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Alfred Giles is remembered as a major architect who designed many edifices throughout Texas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in 1853 in Hillingdon, Middlesex County, England, Giles spent his early days as an architect's apprentice in London. For health reasons, he moved to Texas in 1873 and worked with contractor John H. Kampmann. This experience taught Giles much about local materials. During his time in San Antonio, he established his own firm in 1876 and built residences for many historic figures such as Edward Steves (509 King William), Carl Wilhelm August Groos (335 King William) and Alexander Sartor (217 King William). In 1883, Giles constructed two small residences at 306 and 308 King William Street. He and his family lived at 308 King William from 1885 to 1888. The house was later remodeled by Giles and given as a wedding present to his daughter, Beatrice Angela Giles, and her husband, Paul Dreiss. The Dreiss family lived in the house from 1914 to 1931. In the 1980s, King William resident Walter Mathis undertook the restoration of 14 structures in the King William neighborhood, including 308 King William. Mathis added a small porch on the west façade of the house and converted the hayloft of the carriage house into living quarters. The L-plan, Folk Victorian-style house features a carpenter scroll-saw canopy and a king post truss over the front gable windows, plus dentil molding and wood balusters on the porch. The King William Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2015 |
