George Edmund Street
Encyclopedia
George Edmund Street was an English architect
, born at Woodford in Essex
.
in about 1830, and later to the Camberwell
collegiate school, which he left in 1839. For a few months he worked in his father's business in Philpot Lane, but on his father's death he went to live with his mother and sister at Exeter
. There his thoughts first turned to architecture, and in 1841 his mother obtained a place for him as pupil in the office of Mr Owen Carter at Winchester
. Afterwards he worked for five years as an improver with Sir George Gilbert Scott
in London.
Street was elected an associate of the Royal Academy
in 1866, and a fellow in 1871; at the time of his death he was professor of architecture to the Royal Academy, where he had delivered a very interesting course of lectures on the development of medieval architecture. He was also president of the Royal Institute of British Architects
. He was a member of the Royal Academy of Vienna
, and in 1878, in reward for drawings sent to the Paris Exhibition, he was made a knight of the Legion of Honour.
Street was twice married, first on 17 June 1852 to Mariquita, second daughter of Robert Proctor, who died in 1874, and secondly on 11 January 1876 to Jessie, second daughter of William Holland, who died in the same year. The architect's own death, on 18 December 1881, was hastened by overwork and professional worries connected with the erection of the law courts.
He was buried on 29 December 1881 in the nave of Westminster Abbey
.
At an early age Street became deeply interested in the principles of Gothic architecture
, and devoted an unsparing amount of time and labour to studying and sketching the finest examples of medieval buildings in England and on the Continent. His first commission was for the designing of Biscovey Church, Cornwall
. In 1849 he took an office of his own. He was a draughtsman of a very high order; his sketches are masterpieces of spirit and brilliant touch. In 1855 he published a very careful and well illustrated work on The Brick and Marble Architecture of Northern Italy, and in 1865 a book on The Gothic Architecture of Spain, with very beautiful drawings in his own hand.
These works inspired the wider use of constructional polychromy by British Architects, sometimes dubbed 'The Streaky Bacon Style'.
Street's personal taste led him in most cases to select for his design the 13th century Gothic of England or France, his knowledge of which was very great, especially in the skillful use of rich mouldings.
His most recognisable building is probably the Royal Courts of Justice
in London
. The competition for this was prolonged, and much diversity of opinion was expressed. Thus, the judges wanted Street to make the exterior arrangements and Charles Barry
the interior, while a special committee of lawyers recommended the designs of Alfred Waterhouse
. In June 1868, however, Street was appointed sole architect; but the building was not complete at the time of his death in December 1881.
Street carried out a number of new works in Ireland, including the small clifftop church of St. John the Evangelist at Ardamine, Co. Wexford, and Piltown Church, Co. Kilkenny. His most significant work was the controversial reedification of the historic Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. He was also responsible for the restoration of St. Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare Town, Ireland which was a roofless ruin when he started work. The Cathedral was reopened in 1896. He succeeded in rebuilding the lost walls to match the remnants which remained of the original walls and square tower.
In 1856–57, Philip Webb
was Street's senior clerk and the young William Morris
one of his apprentices. These two designers worked together on Red House (London)
that became an iconic memorial to William Morris's design principles and includes work by many of his now-famous friends. Another apprentice in the early 1870s was the Canadian
architect Frank Darling
.
In addition to the Law Courts, by far the majority of Street's output was for ecclesiastical uses, the largest being the nave of Bristol Cathedral
and the restoration of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
. Chief amongst his complete works include the convent of East Grinstead
and the theological college
at Cuddesdon
.
He is recorded as having worked on 179 Anglican ecclesiastical buildings for the Incorporated Church Building Society alone. His churches include:
His work was not exclusively in the Gothic revival manner, as Ralli's
dramatic Lycia
n-Byzantine
temple at Norwood Cemetery
, and the Romanesque
reworking of nearby St Luke's demonstrates.
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...
, born at Woodford in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
Life
Street was the third son of Thomas Street, solicitor, by his second wife, Mary Anne Millington. George went to school at MitchamMitcham
Mitcham is a district in the south west area of London, in the London Borough of Merton. A suburban area, Mitcham is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is both residentially and financially developed, well served by Transport for London, and home to Mitcham Town Centre,...
in about 1830, and later to the Camberwell
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
collegiate school, which he left in 1839. For a few months he worked in his father's business in Philpot Lane, but on his father's death he went to live with his mother and sister at Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
. There his thoughts first turned to architecture, and in 1841 his mother obtained a place for him as pupil in the office of Mr Owen Carter at Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
. Afterwards he worked for five years as an improver with Sir George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
in London.
