Building tradition marked with Blue Plaque

19 October 2004

The work of Daniel Evans, the first general building contractor in Oxford, whose firm constructed many of today’s Oxford landmarks – from the city’s main Post Office to Exeter College Chapel – has been celebrated with the erection of county’s 22nd Blue Plaque. Also commemorated is his son-in-law, and later business partner, Joshua Symm.

The Plaque is on 34, St Giles, which today houses the University’s Humanities and Social Sciences Divisional Offices, but which was designed and built by Evans as his home. Until 1969, it was the base for Symm and Company – as the firm is now known – which still works on many construction and restoration projects across the collegiate University.

The current chairman of the company, Malcolm Axtell, is the great grandson of the mason Thomas Axtell, himself a partner of Joshua Symm more than 150 years ago. He visited the plaque in St Giles, the site where his own career in the family trade began.