census, this house had an approximate value of $10,000, in line with neighboring houses. They remained here in 1935. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1935, p. 557.)
His World War II draft registration card listed his address on 10/16/1940 as 6026 Acacia Road in Oakland, CA. This address was struck through on the form in pencil, and on top was written in.pencil "300 Hampton Road, Pied," (for Piedmont, CA). This would have been at the time he moved from his parents' residence in Oakland to a new house he and Serge Chermayeff designed in Piedmont. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1153, accessed 04/29/2020.) His address was listed on a passenger manifest of 1948 as 330 Hampton Road in Piedmont. The Mayhews resided on Hampton Road through 1980, at least. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: Ancestry.com. U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Voter Registration Lists, Public Record Filings, Historical Residential Records, and Other Household Database Listings, accessed 04/29/2020.)
By 1993, (or earlier), he had moved to Marin County, living at 100 Thorndale Drive, Apartment #418, in San Rafael, CA.
Mayhew developed Parkinson's Disease late in life.
Parents
His father was Edward George Mayhew (born c. 1870 in English-speaking Canada), his mother, Ada G. Whitehead Mayhew, (born c. 1877 in English-speaking Canada). According to the 1910 US Census, Edward immigrated to the US in 1888, while Ida entered the country in 1900. They married c. 1900. The 1920 US Census listed both of their dates of immigration from Canada as 1890 with their date of naturalization coming five years later. These dates were listed as 1888 and 1898, respectively, in the 1930 US Census.
The 1910 US Census indicated that Edward’s profession was a millwright working in both mills and construction. Ten years later, his place of business was recorded as a lumber mill. Edward worked as a contractor in the "mill construction" industry in Oakland by 1930. He was listed as a general contractor in 1935. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1935, p. 557.) Clarence probably learned aspects of the building and construction from his father.
Ada managed the household, that included only Edward and Clarence.
Spouse
He wed Joan Rapp (born 09/20/1913 in Ross, CA).
Children
He and his wife, Joan, had two daughters, Joan Mayhew Beales and Anne Elisabeth Pfau.
Biographical Notes
His World War II draft registration card indicated that Mayhew, at age 34, stood 6-feet, 1-inches tall and weighed 210 pounds. He had great eyes, brown hair and light Caucasian complexion. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1153, accessed 04/29/2020.)
He and his wife, Joan, traveled from Southampton, England to New York, NY, aboard the Cunard Liner H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, between c. 05/20/1948 and 05/27/1948. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1948; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 7603; Line: 10; Page Number: 105, accessed 04/29/2020)
Mayhew traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1954. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: Ancestry.com. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Immigration Cards, 1900-1965 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016, accessed 04/29/2020.)
Board Member, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA.
Board Member, Talent Bank Foundation; San Francisco, CA.
Member, Society of California Pioneers, San Francisco, CA.
Member, Saint Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco, CA.
Member, Family Club, San Francisco, CA; he served as a "Father" of the Family Club.
Member, Bohemian Club, San Francisco, CA. He was active in the Bohemian Club Lecture Series, directing it for about 20 years. His nickname was "Hap."
SSN: 567-22-4819.
PCAD id: 368