Street was elected an associate of the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in 1866, and a fellow in 1871; at the time of his death he was professor of architecture to the Royal Academy, where he had delivered a very interesting course of lectures on the development of medieval architecture. He was also president of the Royal Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
. He was a member of the Royal Academy of Vienna
Austrian Academy of Sciences
The Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research...
, and in 1878, in reward for drawings sent to the Paris Exhibition, he was made a knight of the Legion of Honour.
Street was twice married, first on 17 June 1852 to Mariquita, second daughter of Robert Proctor, who died in 1874, and secondly on 11 January 1876 to Jessie, second daughter of William Holland, who died in the same year. The architect's own death, on 18 December 1881, was hastened by overwork and professional worries connected with the erection of the law courts.
He was buried on 29 December 1881 in the nave of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
Work
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
, and devoted an unsparing amount of time and labour to studying and sketching the finest examples of medieval buildings in England and on the Continent. His first commission was for the designing of Biscovey Church, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. In 1849 he took an office of his own. He was a draughtsman of a very high order; his sketches are masterpieces of spirit and brilliant touch. In 1855 he published a very careful and well illustrated work on The Brick and Marble Architecture of Northern Italy, and in 1865 a book on The Gothic Architecture of Spain, with very beautiful drawings in his own hand.
These works inspired the wider use of constructional polychromy by British Architects, sometimes dubbed 'The Streaky Bacon Style'.
His most recognisable building is probably the Royal Courts of Justice
Royal Courts of Justice
The Royal Courts of Justice, commonly called the Law Courts, is the building in London which houses the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and the High Court of Justice of England and Wales...
in 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...
. The competition for this was prolonged, and much diversity of opinion was expressed. Thus, the judges wanted Street to make the exterior arrangements and Charles Barry
Charles Barry
Sir Charles Barry FRS was an English architect, best known for his role in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster in London during the mid-19th century, but also responsible for numerous other buildings and gardens.- Background and training :Born on 23 May 1795 in Bridge Street, Westminster...
the interior, while a special committee of lawyers recommended the designs of Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
. In June 1868, however, Street was appointed sole architect; but the building was not complete at the time of his death in December 1881.
Street carried out a number of new works in Ireland, including the small clifftop church of St. John the Evangelist at Ardamine, Co. Wexford, and Piltown Church, Co. Kilkenny. His most significant work was the controversial reedification of the historic Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. He was also responsible for the restoration of St. Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare Town, Ireland which was a roofless ruin when he started work. The Cathedral was reopened in 1896. He succeeded in rebuilding the lost walls to match the remnants which remained of the original walls and square tower.
In 1856–57, Philip Webb
Philip Webb
Another Philip Webb — Philip Edward Webb was the architect son of leading architect Sir Aston Webb. Along with his brother, Maurice, he assisted his father towards the end of his career....
was Street's senior clerk and the young William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
one of his apprentices. These two designers worked together on Red House (London)
Red House (London)
Red House in Bexleyheath in southeast London, England, is a major building of the history of the Arts and Crafts style and of 19th century British architecture. It was designed during 1859 by its owner, William Morris, and the architect Philip Webb, with wall paintings and stained glass by Edward...
that became an iconic memorial to William Morris's design principles and includes work by many of his now-famous friends. Another apprentice in the early 1870s was the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
architect Frank Darling
Frank Darling (architect)
Frank Darling was a Canadian architect and key player in buildings built in Toronto during the early 20th century and promoter of the Beaux-Arts style.-Life and career:...
.
In addition to the Law Courts, by far the majority of Street's output was for ecclesiastical uses, the largest being the nave of Bristol Cathedral
Bristol Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity is the Church of England cathedral in the city of Bristol, England, and is commonly known as Bristol Cathedral...
and the restoration of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the Ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Church of Ireland...
. Chief amongst his complete works include the convent of East Grinstead
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
and the theological college
Ripon College Cuddesdon
Ripon College Cuddesdon is a Church of England theological college in Cuddesdon, a village outside Oxford, England.-History:Ripon College Cuddesdon was formed from an amalgamation in 1975 of Cuddesdon College and Ripon Hall...
at Cuddesdon
Cuddesdon
Cuddesdon is an east Oxfordshire village about east of Oxford. It is notable as the location of Ripon College Cuddesdon....
