“Messrs Davis, Belfield and Everest, quantity surveyors, have surveyed the site and prepared estimates of cost covering the site clearance, site development and new building works both above and below ground level.”
Chamberlin, Powell & Bon, Architects “Barbican Redevelopment” April 1959
I have had to rely on online sources to obtain the little information I have been able to glean about the firm.
They were the editors of ‘Spon’s Architects’ and Builders’ Price Book’ which went through many editions which are still sold online.
In 1931 Owen Davis, aged 23, set set himself up as a chartered quantity surveyor near Holborn. John Belfield joined him and they set up a partnership, Davis & Belfield, in 1935.
Bobbie Everest – a descendent of George Everest, Surveyor General of India from 1830 to 1843 who was the first man to measure the height of Mount Everest, which was then named after him – joined them in 1944 and the firm became Davis, Belfield & Everest. This was the name under which they carried out the Barbican work.
In 1988 the firm amalgamated with Langdon & Every to become Davis Langdon & Everest. There were several more name and partner changes and the combined firm became a global – mainly Asian – business. It was bought by an international firm called Arcadis in 2012.