George Meikle Kemp
Encyclopedia
George Meikle Kemp was a Scottish
carpenter
/joiner
, draughtsman
, and self-taught architect
. He is best known as the designer of the Scott Monument
in central Edinburgh
.
, near Gladhouse Reservoir
, although the family moved shortly afterwards to Newhall near Carlops
, around 14 miles (22.5 km) west. He was educated at the school in Penicuik
, and was inspired, at the age of ten, by a visit to Rosslyn Chapel
and Roslin Castle
. In 1809 he was apprenticed to Andrew Noble, a master wright (carpenter) in Redscarhead
, near Peebles
. During his four-year training he began his own study of the ancient architecture of the Scottish Borders
, including Melrose Abbey
. After a year working for a millwright in Galashiels
, Kemp moved to Edinburgh, working as a carpenter and writing poetry in his spare time.
In 1817, Kemp moved to England, working in Lancashire
and travelling, on foot, to draw Gothic architecture
as far away as York Minster
. He returned to Scotland, basing himself in Glasgow
for four years, before moving to London
in 1824. Here he continued to study architecture, but could not find permanent employment, so instead set off for France. He spent a year working there, viewing Gothic architecture
in Bolougne, Amiens
and Paris
, before the death of his mother recalled him to Scotland.
In Edinburgh, he attempted to set up as a carpenter and joiner, and meanwhile continued his own studies. He was introduced to the architect William Burn
by his brother Thomas, who was employed by the Duke of Buccleuch. Burn engaged Kemp as a draughtsman, entrusting him with drawings for Bowhill House
, the Duke's seat in the Borders. Kemp also produced a wooden model of a proposed new house for the Duke at Dalkeith
. Kemp exhibited his own drawings of Melrose Abbey at the Scottish Academy
exhibition of 1830, and in 1832 he married Elizabeth Bonnar, daughter of William Bonnar
, an Edinburgh painter.
, which at that time was incomplete and partly in ruins. He included a drawing showing how the cathedral may have looked, had it been completed as intended, even preparing a model and costs for the works. In 1836, these proposals were publicised by a committee set up to investigate the restoration of the cathedral, although his drawings were attributed to James Gillespie Graham
. Kemp was even accused of copying Graham's design, and was not vindicated until 1840. The scheme was later abandoned.
in September 1832, a movement to erect a major monument was begun almost immediately. Fundraising began after a public meeting in Edinburgh in October 1832, and in spring 1836 a design competition was announced. Kemp prepared a design in the space of five days, and submitted it under the pseudonym
"John Morvo", the name of a 16th-century master mason who worked on Melrose Abbey. Kemp had feared his lack of architectural qualifications and reputation would disqualify him. A total of 54 competition entries were submitted, of which the top three were to receive premiums of 50 guinea
s. English architects Thomas Rickman
and Charles Fowler
were placed first and second; John Morvo's design won the third premium. The identity of John Morvo was revealed by David Cousin, another competitor and a friend of Kemp who was in on the secret.
However, the committee in charge of the competition could not agree on an outright winner, and a second round of contributions was invited. Kemp refined his proposal further, and on 28 March 1838 his scheme was adopted. The committee praised the "beautiful proportions" of the design, declaring that it was, as Kemp intended, "in strict conformity with the purity of taste and style of Melrose Abbey". At the same time, John Steell
was commissioned to produce the statue of Scott for the base of the monument. The site, in Princes Street Gardens
, was not finally decided until 1840, and work began under Kemp's supervision in March of that year.
Kemp did not live to see the completion of his great work, however. On a foggy Wednesday evening in March 1844 he visited the office of the building contractor, near the end of the Union Canal
. Intending to walk along the canal towards his home in Jordan Lane, Morningside
, Kemp apparently lost his way in the fog, and fell into the canal. His body was discovered the following Monday, close to the Lochrin Distillery
. He was buried on 22 March at St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh. Kemp is also commemorated by a memorial at Moy Hall, Redscarhead
, which was formerly the workshop of Kemp's master, Andrew Noble. It was erected in 1932, on the centenary of Scott's death.
Kemp's brother-in-law, the painter William Bonnar, oversaw the remaining construction of the Scott Monument. In the autumn of 1844 the last stone was placed by Kemp's son Thomas. The Scott Monument was finally inaugurated, following the installation of Steell's statue, in August 1846.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
/joiner
Joiner
A joiner differs from a carpenter in that joiners cut and fit joints in wood that do not use nails. Joiners usually work in a workshop since the formation of various joints generally requires non-portable machinery. A carpenter normally works on site...
