Architect Douglas Lees, designer of prisons and new towns, dies at 94

Douglas Lees, an architect who worked on prison design and new town development across England, has died at age 94. Born in Dalston, east London in 1931 with Erb's palsy, Lees studied architecture part-time at North East London Polytechnic while working as an office junior. His professional career included designing prisons and young offender institutions for the Home Office in the 1970s, primarily in northeast England. Earlier, he contributed to town development projects in Halewood and Maghull in Merseyside, Workington in Cumbria, and Arnold in Nottinghamshire. Lees married Anne Hawkins in 1957 at High Cross Congregational church in Tottenham, where he had been active in the 2nd North London, 1st London Caledonians scouts. His scout uniform is preserved in the Scout Association's heritage collection. During World War II, he was evacuated to Cornwall at age eight with his brother Ronnie, staying with Mrs. Travarthen of Troon. Lees later lived in Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex, where he designed village buildings and helped establish the 1st Hatfield Broad Oak scout group. After his wife's death in 2007, he moved to Yorkshire, living in Huddersfield and York. He is survived by two children, three grandchildren, and a great-grandson.