Thomas Baldwin (architect)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Baldwin was an English surveyor
and architect
in Bath.
He did not originally hail from Bath but was first recorded in the city in 1774, where he was initially a clerk (later builder and assistant) to plumber, glazier, and politician Thomas Warr Attwood
. By 1775, he was appointed as the Bath City Architect
after Attwood's death. During the construction of the Guildhall
during 1775, he was officially appointed the position of Bath City Surveyor
. He was surveyor to the Pulteney Estate and planned the development of Bathwick
as well as being responsible for much of the building. Around the same time he was appointed to the Office of Architect and Surveyor for the Improvement Commissioners (formed by the Bath Improvement Act of 1789) on 9 April 1790 (at a salary of 200 pounds per annum), which he held until 1793.
Baldwin married Elizabeth Chapman in St James' Church, Bath on 15 September 1779, which is ironic because it was designed by John Palmer of Bath between 1768-1769, the man who would investigate and destroy Baldwin's reputation, and then steal his commissions and positions. The Chapmans were a local political family, and a month after his marriage he was appointed Deputy Chamberlain to the Corporation of Bath. He was again appointed to this post on 7 January 1782, and again on 6 October 1783. His salary for this post, as recorded in October 1790 was 210 pounds per annum. He began to quarrel with the Corporation and was dismissed from this post in October of 1791.
Rival architect John Palmer
began investigating Baldwin and at the same time stole commissions from him, including the enlargement scheme (adding an attic story) of the General Hospital. After Baldwin submitted his records to the Improvement Commissioners, Palmer was then appointed to investigate the work carried out on the Pump Room
on 14 December 1792. Palmer naturally found issues and ordered work there stopped. By 17 May 1793, a committee was formed by the Improvement Commissioners to investigate Baldwin and he was dismissed (on 28 June 1793). This was followed by being dismissed from his other positions in 1793 for financial irregularities, although he was able to maintain the Pulteney office. A creditor named Edmunds sued commenced bankruptcy procedures against him on 15 August 1793 and he was finally declared so on 26 August 1802, which allowed him to re-launch his career after that.
His estate was sold on 16 January 1793 but he continued to practice as an architect until his death in 1820. Indeed, former assistants such as John Eveleigh
continued to advertise that they had worked under him, indicating that although his downfall had been quite public, his name still carried some respect. He is generally have thought of to have been too caught up in the frenzy of building decadent Georgian Bath in its final years (the great building projects ceased after 1793 and Brighton then became the new Bath) and to have been overworked to the point of allowing clerical errors. Baldwin historian Jane Root, however, assessed that "he had a history not merely of imprudence, but of deliberate dishonesty."
He died at age 70 in his Great Pulteney Street
terrace house home he designed. He was buried at St. Michael's, Bath on 14 March 1820.
He was one of the leading architects of Georgian Bath, designing some of its principal buildings, mainly in a Palladian style, with Adamesque detailing.
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
and 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...
in Bath.
He did not originally hail from Bath but was first recorded in the city in 1774, where he was initially a clerk (later builder and assistant) to plumber, glazier, and politician Thomas Warr Attwood
Thomas Warr Attwood
Thomas Warr Attwood was an English builder, architect and local politician in Bath.He was a member of a prominent local family and a member of the city Council from 1760. Although he held no formal appointment, he acted as city surveyor and architect...
. By 1775, he was appointed as the Bath City Architect
Bath City Architect
The prominent post of Bath City Architect was bestowed by the Corporation of Bath, England, on an architect who would be repeatedly chosen for civic projects.* Thomas Warr Attwood –1775* Thomas Baldwin 1780–1792* John Palmer 1792–1817...
after Attwood's death. During the construction of the Guildhall
Guildhall, Bath
The Guildhall in Bath, Somerset, England was built between 1775 and 1778 by Thomas Baldwin to designs by Thomas Warr Attwood. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building....
during 1775, he was officially appointed the position of Bath City Surveyor
Bath City Surveyor
The prominent post of Bath City Architect and Surveyor was bestowed by the Corporation of Bath, Somerset on an architect who would be repeatedly chosen for civic projects. The posts were often bestowed separately with surveyor being the first appointment...