, draughtsman
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
, and self-taught architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
. He is best known as the designer of the Scott Monument
Scott Monument
The Scott Monument is a Victorian Gothic monument to Scottish author Sir Walter Scott . It stands in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh, opposite the Jenners department store on Princes Street and near to Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station.The tower is high, and has a series of viewing decks...
in central Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Biography
Kemp was born to farming parents in Moorfoot, MidlothianMidlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, near Gladhouse Reservoir
Gladhouse Reservoir
Gladhouse Reservoir, formerly Moorfoot Loch, is a reservoir in Midlothian, Scotland, five miles south of Penicuik. It is the largest area of freshwater in the Lothians....
, although the family moved shortly afterwards to Newhall near Carlops
Carlops
Carlops is a small village in the Pentland Hills, within the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, close to the boundary with Midlothian.The village was founded in 1784 and developed cotton weaving, coalmining and limestone mining....
, around 14 miles (22.5 km) west. He was educated at the school in Penicuik
Penicuik
Penicuik is a burgh and civil parish in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the west bank of the River North Esk. The town was developed as a planned village in 1770 by Sir James Clerk of Penicuik. It became a burgh in 1867. The town was well known for its paper mills, the last of which closed in 2005....
, and was inspired, at the age of ten, by a visit to Rosslyn Chapel
Rosslyn Chapel
Rosslyn Chapel, properly named the Collegiate Chapel of St Matthew, was founded on a small hill above Roslin Glen as a Roman Catholic collegiate church in the mid-15th century...
and Roslin Castle
Roslin Castle
Roslin Castle is a partially ruined castle near the village of Roslin in Midlothian, Scotland. It is located around 9 miles south of Edinburgh, on the north bank of the North Esk, only a few hundred metres from the famous Rosslyn Chapel.There has been a castle on the site since the early 14th...
. In 1809 he was apprenticed to Andrew Noble, a master wright (carpenter) in Redscarhead
Redscarhead
Redscarhead is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, off the A703, by the Eddleston Water, and close to Cringletie.In the village is a memorial to George Meikle Kemp, the architect who designed the Scott Monument in Edinburgh.-See also:...
, near Peebles
Peebles
Peebles is a burgh in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders, lying on the River Tweed. According to the 2001 Census, the population was 8,159.-History:...
. During his four-year training he began his own study of the ancient architecture of the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, including Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
. After a year working for a millwright in Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...
, Kemp moved to Edinburgh, working as a carpenter and writing poetry in his spare time.
In 1817, Kemp moved to England, working in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and travelling, on foot, to draw Gothic architecture
English Gothic architecture
English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
as far away as York Minster
York Minster
York Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by...
. He returned to Scotland, basing himself in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
for four years, before moving to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1824. Here he continued to study architecture, but could not find permanent employment, so instead set off for France. He spent a year working there, viewing Gothic architecture
French Gothic architecture
French Gothic architecture is a style of architecture prevalent in France from 1140 until about 1500.-Sequence of Gothic styles: France:The designations of styles in French Gothic architecture are as follows:* Early Gothic* High Gothic...
in Bolougne, Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, before the death of his mother recalled him to Scotland.
In Edinburgh, he attempted to set up as a carpenter and joiner, and meanwhile continued his own studies. He was introduced to the architect William Burn
William Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
by his brother Thomas, who was employed by the Duke of Buccleuch. Burn engaged Kemp as a draughtsman, entrusting him with drawings for Bowhill House
Bowhill House
Bowhill House is a historic house near Bowhill at Selkirk in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is a member of the Historic Houses Association, and is one of the homes of the Duke of Buccleuch...
, the Duke's seat in the Borders. Kemp also produced a wooden model of a proposed new house for the Duke at Dalkeith
Dalkeith
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the River North Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540...
. Kemp exhibited his own drawings of Melrose Abbey at the Scottish Academy
Royal Scottish Academy
The Royal Scottish Academy is a Scottish organisation that promotes contemporary Scottish art. Founded in 1826, as the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts, the RSA maintains a unique position in Scotland as an independently funded institution led by eminent artists and...
exhibition of 1830, and in 1832 he married Elizabeth Bonnar, daughter of William Bonnar
William Bonnar
William Bonnar, a painter of portraits, history, and genre, was born at Edinburgh in 1800. His father was a house-painter of considerable skill, and the son, having from his early years evinced a remarkable aptitude for drawing, was apprenticed to one of the leading decorators of the time...
, an Edinburgh painter.
Glasgow Cathedral
In the early 1830s Kemp was engaged to produce measured drawings of historic Scottish buildings for a proposed book on Scotland's cathedrals and other antiquities. Although the project was later abandoned, Kemp completed a series of drawings of Glasgow CathedralGlasgow Cathedral
The church commonly known as Glasgow Cathedral is the Church of Scotland High Kirk of Glasgow otherwise known as St. Mungo's Cathedral.The other cathedrals in Glasgow are:* The Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew...
