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Louis Emanuel Jean Guy de Savoie-Carignan de SoissonsCVORAFRIBA (1890–1962) was the younger son of Charles de Savoie-Carignan,Count de Soissons (with claimed descent, through an illegitimate son, fromThomas Francis of Savoy, Prince of Carignano). An architect, he was professionally known asLouis de Soissons.
De Soissons was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, but moved in childhood with his family to London. In 1913 he won the first year of the Henry Jarvis scholarship of theRoyal Institute of British Architects, enabling three years of European travel and study.[1]
The first major commission of the practice he set up (Louis de Soissons Partnership) was the 'master plan' (so-called – a very early use of the term) forWelwyn Garden City (1920), a planned town created byEbenezer Howard in neo-Georgian style, built on cheap redundantfarmland. Louis de Soissons was appointed architect for the town in 1920 and the practice was significantly involved in its development over the next 60 years. He designed theNabisco Shredded Wheat Factory for the eponymous Canadian company.
Other important early projects included theHome Office andDuchy of Cornwall Estates in London, where the futureEdward VIII was the effective client and the Nag's Head Estate in Bethnal Green, London, E2 which was one of the few private "slum clearance" projects undertaken by a private landlord. When young he had been much influenced by 18th-centuryItalian architecture, and gained a reputation as a classical architect, but with a deep humanism resulting from hisnew town work.
After theSecond World War the firm expanded toPlymouth andExeter to carry out a wide variety of architectural work. Nearly 50 war cemeteries were designed for theCommonwealth War Graves Commission in Greece and Italy.[citation needed] Among de Soisson's designs was theCoriano Ridge War Cemetery inCoriano, Italy.[2] Later the practice's buildings included a number of important buildings, such as theWellcome Foundation,The Leathersellers Company, (a reconstruction in 1948 after wartime bombing), theRoyal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists inRegent's Park and theInternational Wool Secretariat inCarlton Terrace, London. He also designed theHobbs' Gates atThe Oval cricket ground, in memory ofSir Jack Hobbs, the notedSurrey and England player, and a statue ofGeorge VI.
TheCrown Estates Commissioners retained the firm to restore Cumberland and Chester Terraces, byJohn Nash. For theMCC work has been carried out on seating. Work for academic institutions includedEton College, andExeter andCambridge Universities. The firm changed tack in the 1960s, and commercial work such as theBrighton Marina shows a greater deference tomodernism. The firm's headquarters are now inLuton,Bedfordshire.
In 1923 Louis de Soissons became a fellow of theRIBA and a member of both the Town Planning Institute, laterRTPI, and theSociété des Architectes Diplômés par le Gouvernement. He was made an academician – a fellow of theRoyal Academy – in 1953 and was awarded the RIBA distinction in town planning in 1945.
In the1956 New Year Honours he was decorated with theCVO.
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Louis de Soissons married Elinor Penrose-Thackwell, by whom he had three sons: Philip (killed in action 1941), Maurice (1927–2019) and Brian (1929–2009).
https://www.cwgc.org/learn/horticulture-and-works/our-architects/louis-de-soissons
https://louisdesoissons.com/history/
The memorial was designed by Mr. Louis de Soissons...with lettering by Mr. W. H. Sharpington
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