. He was surveyor to the Pulteney Estate and planned the development of Bathwick
Bathwick
Bathwick is an electoral ward in the City of Bath, England, on the opposite bank of the River Avon to the historic city centre.Bathwick was part of the hundred of Bath Forum....
as well as being responsible for much of the building. Around the same time he was appointed to the Office of Architect and Surveyor for the Improvement Commissioners (formed by the Bath Improvement Act of 1789) on 9 April 1790 (at a salary of 200 pounds per annum), which he held until 1793.
Baldwin married Elizabeth Chapman in St James' Church, Bath on 15 September 1779, which is ironic because it was designed by John Palmer of Bath between 1768-1769, the man who would investigate and destroy Baldwin's reputation, and then steal his commissions and positions. The Chapmans were a local political family, and a month after his marriage he was appointed Deputy Chamberlain to the Corporation of Bath. He was again appointed to this post on 7 January 1782, and again on 6 October 1783. His salary for this post, as recorded in October 1790 was 210 pounds per annum. He began to quarrel with the Corporation and was dismissed from this post in October of 1791.
Rival architect John Palmer
John Palmer (Bath architect)
John Palmer was an English architect who worked on some of the notable buildings in the city of Bath in England...
began investigating Baldwin and at the same time stole commissions from him, including the enlargement scheme (adding an attic story) of the General Hospital. After Baldwin submitted his records to the Improvement Commissioners, Palmer was then appointed to investigate the work carried out on the Pump Room
Grand Pump Room, Bath
The Grand Pump Room in the Abbey Church Yard, Bath, Somerset, England is a historic building. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building....
on 14 December 1792. Palmer naturally found issues and ordered work there stopped. By 17 May 1793, a committee was formed by the Improvement Commissioners to investigate Baldwin and he was dismissed (on 28 June 1793). This was followed by being dismissed from his other positions in 1793 for financial irregularities, although he was able to maintain the Pulteney office. A creditor named Edmunds sued commenced bankruptcy procedures against him on 15 August 1793 and he was finally declared so on 26 August 1802, which allowed him to re-launch his career after that.
His estate was sold on 16 January 1793 but he continued to practice as an architect until his death in 1820. Indeed, former assistants such as John Eveleigh
John Eveleigh
John Eveleigh was an English surveyor and architect in Bath.He began his practice in Bath in the 1780s, but went bankrupt after the failure of the Bath City Bank and moved to Plymouth.-List of works:* Camden Crescent, Bath...
continued to advertise that they had worked under him, indicating that although his downfall had been quite public, his name still carried some respect. He is generally have thought of to have been too caught up in the frenzy of building decadent Georgian Bath in its final years (the great building projects ceased after 1793 and Brighton then became the new Bath) and to have been overworked to the point of allowing clerical errors. Baldwin historian Jane Root, however, assessed that "he had a history not merely of imprudence, but of deliberate dishonesty."
He died at age 70 in his Great Pulteney Street
Great Pulteney Street
Great Pulteney Street is a grand thoroughfare that connects Bathwick on the east of the River Avon with the City of Bath, England via the Robert Adam designed Pulteney Bridge...
terrace house home he designed. He was buried at St. Michael's, Bath on 14 March 1820.
He was one of the leading architects of Georgian Bath, designing some of its principal buildings, mainly in a Palladian style, with Adamesque detailing.
List of works
- The Guildhall, BathGuildhall, BathThe Guildhall in Bath, Somerset, England was built between 1775 and 1778 by Thomas Baldwin to designs by Thomas Warr Attwood. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building....
(1775-1779) - "So-called" Kitchen of King's Bath Repair, Bath (1777, demolished four years later for his re-imagined scheme)
- Northumberland Buildings, Bath (1778-1780)
- New King's Bath Pavilion, Bath (1781, demolished in the 19th Century)
- The original (now only east facade of the) The Cross Bath, BathThe Cross Bath, BathThe Cross Bath in Bath Street, Bath, Somerset, England is a historic pool for bathing. It was rebuilt, in the style of Robert Adam by Thomas Baldwin around 1789. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.-Geology:...