.
- All Saints' Chapel, Bloxham SchoolBloxham SchoolBloxham School is an independent co-educational day and boarding school located in the village of Bloxham, three miles from the town of Banbury in Oxfordshire, England. It was founded in 1860 by the Reverend Philip Reginald Egerton and has since become a member of the Woodard Corporation...
, Oxfordshire - All Saints' Church, CliftonClifton, BristolClifton is a suburb of the City of Bristol in England, and the name of both one of the city's thirty-five council wards. The Clifton ward also includes the areas of Cliftonwood and Hotwells...
- All Saints Church, Maidenhead
- Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland. (Restoration)
- Christ Church, ChorleywoodChorleywoodChorleywood is a village and civil parish in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. It had a population of 6,814 people at the 2001 census. The parish of Chorleywood as a whole has a population of 10,775. The town lies in the far south west of Hertfordshire, on the...
, HertfordshireHertfordshireHertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and... - Christ Church, The Crimean Memorial Church, IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
- St James' Church, Kingston-in-Purbeck, DorsetKingston, Purbeck, DorsetKingston is a small village on the Isle of Purbeck in the county of Dorset in southern England.-Location:Kingston is situated about two miles south of Corfe Castle and five miles west of Swanage. The village of Kingston is situated on a hill near Swyre Head, the highest point of the Purbeck Hills...
- St James-the-Less Church, PimlicoSt James the Less, PimlicoSt James the Less is an Anglican church in Pimlico, in the evangelical/charismatic tradition. It is Grade I listed.Since 1961, the church has been surrounded by the Lillington Gardens estate.-History:From Old and New London :-References:...
- St John's Church, TorquayTorquayTorquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
- St John's Church, Stourbridge.
- St Margaret's Church, LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
- St Mary, Addington, BuckinghamshireAddington, BuckinghamshireAddington is a village and civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England, about west of Winslow and south east of Buckingham. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 145....
(1857) - St Mary Magdalene Church, PaddingtonPaddingtonPaddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
- St Mary's Church, BlymhillSt Mary's Church, BlymhillSt. Mary's Church, Blymhill is an Anglican church in the village of Blymhill, Staffordshire, England . The building, which is a Grade I listed building, was constructed in the 14th century and restored and extended in the 18th and 19th centuries...
- St Peter's Church, BournemouthSt Peter's Church, BournemouthSt Peter's Church is a Church of England parish church in Bournemouth in the English county of Dorset. The building, which is a Grade I listed building, was completed in 1879 to a design by G.E. Street as the founding mother church of Bournemouth. It has unusual paintings, notable stained glass and...
- St Philip and St James in north OxfordOxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
- St Saviour's Church, EastbourneEastbourneEastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
- St Stephen's Church, FylingdalesFylingdalesFylingdales is a civil parish in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire, England situated south of Whitby. It contains the villages of Robin Hood's Bay and Fylingthorpe and Fyling Hall School....
- St. Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare Town, Ireland. (Reconstruction)
- St. Mary's Church, SouthamptonSt. Mary's Church, SouthamptonSt. Mary's Church, Southampton is the largest church in the city of Southampton, England and can trace its origins to the first Saxon settlements of the 7th century. In 1917, the sound of the church bells inspired the writing of the song, "The Bells of St. Mary's", later sung by Bing Crosby in the...
- Uppingham SchoolUppingham SchoolUppingham School is a co-educational independent school of the English public school tradition, situated in the small town of Uppingham in Rutland, England...
Chapel
His work was not exclusively in the Gothic revival manner, as Ralli's
Ralli Brothers
The five Ralli brothers, Zannis a.k.a. John , Augustus ,Pandia a.k.a. Zeus ,Toumazis , and...
dramatic Lycia
Lycia
Lycia Lycian: Trm̃mis; ) was a region in Anatolia in what are now the provinces of Antalya and Muğla on the southern coast of Turkey. It was a federation of ancient cities in the region and later a province of the Roman Empire...
n-Byzantine
Byzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. The empire gradually emerged as a distinct artistic and cultural entity from what is today referred to as the Roman Empire after AD 330, when the Roman Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire east from Rome to...
temple at Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery is a cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery.One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries of London, and is a site of major historical, architectural and...
, and the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
reworking of nearby St Luke's demonstrates.