Horace Mackennal
{{Short description|Australian architect}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
Horace John Mackennal (1875-1949){{Cite web |title=The encyclopedia of Australian architecture / edited by Philip Goad and Julie Willis - Catalogue {{!}} National Library of Australia |url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/5079490 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=catalogue.nla.gov.au |language=en}} was an Australian architect.
He was educated at King's School in Fitzroy and the University of Melbourne.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206066478 |title=OBITUARY |newspaper=The Age |location=Victoria, Australia |date=30 June 1949 |access-date=16 February 2020 |page=2 |via=Trove }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article246478019 |title=IN TOWN AND OUT |newspaper=The Herald |location=Victoria, Australia |date=30 July 1940 |access-date=16 February 2020 |page=6 |via=Trove }} He worked as a draftsman in the office of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works before joining the Commonwealth public service in 1902. He worked as chief draftsman in the office of the Commonwealth Works Director for Victoria before himself being made director in 1914, following some months acting in the role.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article156825033 |title=News of the World. |newspaper=Mudgee Guardian and North-western Representative |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 August 1914 |access-date=16 February 2020 |page=3 |via=Trove }} He served as Commonwealth Works Director for Victoria until 1940, during which time he oversaw the development of many significant public works projects. He later worked for the Department of Munitions during World War II as munitions liaison officer.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22761739 |title=OBITUARY MR H. J. MACKENNAL |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |location=Victoria, Australia |date=1 July 1949 |access-date=16 February 2020 |page=9 |via=Trove }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8175313 |title=ORDNANCE IN THE MAKING |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |location=Victoria, Australia |date=21 February 1941 |access-date=16 February 2020 |page=7 |via=Trove }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article232674672 |title=APPOINTMENTS, RETIREMENTS AND DISMISSAL. |newspaper=Commonwealth of Australia Gazette |location=Australia |date=4 April 1940 |access-date=16 February 2020 |page=762 |via=Trove }}
Buildings directly attributed to Mackennal include a number of post offices, first a group in Victoria before WW1 including Canterbury Post Office,{{cite web | url=https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=keyword%3Dmackennal%3Bkeyword_PD%3Don%3Bkeyword_SS%3Don%3Bkeyword_PH%3Don%3Blatitude_1dir%3DS%3Blongitude_1dir%3DE%3Blongitude_2dir%3DE%3Blatitude_2dir%3DS%3Bin_region%3Dpart;place_id=106124 | title=Canterbury Post Office, 143-147 Maling Rd, Canterbury, VIC, Australia | publisher=Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | work=Australian Heritage Database | accessdate=16 February 2020}} South Melbourne Post Office (1912),{{cite web | url=https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=keyword%3Dmackennal%3Bkeyword_PD%3Don%3Bkeyword_SS%3Don%3Bkeyword_PH%3Don%3Blatitude_1dir%3DS%3Blongitude_1dir%3DE%3Blongitude_2dir%3DE%3Blatitude_2dir%3DS%3Bin_region%3Dpart;place_id=101566 | title=South Melbourne Post Office (former), 199-207 Bank St, South Melbourne, VIC, Australia | publisher=Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | work=Register of the National Estate | accessdate=16 February 2020}} Windsor Post Office (1908),{{cite web | url=https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/30679 | title=Windsor Post Office | publisher=Heritage Council of Victoria | work=Victorian Heritage Database | accessdate=16 February 2020}} and the Woodend Post Office (1905),{{cite web | url=https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/68856 | title=Woodend Post Office | publisher=Heritage Council of Victoria | work=Victorian Heritage Database | accessdate=16 February 2020}} then some in Queensland in the 1930s, including Ingham Post Office,{{cite web | url=https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=keyword%3Dmackennal%3Bkeyword_PD%3Don%3Bkeyword_SS%3Don%3Bkeyword_PH%3Don%3Blatitude_1dir%3DS%3Blongitude_1dir%3DE%3Blongitude_2dir%3DE%3Blatitude_2dir%3DS%3Bin_region%3Dpart;place_id=106200 | title=Ingham Post Office, 15 Lannercost St, Ingham, QLD, Australia | publisher=Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | work=Commonwealth Heritage List | accessdate=16 February 2020}} and Bowen Post Office.{{cite web | url=https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/66748 | title=Former Post Office | publisher=Heritage Council of Victoria | work=Victorian Heritage Database | accessdate=16 February 2020}} Also in the 1930s, he designed the addition of a second floor to the old High Court of Australia building in Melbourne,{{cite web | url=https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=keyword%3Dmackennal%3Bkeyword_PD%3Don%3Bkeyword_SS%3Don%3Bkeyword_PH%3Don%3Blatitude_1dir%3DS%3Blongitude_1dir%3DE%3Blongitude_2dir%3DE%3Blatitude_2dir%3DS%3Bin_region%3Dpart;place_id=105896 | title=High Court (former), 450 Little Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC, Australia | publisher=Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | work=National Heritage List | accessdate=16 February 2020}} and the officers mess of Victoria Barracks, Melbourne.{{cite web | url=https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=keyword%3Dmackennal%3Bkeyword_PD%3Don%3Bkeyword_SS%3Don%3Bkeyword_PH%3Don%3Blatitude_1dir%3DS%3Blongitude_1dir%3DE%3Blongitude_2dir%3DE%3Blatitude_2dir%3DS%3Bin_region%3Dpart;place_id=5441 | title=Victoria Barracks G Block, St Kilda Rd, Southbank, VIC, Australia | publisher=Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | work=Commonwealth Heritage List | accessdate=16 February 2020}} As Director of the Victorian division, he oversaw numerous projects, including the Mail Exchange Building (1913),{{cite web | url=https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/64383 | title=General Post Office & Parcels Post Building | publisher=Heritage Council of Victoria | work=Victorian Heritage Database | accessdate=16 February 2020}} the series of Drill Halls designed by George H Hallendal in the 1930s, such the Royal Melbourne Regiment Infantry Company Drill Hall, Victoria Street in the City,{{cite web | url=https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/71723 | title=Former Royal Melbourne Regiment Infantry Company Drill Hall | publisher=Heritage Council of Victoria | work=Victorian Heritage Database | accessdate=16 February 2020}} the Albert Park Signals Corps Drill Hall, and the Fitzroy Drill Hall,{{cite web | url=https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/104057/download-report | title=Drill Hall complex, part land | publisher=Heritage Council of Victoria | work=Victorian Heritage Database | accessdate=16 February 2020}} as well as the Repatriation Commission Outpatient Clinic in Melbourne, and the officers mess at RAAF Laverton.{{cite web | url=https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/66833 | title=RAAF Officers' Mess | publisher=Heritage Council of Victoria | work=Victorian Heritage Database | accessdate=16 February 2020}}
He died in 1949 and was cremated at Springvale Crematorium.
He married Agnes E. Thomas on 16 October 1901.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139748533 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Australasian |location=Victoria, Australia |date=26 October 1901 |access-date=17 February 2020 |page=49 |via=Trove }} They had two sons.
His father John Simpson Mackennal and brother Bertram Mackennal were both influential sculptors.