1784 - The Old Pump Room, Bath (1783-1784)
- Colonnade, Old Pump Room, Bath (1786)
- Hafod House, Cardiganshire (1786-1788)
- The New Private Baths, Bath (1788-1789)
- Sydney PlaceSydney Place, BathSydney Place in the Bathwick area of Bath, Somerset, England was built around 1800. Many of the properties are listed buildings.Numbers 1 to 12 were planned by Thomas Baldwin around 1795. The 3 storey buildings have mansard roofs. Jane Austen lived in Number 4 from 1801 to 1805.The 3 storey houses...
and Bathwick Street, Bathwick (1788-1792) - Argyle Buildings, Bath (1789)
- Laura Place, BathLaura Place, BathLaura Place in Bathwick, Bath, Somerset, England was built by Thomas Baldwin and John Eveleigh between 1788 and 1794.Laura Place lies at the end of Pulteney Bridge and consists of four blocks of houses around an irregular quadrangle with a fountain which was not part of the original plan and was...
(1789) - Great Pulteney StreetGreat Pulteney StreetGreat Pulteney Street is a grand thoroughfare that connects Bathwick on the east of the River Avon with the City of Bath, England via the Robert Adam designed Pulteney Bridge...
, Bathwick (1789) - Northampton Street, Bath (1791-1805), continued by John Pinch the elder and George Phillips MannersGeorge Phillips MannersGeorge Phillips Manners was an English architect, City Architect and →to the city of Bath from 1823 to 1862.In his early career he worked with Charles Harcourt Masters and after about 1845 was in partnership with C.E. Gill...
- Union Street, Bath (1790)
- Cheap StreetCheap Street, BathCheap Street in Bath, Somerset, England is adjacent to Bath Abbey and contains several listed buildings.The road was known as Souter Street until 1398.Number 13 which adjoins the abbey and is Grade II* listed....
refronted, Bath (1790) - Stall StreetStall Street, BathStall Street in Bath, Somerset, England was built by John Palmer between the 1790s and the first decade of the 19th century. The buildings which form an architectural group have listed building status and are now occupied by shops and offices....
refronted, Bath (1790) - Bath Street, BathBath Street, BathBath Street in Bath, Somerset, England was built by Thomas Baldwin in 1791. Several of the buildings have been esignated as Grade I listed buildings....
(1791, originally named Cross Bath Street) - Nash Street, Bath (from Bath Street to Westgate Street)
- Hot Bath Street, Bath
- Bow Street, Bath
- The Great Pump Room's Colonnade (12 March 1790 to Summer 1791)
- The Grand Pump Room, BathGrand Pump Room, BathThe Grand Pump Room in the Abbey Church Yard, Bath, Somerset, England is a historic building. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building....
(1790-1791), finished to John PalmerJohn Palmer (Bath architect)John Palmer was an English architect who worked on some of the notable buildings in the city of Bath in England...
's designs by the latter (1794-1794) - Union Street, Bath (Begun 3 June 1791 on "the ground in the Bear Yard" but not completed in 1793)
- 1-4 Henrietta StreetHenrietta Street, BathHenrietta Street in the Bathwick area of Bath, Somerset, England was built around 1785 by Thomas Baldwin.Numbers 1 to 35 were built together in a terrace with a consistent style of 3 storey houses. They complement the surrounding Georgian buildings and layout of Laura Place, Great Pulteney Street...
Bath (c.1795) - Sydney Hotel, Bathwick (1796-1797), built to a modified design by Charles Harcourt MastersCharles Harcourt MastersCharles Harcourt Masters was an English surveyor and architect in Bath.He made a set of maps of Bath turnpike roads in 1786. In 1789 made a scale model of Bath which he displayed at his home, 21 Old Orchard Street, and later in London: the plans were published in 1794...
- Bathford Church, SomersetSomersetThe ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
extensions (1803, 1817) - Town Hall, DevizesDevizesDevizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
, WiltshireWiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
(1806-1808) - Hafod House, Cardiganshire, rebuilt after fire (1807)
- Chapel, Duchess of Somerset's Hospital, Froxfield, WiltshireWiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
(1813 or 1814) - Rainscombe House, Oare, WiltshireOare, WiltshireOare is a small village near Marlborough and Pewsey in the County of Wiltshire, England.The A345 road runs through the village.-Geography:The village is within the parish of Huish with Oare and lies within the Devizes Parliamentary Constituency....
, remodelled (1816) - The house (now demolished) at Hafod UchtrydHafod UchtrydThe estate of Hafod Uchtryd is located in Ceredigion, Wales in the Ystwyth valley near Devil's Bridge, Cwmystwyth and Pont-rhyd-y-groes off the B4574 road, described by the Automobile Association as one of the ten most scenic drives in the world. It is the ancient location of a dwelling on the...