, which at that time was incomplete and partly in ruins. He included a drawing showing how the cathedral may have looked, had it been completed as intended, even preparing a model and costs for the works. In 1836, these proposals were publicised by a committee set up to investigate the restoration of the cathedral, although his drawings were attributed to James Gillespie Graham
James Gillespie Graham
James Gillespie Graham was a Scottish architect, born in Dunblane. He is most notable for his work in the Scottish baronial style, as at Ayton Castle, and he worked in the Gothic Revival style, in which he was heavily influenced by the work of Augustus Pugin...
. Kemp was even accused of copying Graham's design, and was not vindicated until 1840. The scheme was later abandoned.
Scott Monument
After the death of the poet and novelist Sir Walter ScottWalter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
in September 1832, a movement to erect a major monument was begun almost immediately. Fundraising began after a public meeting in Edinburgh in October 1832, and in spring 1836 a design competition was announced. Kemp prepared a design in the space of five days, and submitted it under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"John Morvo", the name of a 16th-century master mason who worked on Melrose Abbey. Kemp had feared his lack of architectural qualifications and reputation would disqualify him. A total of 54 competition entries were submitted, of which the top three were to receive premiums of 50 guinea
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
s. English architects Thomas Rickman
Thomas Rickman
Thomas Rickman , was an English architect who was a major figure in the Gothic Revival.He was born at Maidenhead, Berkshire, into a large Quaker family, and avoided the medical career envisaged for him by his father, a grocer and druggist; he went into business for himself and married his first...
and Charles Fowler
Charles Fowler
Charles Fowler , English architect, was born at Cullompton, Devon.After serving an apprenticeship of seven years with John Powning of Exeter, he went to London in 1814, and entered the office of David Laing, where he remained until he commenced practice for himself...
were placed first and second; John Morvo's design won the third premium. The identity of John Morvo was revealed by David Cousin, another competitor and a friend of Kemp who was in on the secret.
However, the committee in charge of the competition could not agree on an outright winner, and a second round of contributions was invited. Kemp refined his proposal further, and on 28 March 1838 his scheme was adopted. The committee praised the "beautiful proportions" of the design, declaring that it was, as Kemp intended, "in strict conformity with the purity of taste and style of Melrose Abbey". At the same time, John Steell
John Steell
Sir John Robert Steell RSA was a Scottish sculptor. He was born in Aberdeen on 18 September 1804, but his family moved to Edinburgh around one year after his birth. He is best known for a number of sculptures displayed in Edinburgh, including the statue of Sir Walter Scott at the Scott Monument...
was commissioned to produce the statue of Scott for the base of the monument. The site, in Princes Street Gardens
Princes Street Gardens
Princes Street Gardens is a public park in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The Gardens were created in the 1820s following the long draining of the Nor Loch and the creation of the New Town. The Nor Loch was a large loch in the centre of the city. It was...
, was not finally decided until 1840, and work began under Kemp's supervision in March of that year.
Kemp did not live to see the completion of his great work, however. On a foggy Wednesday evening in March 1844 he visited the office of the building contractor, near the end of the Union Canal
Union Canal (Scotland)
The Union Canal is a 31.5-mile canal in Scotland, from Lochrin Basin, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh to Falkirk, where it meets the Forth and Clyde Canal.-Location and features:...
. Intending to walk along the canal towards his home in Jordan Lane, Morningside
Morningside
-Places:Morningside may be one of the following place names:Australia*Morningside, QueenslandCanada*Toronto:**Morningside, Toronxto, a neighbourhood in Scarborough**Morningside Avenue , a street in Scarborough...
, Kemp apparently lost his way in the fog, and fell into the canal. His body was discovered the following Monday, close to the Lochrin Distillery
Lochrin
Lochrin is a small area in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is in the south-west corner of the city centre, part of the Tollcross area, and beside Fountainbridge. Lochrin contains a wide mixture of retail shops, leisure facilities, other businesses and tenement housing...
. He was buried on 22 March at St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh. Kemp is also commemorated by a memorial at Moy Hall, Redscarhead
Redscarhead
Redscarhead is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, off the A703, by the Eddleston Water, and close to Cringletie.In the village is a memorial to George Meikle Kemp, the architect who designed the Scott Monument in Edinburgh.-See also:...
, which was formerly the workshop of Kemp's master, Andrew Noble. It was erected in 1932, on the centenary of Scott's death.
Kemp's brother-in-law, the painter William Bonnar, oversaw the remaining construction of the Scott Monument. In the autumn of 1844 the last stone was placed by Kemp's son Thomas. The Scott Monument was finally inaugurated, following the installation of Steell's statue, in August 1846.