George Somers Leigh Clarke
Encyclopedia
George Somers Clarke was an English
architect
. He became a RIBA
Associate in March 1845 and a Fellow in June 1859. He sat on RIBA Council. In 1868 he had offices at 20 Cockspur Street, London. He was a pupil of Sir Charles Barry and worked for him on designs for the Palace of Westminster
in 1849.
Through working with Barry he became sufficiently well respected to be invited to submit designs for buildings such as the Foreign Office, Law Courts and National Gallery, London
. His competition design for the Midland Grand Hotel, St Pancras, London, whilst not the winning scheme, was considered highly enough to receive a premium from the judges. His buildings were regularly illustrated in the architectural press in the 1860s. He was the uncle of Somers Clarke
(1841–1926) who was also an architect.
He travelled extensively in Europe. He married Louisa Harker Williamson in Croydon, Surrey in March 1867. He was for many years resident at Chislehurst
, Kent at a time when it was becoming a suburban district and he designed a number of houses there. He died at Walpole, Manor Park, Chislehurst, Kent on 4 July 1882, and is buried in the churchyard of St Nicholas' Church, Chislehurst.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
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 became a RIBA
Riba
Riba means one of the senses of "usury" . Riba is forbidden in Islamic economic jurisprudence fiqh and considered as a major sin...
Associate in March 1845 and a Fellow in June 1859. He sat on RIBA Council. In 1868 he had offices at 20 Cockspur Street, London. He was a pupil of Sir Charles Barry and worked for him on designs for the Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
in 1849.
Through working with Barry he became sufficiently well respected to be invited to submit designs for buildings such as the Foreign Office, Law Courts and National Gallery, London
National Gallery, London
The National Gallery is an art museum on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media...
. His competition design for the Midland Grand Hotel, St Pancras, London, whilst not the winning scheme, was considered highly enough to receive a premium from the judges. His buildings were regularly illustrated in the architectural press in the 1860s. He was the uncle of Somers Clarke
Somers Clarke
George Somers Clarke was an architect and English Egyptologist who worked at a number of sites throughout Egypt, notably in El Kab, where he built a house. He was born in Brighton and died in Egypt....
(1841–1926) who was also an architect.
He travelled extensively in Europe. He married Louisa Harker Williamson in Croydon, Surrey in March 1867. He was for many years resident at Chislehurst
Chislehurst
Chislehurst is a suburban district in south-east London, England, and an electoral ward of the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, Kent at a time when it was becoming a suburban district and he designed a number of houses there. He died at Walpole, Manor Park, Chislehurst, Kent on 4 July 1882, and is buried in the churchyard of St Nicholas' Church, Chislehurst.
Works
- Forest Hill Park (house and stables), Windsor.
- Rectory, Maresfield, East Sussex.
- Additions to Pinehurst, Box Hill, Surrey.
- Heathwood, Chislehurst, Kent.
- Millfields, Chislehurst, Kent.
- Farmhouse at Kensworth, Bedfordshire.
- Parrock Lodge, Gravesend, Kent.
- new Chancel, Trinity Church, Marylebone, London.
- Warehouses, Wood Street, London.
- Warehouses, Cripplegate, London.
- Warehouse, New Basinghall Street, London.
- Brett's Warehouse, High Holborn, London.
- London Printing and Publishing Company, St John's Street, London.
- Alterations to Haymarket Theatre, Haymarket, London.
- 1852 Restoration of St Peter's Church, Dunstable.
- 1852 Works to Church of St John the Baptist, Eldersfield, Worcestershire
- 1860 Cowley Manor, Cowley, Gloucestershire.
- 1861 Brighton Blind Asylum, Eastern Road, Brighton (demolished 1958).
- 1862 Turkish Baths, 76 Jermyn Street, London (destroyed in the blitz, 17 April 1941).
- 1862 Merchant Seamen's Orphan Asylum and chapel, Snaresbrook, Essex 1865 Mountains, Noble Tree Road, Hildenborough, Kent
- 1866 General Credit & Discount Company's Office, 7 Lothbury, London
- 1866 Sackville (formerly Foxbush) (house and stables), Hildenborough, Kent.
- 1866 Auction Mart, Tokenhouse yard, London (demolished)
- 1867–69 Swan Downer School, 11 Dyke Road, Brighton11 Dyke Road, BrightonThe building at 11 Dyke Road in Brighton, part of the English city of Brighton and Hove, is now a nightclub operating under the name "New Hero", but was originally the Swan Downer School for poor girls, for whom it was designed and built in 1867 by prolific architect George Somers Leigh Clarke...
. 1870 Additions to Mount Felix House, Walton on Thames (Demolished 1967). - 1872 Restoration of All Saint's Church, West Bromwich.
- 1872–75 St Martin's ChurchSt Martin's Church, BrightonSt Martin's Church is an Anglican church in Brighton, England, dating from the mid-Victorian era. It is located on the Lewes Road in the Round Hill area of the city, northeast of the city centre and approximately north of the seafront...
, Round Hill, BrightonRound Hill, BrightonRound Hill is an inner suburban area of Brighton, part of the coastal city of Brighton and Hove in England. The area contains a mix of privately owned and privately rented terraced housing, much of which has been converted for multiple occupancy, and small-scale commercial development...
. - 1873 Milton Hall, Gravesend, Kent (Demolished 1930). 1873 Restoration of St Mary's Church,Hatley Road, Potton, Bedfordshire.
- 1874 Harley, Manor Park, Chislehurst, Kent.
- 1874 The Manor House, Manor Park, Chislehurst.
- 1874 Pelham, Manor Park, Chislehurst, Kent.
- 1874 Walpole, Manor Park, Chislehurst (own home).
- 1874 Walsingham, Manor Park, Chislehurst, Kent.
- 1874–84 Wyfold Court, Rotherfield Peppared, Oxfordshire.
- 1876 Manor House, Broadway, Sidmouth, Devon
- 1877 Rectory, 2 St Paul's Cray Road, Chislehurst, Kent.
- 1878 Kemnal Wood, Chislehurst, Kent (demolished 1972)
- 1878 Works to St Michael's Church, Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire.
- 1878 Grange House, St Paul's Cray Road, Chislehurst.
- 1878 Cleveland, St Paul's Cray Road, Chislehurst.
- 1878 Warren House, St Paul's Cray Road, Chislehurst.
- 1878 Crayfield, St Paul's Cray Road, Chislehurst.
- 1878 Selwood, Kemnal Road, Chislehurst, Kent.
- 1879 Alterations, Church of St Nicholas, Islip, Oxfordshire.
- 1881 Coffee Tavern, 43 - 45 High Street, Chislehurst, Kent.
- 1882 The Warren, Croydon Road, Hayes, Kent.