Andor Harvey Gomme
Encyclopedia
Andor Harvey Gomme was a British scholar of English literature
and architectural history
. He read Moral Sciences at Cambridge University in the 1950s, and became a lecturer in English literature at Keele University
in 1963. Keele University appointed him Professor of English Literature and Architectural History in 1984, and Emeritus Professor in 1995.
Gomme was a frequent reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement, an author of books on both literary criticism
and architectural history, and Chair of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain
, whose journal, Architectural History
, he edited for many years.
, a British classical scholar
and Professor of Ancient History at the University of Glasgow
. His first name originated as a family joke for the unborn baby of unknown sex. He studied at Clare College, Cambridge
, where he was taught by F.R. Leavis and attained a First Class Honours degree in Moral Sciences. He was appointed to a three-year fellowship at Gonville and Caius College in 1956.
In 1960, he married fellow scholar Susan Koechlin, with whom he had one son and three daughters. The couple settled at Barleybat Hall, Church Lawton
, Cheshire, after Andor obtained a permanent position at Keele University
in 1963; he had previously worked in the Extra-Mural Department at the University of Glasgow, and at the University of Montana. At Keele, he was promoted from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer and Reader
, achieving the title of Professor of English Literature and Architectural History in 1984.
He was a regular front-page and anonymous reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement, and wrote several books on literary criticism
and architectural history
. His first book, Attitudes to criticism, has been described as "a critical celebration of the very similar sensibilities and minds of Leavis and the American Yvor Winters
", while his last book, Design and plan in the country house (with coauthor Alison Maguire), has been praised by Professor Tim Mowl
as a "remarkable scholarly resource" despite its "ambitious range".
For many years, Gomme was editor of Architectural History
, the flagship journal of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain
, of which he was Chair from 1988 to 1991. He died in Church Lawton on 19 September 2008. The author of his obituary
, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Studies
Fred Inglis
, described Gomme as "one of the best British architectural historians since John Ruskin
".
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
and architectural history
Architectural History
Architectural History is the main journal of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain .The journal is published each autumn. The architecture of the British Isles is a major theme of the journal, although it includes more general papers on the history of architecture. Member of...
. He read Moral Sciences at Cambridge University in the 1950s, and became a lecturer in English literature at Keele University
Keele University
Keele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
in 1963. Keele University appointed him Professor of English Literature and Architectural History in 1984, and Emeritus Professor in 1995.
Gomme was a frequent reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement, an author of books on both literary criticism
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
and architectural history, and Chair of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain
Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain
The Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain is a leading society in Great Britain for people interested in the history of architecture.- Purpose :...
, whose journal, Architectural History
Architectural History
Architectural History is the main journal of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain .The journal is published each autumn. The architecture of the British Isles is a major theme of the journal, although it includes more general papers on the history of architecture. Member of...
, he edited for many years.
Life and career
Andor was the son of Arnold Wycombe GommeArnold Wycombe Gomme
Arnold Wycombe Gomme was a British classical scholar, Lecturer in Greek and Greek History , Professor of Greek, University of Glasgow . Fellow of the British Academy .-Life:...
, a British classical scholar
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
and Professor of Ancient History at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. His first name originated as a family joke for the unborn baby of unknown sex. He studied at Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
, where he was taught by F.R. Leavis and attained a First Class Honours degree in Moral Sciences. He was appointed to a three-year fellowship at Gonville and Caius College in 1956.
In 1960, he married fellow scholar Susan Koechlin, with whom he had one son and three daughters. The couple settled at Barleybat Hall, Church Lawton
Church Lawton
Church Lawton is a small village and civil parish located in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire in England...
, Cheshire, after Andor obtained a permanent position at Keele University
Keele University
Keele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
in 1963; he had previously worked in the Extra-Mural Department at the University of Glasgow, and at the University of Montana. At Keele, he was promoted from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer and Reader
Reader (academic rank)
The title of Reader in the United Kingdom and some universities in the Commonwealth nations like Australia and New Zealand denotes an appointment for a senior academic with a distinguished international reputation in research or scholarship...
, achieving the title of Professor of English Literature and Architectural History in 1984.
He was a regular front-page and anonymous reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement, and wrote several books on literary criticism
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
and architectural history
Architectural History
Architectural History is the main journal of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain .The journal is published each autumn. The architecture of the British Isles is a major theme of the journal, although it includes more general papers on the history of architecture. Member of...
. His first book, Attitudes to criticism, has been described as "a critical celebration of the very similar sensibilities and minds of Leavis and the American Yvor Winters
Yvor Winters
Arthur Yvor Winters was an American poet and literary critic.-As modernist:Winters's early poetry, which appeared in small avant-garde magazines alongside work by writers like James Joyce and Gertrude Stein, was written in the modernist idiom, and was heavily influenced both by Native American...
", while his last book, Design and plan in the country house (with coauthor Alison Maguire), has been praised by Professor Tim Mowl
Timothy Mowl
Professor Timothy Mowl is an architectural and landscape historian based within the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Bristol.-Career:...
as a "remarkable scholarly resource" despite its "ambitious range".
For many years, Gomme was editor of Architectural History
Architectural History
Architectural History is the main journal of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain .The journal is published each autumn. The architecture of the British Isles is a major theme of the journal, although it includes more general papers on the history of architecture. Member of...
, the flagship journal of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain
Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain
The Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain is a leading society in Great Britain for people interested in the history of architecture.- Purpose :...
, of which he was Chair from 1988 to 1991. He died in Church Lawton on 19 September 2008. The author of his obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Studies
Cultural studies
Cultural studies is an academic field grounded in critical theory and literary criticism. It generally concerns the political nature of contemporary culture, as well as its historical foundations, conflicts, and defining traits. It is, to this extent, largely distinguished from cultural...
Fred Inglis
Fred Inglis
Fred Inglis is Emeritus Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Sheffield in the UK. Previously Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Warwick, he has been a member of the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, Fellow-in-Residence at the...
, described Gomme as "one of the best British architectural historians since John Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
".
Publications
- Attitudes to criticism (1966), Southern Illinois University Press. ISBN 978-0809301942
- Dickens (1971), Evans. ISBN 978-0237350154
- D.H. Lawrence : a critical study of the major novels and other writings (1979), Harper and Row. ISBN 978-0064924801
- Architecture of Glasgow (1968, with David Walker), Lund Humphries. ISBN 978-0853315049
- Bristol: an architectural history (1979, with Michael Jenner and Bryan Little), Lund Humphries. ISBN 978-0853314097
- Smith of Warwick: Francis Smith, architect and master-builder (2000), Shaun Tyas. ISBN 978-1900289382
- Design and plan in the country house (2008, with Alison Maguire), Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300126457